Discover the fascinating history of Capelinhos Volcano

If museum seems to be boring with your kids, visiting a volcano may interest them. Built in the lair of one of the most recent volcanoes in Europe, it is essential to understand the history of the Azores. The Capelinhos Volcano rises magnificently to the sky near the island's westernmost tip, as a testament to the last volcanic eruption in the Azores, which added additional territory to the existing one. Entering this location is like arriving on the moon, with the grey volcanic ash and lapilli thrown forth between 1957 and 1958 being overrun by green plants eager to colonize this new territory. The inside of these volcanoes may be seen in a succession of opposing rocks, strata, and curves, as well as a game of startling colors and textures, in the abrupt cliffs of Capelinhos and Costado da Nau.

The undersea volcano that erupted spectacularly off the island of Faial in 1957 provided scientists with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to examine a remarkable geological event from its inception until the day it died. The Capelinhos Volcano Interpretation Centre explains all they've learnt in great detail. The center, designed by architect Nuno Ribeiro Lopes, is located on the bottom floor of the now defunct but still accessible lighthouse. The displays and exhibits inside the center explain the narrative of not just this volcano, whose 13-month-long eruption forced half of the island's people to flee to America, but also of the tectonic processes that shaped the Azores' remarkable scenery.

Location: Faial, Azores, Portugal