Behold the Beauty of the Azores by Island Hopping

30 Jul Behold the Beauty of the Azores by Island Hopping

The Azores islands (Açores in Portuguese) are enthralling. I would frequently stop and gaze out at my surroundings, taking in the beauty and landscapes that were so unfamiliar to me. I felt like I was in a dream. A far off land. With lush, green pastures, small historic towns, thousands of blue, white, and purple hydrangeas painting the roadsides and fields, happy cows, and fog-covered volcanic rifts and mountains. Where the citizens are in tune with the earth, knowing it is their life support, and treating it with respect. Imagine!

 

Intro

The Azores is an archipelago of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. Consider it the sub-tropical Hawaii. The islands are scattered in three groups and are fairly easy to hop around due to a network of regional airports and the archipelago’s own airline, as well as boats and ferries.

The Eastern Group of islands includes São Miguel, the most populated of all the islands, and Santa Maria.

The Central Group of islands includes Pico, Faial, São Jorge, Terceira, and Graciosa. Pico and Faial seem to be the most popular of this group for tourism. Terceira is the second most inhabited island.

The Western Group of islands includes Flores and Corvo. These are a little less traveled and the least populated by residents.

There’s no shortage of adventure here. You can hike the rim of volcanic calderas, soak in thermal waters, road trip or 4×4 around the islands and check out the dozens of miradouros (lookout points), visit waterfalls, interpretation centers, and wineries, go horseback riding, whale & dolphin watching, diving, deep sea fishing, and sailing, partake in other water sports, and more.

 

Island Hopping in the Azores

We began our island hopping adventure on Santa Maria Island. This wasn’t a planned stop, but rather one that got added when we had to rebook our flight from Lisbon to Ponta Delgada after missing the original one. We had a 2.5-hour layover. And in talking to the tourist information desk at the airport, they assured us that was enough time to grab a taxi, see the closest town, Vila do Porto, walk down to the lookout point by the marina and make it back for our next flight. So, we headed off to do just that!

 

Ultimately, we only saw a small portion of Santa Maria. From what we heard, most people visit this island, which is the most southern of the nine, for the nice, clean beaches.

Next, we flew to São Miguel Island. Being the second flight that day to approach the coastline and dramatic landscapes below, we noticed the sense of wonder that washed over us. Stepping off the plane, we inhaled that fresh, salty air and upon exhaling, rid ourselves of any residual anxiety we were harboring from the previous chaotic days.

We spent the majority of our time on São Miguel island, with a three-day hop to the Central group to check out Faial and Pico Islands.

 

For a more in-depth look at these islands, please click on the text in the image below:

 

 

 

 

Azores Travel Tips

Language

The official language is Portuguese, however, the Azoreans have a distinct accent that’s a bit difficult for even a Portuguese (Brazilian) speaker to understand. Luckily, English is widely spoken, making it easier to venture out on your own.

Which islands to visit

There’s plenty to see just on São Miguel Island alone. So if you’re limited to a few days, I would recommend just sticking to this island and trying to take in the points of interest and enjoy the beauty across the island.

If you have more time, then venture out. Let the activities and experiences you seek guide your decision on which islands to visit. Here’s a helpful site to guide you.

We chose to hop to the Central Group because it was a short flight and we liked the idea of seeing two neighboring islands that stand in contrast to each other. Pico has a large volcano peak disrupting the landscape and it’s speckled with black volcanic rock. Faial has a very lush landscape and a world-famous marina.

 

 

If we had more time we would have chosen to also visit São Jorge, which lies just northwest of these two islands. It also differs in that its terrain is extremely steep and its width, very narrow.

 

Transportation

Flights

Here are the airlines that fly internationally to the Azores.

Azores Airlines/SATA provides transportation between all of the islands as well as to some international destinations. They usually run really great specials out of Boston, USA.

NEW OPPORTUNITY: Azores Airlines/SATA now offers a stopover program!!

By Boat

Atlanticoline is a fleet of boats that have lines operating between the islands as well as from the mainland. Some of these lines are seasonal only (mid-May to late September).

By Car

You can get by without a car if:

– you are more focused on planned excursions with small groups that pick you up.

– want to arrange for taxis to take you, as there are many taxi drivers that offer 1/2 and full-day rates to take you around the island.

– are focused on staying in the downtown areas or participating in water activities that originate near the marinas.

Car rentals:

– Here are the various car rental providers.

– If you want a rental car, you will want to book in advance as they sell out.

Activities

The tourism association for the Azores created a free app to help you explore the various islands and activities available. We used it during our road trips in Faial & Pico. Lucky for us, we were visiting a friend that lives in São Miguel, and so we were already in knowledgeable hands.

Download the app for Apple iPhone.

Download the app for Android.

Note: This app uses data to show you results for points of interest based on your location. So make sure to have a global data plan so your cellular provider doesn’t charge you an arm and a leg. We have a T-mobile global plan so we have access to 3G and can use data at no extra charge.

Money

The Azores are part of Portugal so they’re on the EURO.

Weather

The climate in the Azores is temperate due to the Gulf Stream, so it never gets too hot or too cold. The warmest months are July, August, September. It is also relatively humid, often with clouds and rain in the forecast. The weather can change on a dime over the course of the day… it can be sunny and warm, breezy and cool, raining while sunny, raining, and strong storms. So it’s good to have layers, sunglasses, a water repellant jacket and all-purpose footwear at all times.

To help you prepare, use their system of live webcams to check on the weather or volume of tourists in various parts of the islands.

Clothing & Gear

It can be a bit damp due to high humidity. Clothing made of lightweight fabrics that are moisture-wicking and quick-drying are ideal.

You’ll want to pack layers. A light sweater and windbreaker are useful, as is a raincoat.

I would highly recommend a multi-sport sandal (that doubles as a water shoe). A hiking boot or at the very least, a strap-on sandal with good arch support. I have a pair of Chacos.

Some of the thermal springs have a high concentration of iron and sulfur. This might stain your bathing suit a yellowish tint. One way around it is to wear a yellow bathing suit, to begin with.

Depending on the activity, you may want to bring extra outdoors equipment with you, but a lot of these excursion companies provide gear (i.e. wetsuit, masks, etc. are baked into the cost).

Regional Food

1. Seafood

There’s fresh seafood galore- especially cod, octopus, and tuna. Our host insisted we try one of the local favorites, grilled Azorean limpets. I can’t say I loved them.

 

The islands also package, sell and export canned tuna. What we tried was delicious and of high-quality.

2. Fruit

São Miguel specializes in pineapples, which are grown in greenhouses across the island. Our friend’s aunt is part of a co-op and has four pineapple greenhouses on her property that we were able to visit.

 

Santa Maria specializes in cantaloupe. We came across several restaurants in São Miguel that served it as a dessert option.

Gourmet fruit jams are also very popular. We tried several different flavors and deemed blackberry as our favorite.

3. Cheese

Fresh cheese is abundant in the Azores. When dining out, it is typically served along with a variety of freshly baked bread, including sweet cornbread and red pepper sauce. It might also be accompanied by local honey and fruit jams. If it is placed on your table without you having ordered, it might be offered in exchange for cover, which is a small charge added to the bill to cover service.

Some of the islands specialize in aged cheese that is distributed across the archipelago as well as in Porto & Lisbon. São Jorge cheese is the most popular. We also tried aged cheese from Pico and Flores, the latter of which was very flowery tasting.

 

4. Wine

During our visit, we had the pleasure of enjoying several Azorean wines. Most of which originated from Pico Island or São Miguel Island. And while on Pico island, we visited The Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyards UNESCO World Heritage site, a wine interpretation center and tried the traditional Verdelho wine at Adega “A Buraca.”

 

5. Food cooked using thermal heat

In Furnas, on São Miguel island, some of the local restaurants slow cook a regional dish called ‘cozido’ (a meat and vegetable stew) in the volcanic fumaroles. However, if you’re short on time or just want a snack, there are multiple vendors selling corn that was also cooked using thermal heat. We watched one vendor tending to his corn and sought out his stall for a taste.

 

6. Tea

São Miguel island is home to two tea plantations. Porto Formoso Tea Factory allows you to visit their onsite museum and tasting room to sample the tea.

Miscellaneous Thoughts About the Azores

– Pending the weather trends that year, the hydrangeas typically blossom between June and July. We visited mid-late July 2016 and the flowers were out in full force, but some were starting to fade.

– The locals are very welcoming and gracious. And if you’re lost, they’ll go out of their way to help you.

– I visited the public hospital emergency room in Ponta Delgada. It appeared to be a food poisoning incident, although no one else in my group was affected. I am the weakest link. Anyways, I mention because I found the doctors and nurses to be very kind, helpful and efficient with their care. An IV with some medicine, a nap and a few hours later, I left feeling much much better. And the cost, a very reasonable, 118 Euros.

– The Azoreans work hard to keep the beaches, water, and roadways clean, promoting sustainability, and using some renewable energies. It’s very admirable and as guests, we should do our part to make sure our footprint here is small.

– It was very amusing to read Mark Twain’s account of his visit to the Azores in Chapter 5 of his 1869 book, The Innocents Abroad.

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UPDATE: Lonely Planet has ranked the Azores #3 in its Top 10 Regions to visit in 2017

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Have you been to the Azores? If so, which was your favorite island or activity?

Leave a comment!

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