Which Azores’ Islands to visit?
We decided to visit Terceira, Sao Jorge, and Sao Miguel for this trip.
My longtime friend, Jamie, and I flew nonstop from Lisbon to the island of Terceira. The flight was under two hours and it was a smooth gate-to-gate.
We loved our first accommodation so much that we vowed not to reveal the name for fear it would never be available to us again. But…here it is. The ALLuar Lodge in the Porto Judeu area of the island. It was like being a guest on a friend’s beautiful property, with your own private villa. Think Tiny House! There were five villas , but only one had two bedrooms and two full baths which is where we stayed. It was beyond perfect. We had three terraces-including one off each bedroom looking directly out over the Atlantic Ocean.
The grounds are simple, but incredibly well-maintained. There’s a swimming pool-also overlooking the ocean.
We stayed for three nights and in that time, we saw two other couples for about 30 minutes during some pool time. The rest of the time it was like our own private oasis, with just the breeze and the ocean crashing against the rocks. I can’t say enough about the wonderful owners, a lovely couple and their two children. They really go the extra mile to make sure guests have a fantastic experience.
Breakfast was in a cute picnic basket, delivered to our door each morning. Inside were homemade goodies: bread, yogurt, jams, coffee, juices and fresh fruit. So fun waking up every morning anticipating what was inside the basket!
One night the owner came by with a bottle of local white wine and some Limpets, a local traditional fish dish. We couldn’t have wished for a better experience. We didn’t want to leave.
Terceira’s capital is Angra do Heroísmo and it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The seaside town is charming with brightly painted buildings, cobblestone streets and cute cafes. There was a beautiful botanical park that we discovered near the center of town.
We spent some time wandering various shops, restaurants, and churches. A solid afternoon here is probably enough. There is a beach, but we decided to spend our limited time at the natural lava pools.
Terceira has several natural swimming pools; pools formed naturally inside lava rock areas. One of our favorites was Biscoitos (Biscuits). It’s located in the area of Fajã do Ouvidor. A fajã is a coastal plain formed by lava flows that reach the ocean. They are plentiful in the Azores and are quite stunning to look at. These unique landscapes are dotted with charming villages, vineyards, and lush vegetation. The views of the sea are breathtaking. Sometimes the sheer beauty in front of us became overwhelming,
Our next stop was the island of Sao Jorge, just a quick 30-minute flight from Terceira.
Again, we won the accommodation lottery with our stay at the wonderful “Make It Happen Farm.” It’s an actual working farm with six nicely appointed villas. We had an ocean-facing villa and our view was directly across from the island of Pico and Mount Pico, the highest point in the Azores.
The villas share an outstanding modern communal kitchen and living room area. Each morning there were fresh laid eggs and homemade bread inside individual bread machines. As a cook, I found the kitchen completely furnished with everything needed for tasty meals. We were also invited to pick strawberries from the garden which were delicious.
Of course the farm animals became our friends! There was Fiona the donkey, Belly the goat, a pig named Peppa, lots of chickens, roosters and even a turkey. Jamie became Dr. Doolittle, making sure they all got treats each night.
Jamie and I did an amazing hike one day at Pico da Esperança, the highest point on Sao Jorge. The hike is called “Baias da Agualva” and it took us along cliffs overlooking the ocean, winding through the mountains and by scenic cow pastures. We both thought it was one of the prettiest hikes we’ve ever done. This hike is also listed on alltrails.com.
During August, there’s a different festival almost every day throughout the island. One day we were on our way to a supermarket in the capital town of Velas, and we literally had to stop in our tracks and sit in our car for 15 minutes. Why? It was a Running of the Bull celebration, and a bull was running wild through the main streets of Velas. The local people seemed to love being chased by the bull. Such a crazy local tradition . Luckily it was over in about 15 minutes and we were on our way to the market driving through the crowds!
Our final island hop was to São Miguel, the largest and most populated island in the Azores. This is where the cruise ships come and many tour operators. Our first three nights were spent right in the main city of Ponta Delgada. Unless you don’t have a rental car and need to be on hand to catch your sightseeing tours in Ponta Delgada, one night here was more than enough. There isn’t much to do in the city, and having a car makes for so much better exploring. We did have a few exceptional meals, especially lunch at Restaurant Aji.
On day four, we drove to our final place, a lovely Airbnb in Covas, on the Northwest tip of Sao Miguel.
The property was on the edge of a cliff in a very remote area, with one small mini market and surrounded by cow pastures. I loved the remoteness, and the peacefulness. The only sounds were the mooing of cattle, a few roosters, and the crashing of the waves against the cliffs.
We tried to explore a lot of the famous sites. Sete-Cidades is probably the most iconic. It’s really a must-visit for its stunning twin lakes, Lagoa Azul (Blue Lake) and Lagoa Verde (Green Lake), nestled in the crater of a dormant volcano. We hiked the Miradouro da Vista do Rei, which was on the rim of the volcano which gave us panoramic views of this breathtaking natural wonder.
Another site we visited was the thermal pool of Termas da Ferreira, which was an interesting experience. Walking over a lava bed to get to the pool, steam was rising so we knew it would be warm. The water was about 80 degrees when we first entered, as we edged nearer towards the open ocean, it got much cooler.
We visited the iconic Furnas Lake and found a park on the way into Furnas with beautiful plants and flowers. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to eat the famous “Cozido á Portuguesa “which is a traditional Cozido meat stew cooked in the Furnas volcanic steam. A good reason for a return visit!
Another awesome adventure was taking a bus tour to Lagoa do Fogo, which translates to "Lake of Fire.” Lagoa do Fogo is another volcanic pristine crater lake, surrounded by lush vegetation and hiking trails. Only special buses are allowed past a certain point, so we jumped on a bus and were rewarded with gorgeous views and bright foliage colors.
A couple beaches we explored; the famous Mosteiros, a volcanic black sand beach near our Airbnb in the northwest. Our favorite though was Praia Moinhos, located in Porto Formosa more to the southeast. We really loved the stunning landscape, the unspoiled cliffs, and the beautiful blues of the water.
After three weeks of driving curvy, winding roads and exploring the beautiful sites of the Azores, we were ready to head back to Lisbon. Our nonstop flight from Sao Miguel took just over two-hours.
****There were four main lessons we learned (sometimes the hard way!) during these travels, which I would recommend for any traveler:
1. Make sure you know everything about your rental car. Where the gas tank is, how to use the lights and windshield wipers and especially how to put the car in reverse! Also, if you get insurance, read exactly what is covered and exactly what you need if you have an accident.
