Azores, Portugal
I just got back from my second trip to the Azores, the first was so magical that I had to go back again to ensure that I loved it as much as I did in my mind. It held up. Every single day in the Azores feels like a fairy tale. The islands are so green, perfectly manicured, there's cows everywhere and you are never far from a volcano. We spent most of our time on São Miguel and a few days on Pico. We passed through Faial, and next time I want to hit Flores as well. Between islands, Azores Airlines is the only flight option and for closer islands there are ferries. We flew from São Miguel to Faial and took a quick 25 minute ferry from there to Pico.
STAY: Upon arrival in Ponta Delgada, the main hub of São Miguel, it's nice to stay in town for a couple of days. It's central to everything on the island, a good base, and nice to walk to dinner, cafes, shops, etc. We stayed at Casa da Cidade, the most charming guest house right in town owned by a sweet couple who renovated the house that Pedro (the husband) grew up in about a year ago. They have a dog that we fell in love with every morning and they were just the right amount of available and warm at breakfast and then everyone goes on their way. I think there are four guest rooms, the beds and linens were great. We stayed there for two nights and spent the first few days exploring the west side of the island. I stayed at the Furnas Boutique Hotel on both trips to the Azores and it is my favorite on São Miguel. The thermal pools are the main draw and I spent the majority of days soaking. The rooms were on the small side, the dining room kinda felt like a cafeteria and the food (other than breakfast) is just ok but none of that really matters because of how good the chill is. We got spa treatments which were decent, there's actually a gym which I enjoyed for a change and the staff is helpful. I MISS THE POOLS!!
There are a couple of other hotel options on São Miguel that we considered and got a look at while there...White Azores is beautiful, just out of town from Ponta Delgada (8 min drive). I personally feel like if you are staying in the area of town it's better to be IN town and able to walk to everything but if you are looking for a quiet oasis, the White is yo spot. Also on the beach in Santa Barbara (which has the best beaches) is the Santa Barbara Eco Beach Resort. Really amazing property, it was too chilly for proper beach days both times I was there but we went for lunch, discussed below.
White Azores
The last place we stayed was on Pico and was my actual dream. Pocinhobay is a summer property for Louisa and her husband. When Summer ends, they hit the road and travel the world. Louisa has the most impeccable taste and the place is filled with pieces from her travels. OFF THE CHARTS. Furniture, art, textiles and more from all over the world. The property is massive, they grow grapes and make wine and it's a very quiet, peaceful spot. Whenever I told locals where I was staying, they would say "that's the most beautiful place on the whole island". And it really was. There's a pool, a breakfast deck, and a number of comfortable spaces to relax. The property overlooks a swimming cove with a little rocky beach that is lovely. Louisa is living my dream, and she's crushing it. I also should add that she hooked us up with contacts for tours and guides to climb Mt Pico, go whale watching, and more. Her recommendations were all quite good.
EAT: Let me start with my favorite food experience of the trip. Quinta dos Sabores farmhouse is a family owned and run farm that serves dinner five nights per week to one seating of guests. It's unfussy, fresh food, five courses, 35 euro (cash only) and feels really warm and special. Make a reservation at least a day before and just knock on their door and in ya go.
In town, my favorite restaurants were A Tasca and Tasquinha Viera. Enjoy a long leisurely lunch by the water at Santa Barbara Eco Beach Resort, good sushi and cocktails. There's really no such thing as a "quick" lunch in the Azores. At the mini mart in Furnas (Spar) there is a breakfast/lunch counter and they also have an outdoor patio. The food is decent and just what you are looking for when staying in that area and don't want a whole to-do.
In Pico there's really no food to knock your socks off but Cella Bar is sooo beautiful and cozy and a great spot for sunset. I also like the bar across the street from the Pico ferry for drinks and snacks.
Cella Bar
DO: The Azores are all about the DO. You don't have to be super outdoorsy or athletic, you just have to love nature to enjoy the Azores. Everything is really close so if something on the map looks sort of on the way or just a little out of the way, you should make the stop.
The first area we explored was Sete Cidades, which is what you see photographed most from the Azores. It's worth the hype, it's incredible. We hit Miradouro da Vista do Rei, the abandoned hotel first for a view. It's right on the side of the road and easy to pull off for a quick look. It's a creepy abandoned hotel, go up to the top for a windy yet beautiful view of the lakes. As many times as you see Miradouro da Boca do Inferno in photographs (the long, narrow dirt path with wooden railing) it will still blow your mind in person.
Not too much to see in the town of Sete Cidades but worth a pass through. We drove to the most western part of the island, the tiny town of Mosteiros for a late lunch at O Americo De Barbosa. It was ok, try to sit outside, order basic trustworthy items. On my second trip to the Azores I finally made it to Ponta da Ferraria - the thermal pool IN the ocean. We were there in January, so the weather was somewhat different from when I was there in the Spring. The water was not warm but much warmer than regular ocean temps, beautiful spot and it’s a thrill to swim in the pool.
The Lagoa do Fogo hike is a favorite of mine. There's an app called "WalkMe Azores" that has all the trail maps, directions and shows elevation, it's key for this hike. Make sure you do the longer "Praia- Lagoa do Fogo" hike that is a loop and takes about four hours. You go through so many landscapes, different types of trees blanketing you on both sides, long aquiducts covered in moss, cows up close, and the lake sitting at the top of the climb where you can sit and have lunch, it is truly stunning and the whole day felt like a dream. When you're done with the hike there's a perfect beach bar nearby on the southern coast (think it's called Bar Praia de Agua d'Alto) where we got beers and fries and I have never been happier.
On my first trip to the Azores I missed the Salto Do Prego hike. It was a highlight of my second trip. It’s a shorter hike than the Lagoa do Fogo hike but theres challenging elevation and it’s a different type of trail. I’ve never been a waterfall person, Salto Do Prego changed that. Magical falls into a little swimming pool, in the middle of the woods. So so beautiful. On the way back (depending which way you do the loop) you pass through Sanguinho which is this charming abandoned little town that they are revitalizing and bringing back. It sits waaaaay up high, with a very windy donkey path as the only access to it- very cool.
After a couple big days of hiking, it’s nice to do the path around the Green Lake in Sete Cidades if you are on the west side of the island. It was actually a tad more challenging than we anticipating and way more interesting. It’s light and fun with nice scenery and took about two hours.
In addition to the thermal pools at the Furnas Hotel, there are two local public thermal baths in the Furnas area- Dona Beija and Terra Nostra. Very different than the hotel's thermal pools, these are natural hot springs. Both are better than the internet leads on to and they are open at night as well. Terra Nostra is a beautiful, lush park that you can explore in addition to the baths. There's a ton of locals at both, I preferred the actual baths more at Dona Beija but both are enjoyable.
Ok, the Pico DO. There's three things to do on Pico. Climb Mount Pico, whale watch, and drink their local wine. Pico's landscape is completely different than São Miguel. Black rocks fill the island, the traditional style houses are built from the lava rock and the vineyards have low rock walls built in grids to protect the vines- it's all beautiful. I love the design of their houses with a clean pop of bright color to juxtapose the black rock. The road from Pocinhobay to town is actually the wine trail and an amazing walk to see all of the vineyards and these traditional houses (about a 45 minute walk).
Hiking Mount Pico. Do it if you are an experienced hiker and love that sort of thing. Don't do it if you are not up for a long, hard hike. The views are unparalleled. The terrain unlike any other hike I have done (even other volcanos I have hiked). I felt like queen of the world when we made it to the top and thought "oh, that was not so bad". The DOWN. The DOWN, people. I have never felt so challenged by the descent of a climb and it took us three hours to go up and four to go down. My muscles were so tired and sore that I was shaking towards the end. It's also a full body workout, I used my arms as much as my legs and you have to plot every step. Pico works you. I can't sing enough praise for our guide Renato who spends more time on the mountain than not. There's a guy named João Xavier who was my initial connection to Renato, João is a gem and sometimes leads hikes, he also got us taxis on Pico when we needed them, he was basically our all around fixer. Good to know João, he is caminhandoazores@gmail.com and +351 962 408 417. We had beautiful weather and based on what I have read, I feel really lucky for that. Bring layers, lots of water, a sandwich to eat at the top, snacks, and apply sunscreen to every crevice of your body multiple times and wear a hat.
KNOW: The Azores is still cheap. Even when we "splurged" on a hotel it was less than most hotels in the US. Nice accommodations, food, activities, etc do not cost a lot. The only thing that does cost a lot are flights between islands and sometimes flights from mainland Portugal if you wait to book it. There are not enough accommodations in the popular areas of the islands so book places to stay with plenty of lead time. For the most part, you need a rental car, most rental are manual, the automatic options are mini or somewhat expensive. We had a car in São Miguel and most people get one for Pico as well though we got by with taxis because we were out all day on tours hiking. The weather in the Azores changes by the minute. In one day you go through heat, rain, clouds, wind, everything! The people in the Azores are some of the warmest, kindest people I have ever met. No one moves quickly on the islands, island time is in full effect. Every meal takes a long time and you will have to flag a server down to get a check...which we came to love and appreciate.
