June 2013
In June 2013 I took a 2 week trip to the Azores. It was a walking tour through Explore Worldwide that visited 5 of the 9 volcanic islands that make up the Azores. The Azores belong to Portugal and are situated in the North Atlantic around 1360 kms of its coast. On this trip I visited the islands of Sao Miguel, Terceira, Sao Jorge, Pico and Faial. I spent my days discovering crater lakes, thermal springs, deep gorges, craggy coastlines, small fishing villages, caves, UNESCO heritage sites, incredible Azorean cuisine and spotting whales.
Day 1- 4 Landed in Ponta Delgado on the island of Sao Miguel after a 5.5 hour flight from Toronto
Ponta Delgado is the largest city in the Azores situated on the largest island, Sao Miguel. It’s a charming city with narrow cobbled street and interesting buildings. Ponta Delgado was our base for 3 days as we visited the islands dramatic landscapes and main attractions. One of the highlights was a crater hike around Sete Citades. Sete Citades is the name of a village as well as a crater. The walls of the crater rise around 400 metres and is composed of two lakes (one is blue and the other is green) which are separated by a bridge. The rim of the crater is dotted with hydrangeas which bloom in June/July. Some of the best views on the island can be seen from a popular lookout point at Vista do Rei.
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| Ponta Delgado, Sao Miguel |
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| Sete Citades, Sao Miguel |
Another spectacular view point is Lagoa de Fogo(the islands highest crater lake). It is easily reached by car.
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| Lagoa de Fogo |
Among other spots that we visited was the Furnas Valley. The Furnas Valley is a highly volcanic area where volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools. Here we took a short walk along the shores of the Lagoa das Furnas to the natural ovens where a traditional Cozido(blend of vegetables and meats) is cooked in the volcanic fumeroles. We later got to sample the Cozido for our lunch. In Furnas, there are some beautiful Botanical Gardens which feature a thermal hot pool where you can bathe. This is a must do, just be sure to bring an old bathing suit as the water has a high concentration of sulphur and might stain it..
We also toured a tea plantation where they produce the some incredible organic teas and a pineapple farm to taste the sweet variety that the island is known for.
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| Cozido lunch at Furnas |
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| Thermal hot pool at botanical gardens in Furnas |
Day 5-6- Flight to Terceira
We said our goodbyes to Sao Miguel and took a short inter- island flight to Terceira. Our base for 2 days was the small harbour settlement of Praia da Victoria. Here we explored the UNESCO World Heritage site of Angra do Heroismo. The town is made up of distinctive architecture, cathedrals, museums, forts and urban parks. It is one of the finest examples of Renaissance planning and was the Azores’ seat of government until the early 19th century. There’s a really nice walk up to the fort which offers great views of the town.
We did a really nice walk from Quatro Ribeiras to Biscoitos. The 3 hour walk followed the contours of the coast and provided us with nice views out to sea. In Biscoitos we swam and relaxed in the lava rock pools.
It just so happened while we were staying in Terceira they were having a Running of the Bulls Festival. This definitely was a highlight. Our group was invited into a locals home to view the event. From the second floor balcony we watched as the event took place.
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| Angra do Heroismo |
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| View of Angra do Heroismo |
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| Lava rock pools at Biscoitos |
Day 7-9- Flight to Sao Jorge
We said our goodbyes to Terceira and took a short inter- island flight to Sao Jorge. Our base was a cute little hotel perched high overlooking the town of Velas. When we arrived we were treated to wine and some delicious cheeses. Sao Jorge produces some of the best cheeses. The island is rather elongated some 56 km long and 8 kms wide It was created by a series of linear volcanic eruptions.
Some of the best hiking and views can be found on this island due to its precipitous cliffs, narrow valleys and tiny coves. My favourite walk was the Caldeira de Cima. The walk begins on from a 700m ridge and descends through a beautiful gorge down to the coast. Our walk then followed a rocky coastline through Fajas which are small plains at the foot of the steep coastal cliffs which are dotted with hamlets and orchards.
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| View of cliffs and ocean on the Caldeira de Cima hiking trail |
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| Velas, Sao Jorge |
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| Velas, Sao Jorge |
Day 10-11- Ferry to Pico Island (Madalena)
In the morning we took a ferry to Madalena, Pico. The ride is a round 1.5 hours and offers incredible views of Mount Pico from the water.On Pico we did a series of walks past UNESCO vineyards and visited a lava tunnel (Grota do Torres). We walked to the village of Lajes and visited the small whaling museum. Another walk had us exploring the numerous volcanic cones on the slopes of Pico Alto as well as some small caves which were created by past lava flows.
Mount Pico, on the island of Pico, is the highest point in Portugal, at 2,351 m (7,713 ft).
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| Mount Pico |
Day 12-14 Ferry to Faial Island (Horta)
We took a short 30 minute ferry ride to Faial. This would be my base until I departed back to Canada.
The island is very small and can be easily toured in one day.The main attractions on the island are Capelinhos Volcano and the town of Horta. Most sailors on their transatlantic voyage usually make a stop here. Within the town is a nice sandy beach at Porto Pim and for beautiful views of Horta and the Caldeira do Inferno an easy walk up Monte da Guia should be on everyone's list.
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| Porto Pim beach |
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| Caldeira do Inferno |
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| View of Horta from Monte da Guia |
