Azores
When I Went:
April 2018
Itinerary:
Azores (São Miguel Island)
How long:
2 days
Notes:
1) It’s very easy to drive around the island. At the rental car counter they said I was getting a small car with not a lot of horsepower. The next car up was more money than I wanted to spend so I opted for the cheaper version I already signed up for. It was totally fine! I can see what they were saying about it being slower, but really not a huge issue.
2) English was not a problem here. Even when people said their English wasn't good, there was no issue communicating.
3) I was here on a solo trip and it was safe, easy, and pretty affordable!
São Miguel Island (2 days)
Notes:
São Miguel is the largest island in the Azores. I was able to cover a good amount of ground in 2 days. I didn't get a chance to go to the east side of the island, but everything is manageable as a day trip from Ponta Delgada.
How I got there:
I flew from Faro (Algarve coast), had a layover in Lisbon, and departed from there. My flight was delayed 3-4 hours cause of bad weather. That was a bummer since I lost half a day there.
Accommodations:
I stayed at City's Hostel Ponta Delgada, which I did not enjoy. The actual room was fine, but a bunch of loud people were there and the acoustics in the hostel were terrible. They were SO loud and I had trouble sleeping. The place was affordable, but next time I would do a hotel.
Weather:
When I got there, it was raining a lot. I attempted to walk to get dinner, but the wind kept pushing the rain at an angle.
The next morning, it was raining on and off. As I was driving, it started pouring rain. At one point, I just stayed in my car until the wind and rain died down. That's island life for you, so always be prepared!
Otherwise the weather was mostly good and I got to be outside a lot.
Activities:
Day 1
I started off at Augusto Arruda Pineapple Plantation. The Azores have a unique pineapple that is supposed to be smaller and sweeter. At the Plantation you can see the pineapples growing. There’s also a gift shop where you can get everything pineapple.
Next I drove to Lagoa das Sete Cidades - the collective name for the two lakes, Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul. When it's sunny, apparently you can see the difference in color. Drive up to Miradouro da Vista do Rei to get a good view. It's next to an old run down hotel and parking is really tight.
I could not find the hiking trail near Vista do Rei that I read about, however, when I was driving to Miraduoro da Ponta do Escalvado, I saw a sign that said Vista do Rei. It was the back end of the trail that led there. The trail was easy, beautiful, and quiet. I didn't go all the way to Vista do Rei because of time.
I drove down to the lakes and walked along Lagoa Verde. It was a nice, easy walk, but the whole time I was worried about getting rained on. I asked the weather gods to give me good weather the rest of my time on the Azores and they listened!
After my walk, I found a restaurant called Green Love next to Lagoa Azul. I followed the road next to it up to Miradouro da Ponta do Escalvado. It was so windy at the lookout so I didn't spend much time there, but it was a pretty view. I drove to Farol da Ponta da Ferraria, the lighthouse, but I had no idea where to park.
Termas da Ferraria - spa with outdoor pool right on the ocean. It's a steep road down, but a cool setting for a spa and pool. The landscape reminded me of Iceland.
I was in a ‘treat yourself’ mood and I decided to go for a massage. It was more expensive then I would've spent at home, but I was sore from my trip.
Day 2
Miradouro De Santa Iria - a nice outlook on the way to Cha Gorreana. I don't think there is a bad outlook on the island though ;)
Cha Gorreana - the only tea plantation in Europe! I decided to explore the plantation part first then go into the factory when I was done. I had no idea that going around the tea planation was a mini hike! It took about an hour to go on the whole trail. It's a great view and there is a steady incline, but I would not call it hard.
As I was coming down the path on the final stretch with the factory right in front of me, it started pouring REAL hard. I ran as fast as I could to make it inside of the factory. By the time I got out of the factory, it was as if the rain had never happened!
The factory part didn't have much going on to be honest. At the end before the shop, you can drink some free tea. In the shop they have food, souvenirs, tea (of course), and a seating area where you can enjoy the food while you eat and drink tea.
Caldeiras Vulcânicas - might also show up on the map as Caldeiras das Furnas. Volcanic pools of boiling water. There are no geysers, but lots of steam and it's a pretty little area. You don't need to spent much time here (probably 10-15 minutes)
Terra Nosta Garden Hotel - I had lunch here, but you can also go outside to a garden and they have a hot spring that you can swim in.
Lagoa do Fogo - 'Lake of Fire'. It's a beautiful lake that you can hike down to. There are a few lookouts you can stop at to take pictures, but the one you want to stop at if you want to hike is Miradouro da Lagoa do Fogo. The path is easily accessible and straight down (yay!) The steps were BIG for my short legs haha. On the way back up, I realized some were up to my knees! At some point before you reach the lake, you have to climb a ladder to get down. It looked pretty sturdy so I wasn't too worried.
To be honest, I should've read up more on the hike. I got down to the lake and then the path I was on started going up into trees. Since it was a bit later in the day and I wasn't sure how long the hike was (and if I was even on the right path), I decide to turn back. The way up was tougher obviously, but the part of the hike I did was worth it.
I didn't have time, but the hot springs at Dona Beija were recommended to me.
Food:
Cafe Central - food was fine, but nothing to write home about. Cute vibe and it was open fairly late.
Taberna Açor - go early or make reservations. Small place, but some interesting menu items. More like tapas style from what I could tell from the menu.
O Corisco - cute restaurant with friendly staff. I had chicken fillet with Azores cheese cream sauce. It was really delicious!
Terra Nosta Garden Hotel - a bit of a bougier lunch, but it was my last day on vacation, so why not? I had chicken with sausage and sweet potatoes and tempura veggies. There was a free dish from the chef along with some fresh bread and cheese.
Green Love - It was in a secluded area in a modern looking structure right on Lagoa Azul. The food was cheap and I got a sandwich with bolo levedo, sweet bread, that was really good.
Enough time?
No! I saw a good amount in only 2 days, but 2 more days on São Miguel alone would've been nice and I could've taken my time.
