Sao Miguel, The Azores

Trip date: February, 2012

Day 1:

After a 2 hour flight from Lisbon, we land on Sao Miguel, the biggest and most visited island of the Azores archipelago. The Azores are politically part of Portugal (the Portuguese arrived here in the 15th century), but are some 1,460 km (907 miles) from the European coast, in the Atlantic ocean.

Legend has it that the 9 islands of the Azores are the tops of the tallest mountains of the "lost continent" of Atlantis. Of course, similar legends exists in many other places, so we don't need to take this one very seriously.

The island of Sao Miguel is about 65 x 12 km (40 x 7.5 miles) large and has about 140,000 inhabitants. The island is volcanic in origin, which accounts for the lack of white sand beaches, but does result in amazingly beautiful natural formations both on the coast and inland. Apparently there is still some geological instability in the area, causing tremors time to time, but let's hope not during our visit.

We land in Ponta Delgada, the island's biggest town, and already from the plane I can see the green hills and white-washed houses the island is famous for. I also see some greenhouses. I wonder if these are the pineapple plantations I read about. This is the only place where pineapples are grown in greenhouses.

I am a bit worried about the weather. We are not coming during the best season of June-September, but in February. Even though the weather is supposed to be pleasant (subtropical) all year round, there has been some arctic air sweeping across Europe, causing record low temperatures, so I am anxious to see if the Azores are affected. The forecast says 14 C (57 F), we shall see. We get off the plane at 9 am and the air is fresh but not cold. How nice.

The Azores are not known for mass tourism, and this fact can be felt already at the airport. It is small and friendly, birds chirping in the baggage claim area.

We pick up our rental car and drive to the hotel in Caloura, about 25 minutes from the airport. The car is small, on purpose, as I read that the roads on the island are quite narrow.

Sao Miguel surprises me. I didn't know much about the Azores before this trip (OK, honestly, the only thing I knew was that they existed). Because of it's remoteness I expected a backwards, a bit poor and shabby place. I couldn't have been more wrong. Everything is so clean here, so well-kept. It's like the economic crisis affecting the rest of Europe hasn't reached the Azores. But perhaps it is just the mentality of the people, taking care of their island as well as their homes. I am very impressed.

Our hotel is on the south shore, by the pretty little town of Agua de Pau. We have a detailed map on how to reach the hotel, but there is a detour in the town, so we get lost a little. Just as well, at least we get to enjoy the beautiful architecture, the narrow little streets. Then it's down down down on some narrow winding roads, to the hotel in Caloura. I have heard that this area is very desirable to live or to have a holiday home, and I can see why.

Igreja de Agua de Pau, Sao Miguel, Azores

On the road to Caloura Hotel Resort - this dog was there every single time we passed, Sao Miguel, Azores

The Caloura Hotel Resort is nice, and the best surprise happens when we open the curtains in our room. The view is absolutely breathtaking!

The view from our hotel room, Caloura Hotel Resort, Sao Miguel, Azores

After checking into the hotel it's time to start our sightseeing. We had to wake up very early today, so we are not sure how much driving we can handle, but we will try. It's back to the highway toward Ponta Delgada, then a more scenic road north toward Sete Cidades, perhaps the island's biggest tourist attraction.

If the south shore, with it's stone fences and farms looks like Ireland, inland we cross into Switzerland.  It's so beautiful here! We stop at a lookout by the road and can't get enough of the fresh mountain air. There are a lot of little bugs here and my husband claims that they bite, but they leave me alone.

Between Ponta Delgada and Sete Cidades, Sao Miguel, Azores

Between Ponta Delgada and Sete Cidades, Sao Miguel, Azores

Between Ponta Delgada and Sete Cidades, Sao Miguel, Azores

We pass something that looks like an old aqueduct, and according to the map a whole bunch of smaller lakes (there are plenty of them on this island), but we can't see them from the road. I have planned to stop only to view one of them, Lagoa do Canario. We have to leave the road and continue on a dirt road through a park. It is so deserted here that I find it a little spooky, and I am not even sure if the view will be worth it. But the park and road seem well maintained, so we continue. From the parking we need to climb some steps to the lookout. On the top we simply exhale "Oh my god!" The view is absolutely amazing! If I wouldn't feel a bit chilly I wouldn't want to leave.

Lagoa do Canario, Sao Miguel, Azores

Our next stop is the biggest attraction of all, the lookout of Vista do Rei. Here we know what to expect, as the airport was full of images taken from this lookout. It is perhaps the most recognizable image of the island, the view of the twin lakes of Sete Cidades (Seven Cities).  As their names suggest, the two lakes, Lagoa Azul (Blue Lake) and Lagoa Verde (Green Lake) have a slightly different color. Not sure if the light is bad right now, but we can't see this difference. In fact we think we see the difference, until we realize that the one we claim is noticeably bluer is in fact supposed to be the green one. Oh well. The view is beautiful anyway. These lakes were declared one of the seven natural wonders of Portugal, which is perhaps why we see so many tourists here. And by so many I mean 8. Including the 3 of us.

A beautiful legend explains that the lakes were created by the tears of two young lovers, a princess and a shepherd. Their love was not to be, and the tears shed by their eyes created the lakes. She had green eyes and he had blue, or the other way around, depending on who you believe on the internet. Hence the different color of the lakes.

Sign at Vista do Rei, Sao Miguel, Azores

View of the twin lakes of Sete Cidades from Vista do Rei, Sao Miguel, Azores

View of the twin lakes of Sete Cidades from Vista do Rei, Sao Miguel, Azores

Less beautiful is the huge abandoned hotel which stands next to the lookout. We are completely fascinated by it. It is so huge and built on such a beautiful place. What happened here? I can't resist and I Google it, but, while I find a lot of references to it (including a YouTube video of the inside), I don't find an answer to why it was abandoned. I do find the name though, it was called Hotel Monte Palace, it was a fancy 5-star hotel and it closed in 1989. But why?

The abandoned Hotel Monte Palace at Vista do Rei, Sao Miguel, Azores

On the way down to the town of Sete Cidades we stop at another lookout, the Miradouro (lookout) do Cerrado das Freiras. Here we can finally see the difference in color between the lakes.

Twin lakes of Sete Cidades from Miradouro do Cerrado das Freiras (left green, right blue), Sao Miguel, Azores

Lagoa Azul (blue) from Miradouro do Cerrado das Freiras, Sao Miguel, Azores

Flowers at Miradouro do Cerrado das Freiras, Sao Miguel, Azores

We cross into the town of Sete Cidades via a bridge separating the two lakes. By the time we reach the town we are starving. We stop at the only restaurant we find. The food is not very good (barely edible, actually) except for the bread and locally produced butter, which are delicious. Our daughter discovers a passion fruit drink, Brisa Maracuja, which she keeps ordering during the entire trip.

Driving into Sete Cidades between the two lakes, Sao Miguel, Azores

Church in Sete Cidades, Sao Miguel, Azores

We drive toward the west coast, stop at a lookout on the way. The view of the coast is not that great, but some cows are keeping us company (they are everywhere on the island), so our daughter is happy.

We have company, at a coastal lookout, Sao Miguel, Azores

Our next stop is Ponta do Escalvado, with a beautiful view of the west coast. It can't compete with what we have seen at the lakes however. I am staring out to the Ocean, just in case a whale is passing by (the island is a good base for whale watching), but of course that would be too good to be true.

Ponta do Escalvado, Sao Miguel, Azores

We drive up to the north shore. The scenery is pretty, but not as dramatic as I expected. We see some beautiful cliffs by Santo Antonio and Capelas, but we can't find the exits for the lookouts, so no pictures from there.

View of north shore from Miradouro do Pico Vermelho, Sao Miguel, Azores

We drive straight down south, across the entire width of the island, to Ponta Delgada, the largest city on the Azores. We enter the city via a very nice modern neighborhood. It just reaffirms in me that the island is more prosperous than I expected. There is a pleasant, airy waterfront, and we park there in an underground garage (we don't even try to park on the streets in the old part, as they are very narrow).  Sitting at a cafe nearby, eating some really good pastry, I can't help but think how different this all feels than I expected. Here we are, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, on a tiny island, yet it does not feel remote or isolated in any way. The people of this island, it seems, resisted the monstrous development which destroyed the charm and nature of so many other islands. Yet they are not stuck in the past, positive progress and modernity are visible everywhere. I really like this place.

After the coffee break we walk to the charming historic square of Praca de Goncalo Velho Cabral, the main square of the city.  In the middle stands the statue of Goncalo Velho Cabral, who discovered the island. The three arches of the old city gate are visible behind him. Built in the 18th century as a gate in the city walls, they were once the entrance from the sea. The tower of the Igreja Matriz is also visible from the square.

Praca de Goncalo Velho Cabral, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

The city gates at Praca de Goncalo Velho Cabral, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

We visit Igreja Matriz de Sao Sebastio, one of the city's many churches. There are some beautiful wood carvings inside, but photography is not allowed, so I can't post any pictures here.

Clock tower of Igreja Matriz, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Igreja Matriz, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Igreja Matriz lit by the setting sun, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

We walk by the town hall, which, I heard, was one of the prettiest buildings in town. Yes, it is very pretty. Originally the home of a wealthy family, it was converted into a town hall at the beginning of the 20th century. In front stands a statue of Saint Michael, patron saint of the island. The fountain in front of the statue is full of confetti, a sure sign that we are visiting during carnival season.

Town hall, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Confetti in the fountain of the town hall, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

We stroll on the esplanade along the harbor, toward the Forte de Sao Bras, a 16th century fortress built to protect against pirate attacks.

Esplanade on the waterfront, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Forte de Sao Bras, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Boats by the wall of Forte de Sao Bras, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Forte de Sao Bras, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

We take a little rest on the very pleasant square of Campo de Sao Francisco. To our daughter's delight, there is a nice playground. To our delight, there are some benches. The square is dominated by a huge metrosidero tree, donated to the city in the 19th century by Australia. To add to the atmosphere, there are some drunken locals singing merrily in the nearby pergola.

Playground on Campo de Sao Francisco, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Tree on Campo de Sao Francisco, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

The main attraction of this square is architecture. It is surrounded by beautiful buildings. On the north it is the Convento de Esperanca, a beautiful 16th century convent. On the west side stands Igreja de Sao Jose, which is getting a face-lift during our visit.

Convento de Esperanca, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Convento de Esperanca, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Igreja de Sao Jose, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

On the south side of the square stands Monumento ao Emigrante, dedicated to all Azoreans who emigrated to other countries.

Monumento ao Emigrante, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

We decide to visit one of the city's gardens, the Jardim Antonio Borges. The walk there is not the shortest, and we often have to walk on the road, as the very (very!) narrow sidewalks are regularly obstructed by parked cars. I can't blame them. There is really no other place to park. The walk is not wasted time however, as we do see some beautiful architecture. We walk by the Palacio da Conceicao, the seat of the regional government. We also get to admire some beautiful examples of the painted tiles adorning so many of the island's entrance doors.

Palacio da Conceicao, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Entrance door with painted tile picture, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

One of the many painted tile pictures adorning an entrance to a home, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Jardim Antonio Borges was founded as a private garden by a businessman/politician who was also an amateur landscape architect and botanist.  It is not a huge garden, but it is certainly interesting.  Lots of man-made features, grotto-s, even a little pyramid-like structure, complement the beauty of the plants. The singing of birds is so loud that it takes me a couple of minutes to get used to it (yes, I am a pathetic city person). There are plenty of steps to climb, so our daughter is very happy here, even before she discovers that there is also a playground.

Jardim Antonio Borges, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Jardim Antonio Borges, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Jardim Antonio Borges, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Jardim Antonio Borges, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Jardim Antonio Borges, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

Jardim Antonio Borges, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

On the way back to our car we walk by more pretty buildings, a couple of churches and a store with a funny name.

One of the churches in Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

No, they do not sell men, Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

We drive around town for about 10 minutes until we finally find the highway entrance. We have a good dinner at the hotel, which is a relief after the horrible lunch. The view from the restaurant is very nice, as is the locally produced wine served with dinner.

Day 2:

We wake up to an absolutely magnificent view. In the light of the morning sun the cliffs are glowing like well polished copper. Breathtaking!

Our view in the morning sun, Caloura Hotel Resort, Sao Miguel, Azores

Breakfast includes locally grown pineapples, and locally produced butter, yogurt and tea. All are delicious.

We set out at 10 am, toward Furnas. The drive is so beautiful! By now I am in love with this island. We pull over to a farm road to admire the view.

View from our unofficial lookout, Sao Miguel, Azores

Cows everywhere, Sao Miguel, Azores

Lagoa Furnas is Sao Miguel's second largest lake. This area is famous for it's volcanic activity, and our first stop is on the north shore of the lake, at the caldeiras (steaming little geysers and bubbly mud pools). As soon as we pull into the parking lot the smell hits us. It stinks. It's not the usual rotten egg smell we experienced in Hawaii, this is different. But just as bad. The center of the parking lot itself is a bubbly mud pool.

Lagoa Furnas (with steam rising from the caldeiras in the middle of the picture), Sao Miguel, Azores

Steam rising from the caldeiras by Lagoa Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

A steaming, stinky mud pool in the parking lot by Lagoa Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

We cross a little patch of forest to see more steam and bubbling. It's fascinating. Not the usual squirting geysers, but interesting nonetheless.

Caldeiras by Lagoa Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Bubbly mud by Lagoa Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Even without the caldeiras this place would be worth a stop. The lake is so peaceful.  A snack stall sells bags of corn for 50 cents, so our daughter can feed the hordes of ducks. They are so desperate to get to the food, which is strange because they look pretty well fed to me.

Lagoa Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Ducks, ducks everywhere!, Lagoa Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

My husband is lucky enough to see some locals removing their food from the caldeiras. It is a local tradition to cook food here, like the famous cozido, and apparently it's a fascinating sight to see them remove it. Unfortunately I miss it. Perhaps we would linger longer so that I could see it, but the smell is getting to us. By the time we leave I have a slight headache.

On the drive down to Furnas Village we see steam rising from the valley. The village itself is pretty. It has hot springs, thermal baths and the usual charm of a spa town.

Furnas Village with steam rising, Sao Miguel, Azores

Wall decoration on one of the houses in Furnas Village, Sao Miguel, Azores

Tiles adorn bus stops in Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

In the village we head straight for the amazing botanical garden Parque Terra Nostra. There is of course a notorious lack of parking, so, feeling a bit guilty, we park on the narrow sidewalk, right in front of someone's front door. A local man, seeing our guilty faces, is gesturing to us: "It's fine, it's OK to park there". We have no choice but to believe him.

Parque Terra Nostra was set up at the end of the 18th century by an American businessman, Thomas Hickling, who married a local woman and lived here. The park is huge and has a mysterious air to it. It's probably even more amazing in the spring, but worth the visit in February as well. It is so lush and beautiful. The only problem is that the paths are a bit muddy and slippery today, so I do a not-very-elegant back-flip on my way to the rose garden. Except for a sore elbow and very muddy jeans I am OK.

Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

View of Furnas Village from Parque Terra Nostra, Sao Miguel, Azores

Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

There is a not exactly inviting-looking pool in the park. The water is brown from the high iron content and apparently it leaves orange stains on bathing suits. Actually, disgusting color aside, it is supposed to be a wonderful thermal swimming pool. We are very seriously considering hopping in (we brought our darkest colored bathing suits for this purpose), but then decide against it. We have learned in Iceland's Blue Lagoon that one needs at least a couple of hours to truly enjoy the experience of relaxing in warn thermal waters, and we do not have those couple of hours today. Hopefully next time.

The orange-brown thermal pool in Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, Sao Miguel, Azores

We have lunch in the adjoining hotel with the same name. It looks like a very nice hotel, and this is the only time during our stay when we meet a large group of tourists. The restaurant is on the fancy side, with white table clothes and all, so I feel a bit self-conscious about my muddy knee and elbow. But the waiters are very nice, they make a real effort not to stare at my clothes. This is the most expensive meal we have on the island, but it is worth it, both food and service are excellent.  The only issue is, I don't see the cozido on the menu.

We get to see a bit more of the village as we wonder around trying to find the road we are supposed to take.

We are driving up now, and we get to enjoy the view of paragliders over the village. We stop at Pico de Ferro lookout the get another view of the lake.

Lagoa Furnas from Pico de Ferro lookout, Sao Miguel, Azores

View from Pico de Ferro lookout, Sao Miguel, Azores

After a bit more driving we reach the north shore. We head west, toward Ribeira Grande, the second largest town on Sao Miguel. I realize right away that this is the dramatically beautiful coastline I was looking for yesterday.

Beautiful coastline on the north, Sao Miguel, Azores

Beautiful coastline on the north, Sao Miguel, Azores

This is also the area of tea production on the island, the only one in Europe. There are two factories, Gorreana and Porto Formoso. We stop at the latter to buy some black tea and to enjoy the beautiful view from the terrace. With so much natural beauty to see on the island, and this being our last day here, we don't want to waste time on a factory visit. The little shop also sells an innovation, tea liquor. I can't imagine how it could taste, so if we wouldn't be traveling with just carry-ons I would definitely get some.

Entrance to Porto Formoso tea factory, Sao Miguel, Azores

Tea plantation with beautiful view of cliffs in the background, Sao Miguel, Azores

View of cliffs from Porto Formoso, Sao Miguel, Azores

Next stop is the absolutely breathtaking lookout Miradouro de Santa Iria. The view from here is unbelievable, which is probably why it is teaming with tourists (by Azorean standards anyway, about 15 people).

Miradouro de Santa Iria - view to the left, Sao Miguel, Azores

Miradouro de Santa Iria - view to the right, Sao Miguel, Azores

Miradouro de Santa Iria - view behind (finally horses, not cows), Sao Miguel, Azores

We turn south toward Caldeira Velha, one of Sao Miguel's most visited natural attractions. Once we make a mad dash across the road (there is also parking on the side of the park which we miss, so we have to park across the road, right after a very sharp turn), it's a pleasant 5-minute stroll among lush vegetation of fern trees. The bad smell gives away the caldeiras. Then a very short walk takes us to the warm waterfall, which is a bit of a letdown for me, as it is much smaller than it looks on the pictures. It is possible to swim in the pool under the waterfall, but nobody is in the water right now.

Caldeira Velha - steam and smell give away the caldeiras, Sao Miguel, Azores

Caldeira Velha - bubbling mud, Sao Miguel, Azores

Caldeira Velha, Sao Miguel, Azores

Caldeira Velha, Sao Miguel, Azores

The waterfall at Caldeira Velha , Sao Miguel, Azores

Then it's another run for our lives across the road, as a (presumably) Formula-1 driver misses us by an inch.

We stop at some nameless lookout (at least I don't know the name), then we drive up, up, up, on a curvy road. It's a little unnerving.

View from the nameless lookout, Sao Miguel, Azores

Next stop is Miradouro da Lagoa do Fogo, which, as the name suggests, affords a beautiful view of one of the most scenic crater lakes on the island, Lagoa do Fogo (Fire Lake). This lake, like the others, is in a crater of an extinct volcano, and many people consider it to be the most beautiful lake on the island. Personally I can't choose. They are all amazingly beautiful.

Miradouro da Lagoa do Fogo, Sao Miguel, Azores

The next lookout, Miradouro da Barrosa, also has a breathtaking view of the lake.

Miradouro da Barrosa, Sao Miguel, Azores

We have company, Miradouro da Barrosa, Sao Miguel, Azores

Miradouro da Barrosa, Sao Miguel, Azores

Now we are going down, down, down, pretty quickly, ears popping.

Exhausted, we are back in the hotel at 5 pm. A cup of nice local black tea and huge slice of figue cake replenish my energy. The waitress is making a cat-woman mask for a friend. If I understand her correctly, there will be a huge water fight in the city on Monday. All in the name of carnival fun.

Day 3:

Breakfast with the beautiful view one last time. Then it's off to the airport to fly to Madeira via Lisbon.

This is a good time to reflect on this visit. I am so amazed by this island. It is so beautiful and charming. There is such a lack of mass tourism here. Yes, there are some tourists, but mostly couples and families, and we never get the feeling of crowds. Yet, even with the lack of mass tourism, the level of English of people working in the tourism industry is good. People are friendly, even though we don't speak a word of Portuguese. The island is safe, I feel comfortable leaving my bag in the car when we stop at lookouts, which I normally don't have a habit of doing. And did I mention that it is very clean? Even the airport bathrooms. Tap water is safe to drink. The infrastructure is excellent, and there are plenty of places to eat (I did read somewhere that most restaurants close on weekends, but we were not affected by this).

What's really amazing is that even though the Azores are so remote, so exotic, it couldn't be a more hassle-free visit. No visas. No vaccinations. No money changing and no electric converters needed coming from Europe. How convenient! And to top it all off, the prices are amazingly low compared to other holiday destinations in the region.

My fears about coming in February were unfounded as well. Yes, it is a bit chilly, we need to carry a light jacket, but it is beautifully sunny almost the entire time.  From all the dry flowers by the roadside I can guess that in the spring the place must explode with color, but nature is beautiful in the winter as well. So lush and green. If I used the words beautiful and breathtaking too often in this post I apologize. But it's simply a fact, this island is absolutely beautiful and breathtaking.