Highlights - Azores
The Azores are very like Scotland, with their green pastures, meadows and lakes reminiscent of the Highlands. But the Azores are actually in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. These nine islands enjoy a temperate climate thanks to the Gulf Stream and are among the treasures that have prospered in this vast body of water. Below, we tell you what to do in the Azores.
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Essential - Azores
An Atlantic archipelago less often visited than Madeira or the Canaries, the Azores are paradise for nature lovers and those who enjoy calm destinations that aren't too touristy. Here is some useful information to help you prepare for your trip to the Azores.
Read more
Highlights - Azores
The Azores are very like Scotland, with their green pastures, meadows and lakes reminiscent of the Highlands. But the Azores are actually in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. These nine islands enjoy a temperate climate thanks to the Gulf Stream and are among the treasures that have prospered in this vast body of water. Below, we tell you what to do in the Azores.
Enjoy a geothermal tour - São Miguel Island
São Miguel is home to the financial capital of the Azores: Ponta Delgada. It has the memorable Portas do Mar leisure area and promenade, the lovely romantic António Borges Garden and São Brás Fort: a reminder of its past as a key stop-off port on Atlantic routes. But São Miguel is also famous for Furnas Valley. With over 20 thermal springs, this area is one of the biggest geothermal towns in the world. It would be impossible to miss out on the Sete Cidades volcanic lakes and Lagoa do Fogo. The views of these lakes with craters edged by fields and lush vegetation are truly striking.
Get a photo of São Lourenço Bay - Santa Maria Island
81 kilometres south of São Miguel, Santa Maria is known for its hilly terrain and incredible São Lourenço Bay. The bay looks like half a crater and is a sea front unlike any other covered with terrace-grown vines. From afar, they look like they are tumbling into the sea. A photogenic spot! Once on Santa Maria, it's worth taking a detour to the little village of Anjos and the Ermida Senhora dos Anjos Chapel. This is where Christopher Columbus is meant to have attended mass during his return voyage from America.
Hike in the volcanoes - Faial Island
Faial may be nicknamed the "Blue Island", but it is still volcanic. There is nothing like a hike to see this for yourself. In the west of the island, the Capelo Peninsula is the starting point for a path that goes around the Cabeço Verde volcanic cone with views of the other cones like Cabeço do Fogo and Morro de Castello Branco. Along the path, the Furna Ruim lava cave (55 metres deep) and the view of Capelinhos Volcano are sure to make an impression. Indeed, the volcano was the last to erupt in the Azores from 1957 to 1958!
Tour Horta - Faial Island
Having explored Faial's volcanic side, it's time for a tour of its capital, Horta. Now a calm little town, it used to be an important trading post between the 16th and 18th centuries. Caravels and other galleons amassed in its port as they prepared to cross the Atlantic. Everyone knew about Horta: not stopping here brought bad luck to sailors, as its marina indicates. It is covered with frescoes painted by all those who wanted protection during their voyage. The Scrimshaw Museum has a collection of sculptures depicting whaling scenes: a reminder that the Azores were also a key hunting ground in the 19th and start of the 20th century.
Admire the view of the Caldeira - Faial Island
This must be one of the most bucolic walks in the Azores. With its highest point nearly 1000 metres, the Caldeira is a must-see natural site on Faial. There is a path around it that allows you to see the bottom 365 metres below. With vertical walls covered in short vegetation, it offers a stunning panorama on one side. On the other, the viewpoint on the hill covered with blue hydrangeas (in the right season) and the gentle slope towards the ocean is absolutely amazing.
Get away from it all. Simply that - Graciosa Island
Nicknamed the "eighth Canary Island", Graciosa (the "Gracious") is the northernmost island in the central Azores. It is also one of the most unspoilt and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Here, the vines and fields are surrounded by low walls made of basalt. This black rock is everywhere: in villages and in nature. Timeworn cliffs, screes, peaks...it contrasts with the fields, the surrounding natural environment and the clear water which, in the sunlight, takes on turquoise hues.
Enjoy a special swim - São Jorge Island
A cliff emerges from the water. This is what São Jorge looks like, being 54 kilometres long, 6.9 kilometres wide and 1000 metres tall. People often feel that the island's slopes — covered with pastures and hydrangeas in the right season — seem to drop straight into the ocean. But what makes São Jorge really amazing is its fajãs: flat expanses of land on the sea front and the cliffside. They are the result of lava flows going into the sea or landslides. They also have natural pools tempting you to swim in an extraordinary natural setting.
Go and see Portugal's highest peak - Pico Island
Often hidden in the clouds, Mount Pico appears in all its glory when the mist does clear. This volcanic cone is 120,000 years old and the highest peak in Portugal. It reaches 2351 metres and dominates picturesque landscapes including the expansive vineyards edged by drystone walls which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Access is via a red-earth path. The colour contrasts are striking and hikers are sure to feel fulfilled by their achievement!
Essential - Azores
An Atlantic archipelago less often visited than Madeira or the Canaries, the Azores are paradise for nature lovers and those who enjoy calm destinations that aren't too touristy. Here is some useful information to help you prepare for your trip to the Azores.
Unique features
Green and grey. Nature and mineral surroundings. Visitors to Pico don't always initially understand the landscape when they go to the island's vineyards. They contain currais, as the locals call them: low stone walls that protect the vines from sea winds and spray. This method dating back to the 15th century reflects just how ingenious and careful successive generations of growers have been in their work. The landscapes were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.
Essential phrases
Hello/Good evening: Bom dia / Boa noite
Goodbye: Adeus
Welcome: Bem-vindo
Excuse me/Please: Desculpa-me / por favor
Thank you: Muito obrigado
Yes/no: Sim / Não
How are you?: Como vai você ?
Very well, thanks, and you?: Muito bem, obrigado, e você ?
My name is...: Chamo me...
Gastronomy
Fish is abundant in the Azores and is cooked all ways. Whether grilled, in a matelote or a soup, it is always fresh and delicious. The tasty tuna also deserves a special mention. Octopus and seafood are very much appreciated too. As for meat, on São Miguel Island, they make one of the most delicious and unusual dishes: cozido das furnas. This is a kind of stew with pork, cabbage, chicken, veal, sausage, lard, turnip, carrots, potatoes and chilli. Everything is cooked by putting the pot into a hole dug in the ground and covered with earth. Geothermal energy does the rest!
Myths and legends
The Azores are among the islands that encourage the wildest of theories about the location of the legendary Atlantis mentioned by Plato in his writings. Some say Madeira, the Azores, the Canaries and Cape Verde are actually the visible summits of this continent submerged during a volcanic eruption. In Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, Captain Nemo suggests Atlantis is in the Atlantic Ocean. However, there is no proof these hypotheses are accurate.
In the spotlight
Until 1893, the town of Horta on Faial Island was mainly visited by sailors stopping off before crossing the Atlantic Ocean. However, from 1893, it became renowned thanks to the arrival of the first underwater telegraph cable connecting it to Lisbon, then to the United States, until 1969. This played an important role during the Second World War.
Culture
Book. Stormy Isles traces the life of a young woman aged 20 in the Azores between 1917 and 1919, who is torn between her aristocratic education and feminist aspirations. Through this poetically written portrait, Azores author Vitorino Nemésio gives us insight into life on the archipelago and its magnificent landscapes at the start of the 20th century.
Music. The viola da terra is the typical Azores instrument. It looks like a guitar, except for the two little hearts that replace its cousin's usual rosette. The instrument is associated with saudade: Portuguese music known for its melancholy tunes.
Facts and figures
2São Miguel Island is home to the only two European tea plantations: Chá Porto Formoso and Chá Gorreana. The old machinery at the latter attracts visitors and tastings showcase the subtleties of this tea produced in the Atlantic region.
