The Azores: 9 Paradisiacal Pieces of Portugal Out in the Atlantic

[Iberia Airlines]

MrbluejeansPt

This archipelago just over 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) out in the Atlantic Ocean is Portugal‘s answer to Hawaii or Spain‘s Canary Islands. Each has similarities to the others but also some very different aspects, so here's a rundown of this nifty nine have to offer:

 

Starcevic

 

São Miguel: The Green Island

At 759km² (293 square mi.) and with a population of some 140,000, the Azores' largest and most populous island is home to a spectacular volcanic but verdant landscape including towering cliffs and ancient laurel forests. It all makes a truly splendid playground for nature and adventure lovers, with activities including hiking, biking, snorkelling/diving, paragliding, canyoning, as well as just sitting back and enjoying the thermal hot springs that are a part of the Azores' volcanic legacy.

São Miguel is also home to the archipelago's gracious capital Ponta Delgada (pop. 45,000), characterised by whitewashed façades framed by dark volcanic stone. Apart from other attractions - including a 16th-century fort; several historic churches of similar vintage; a botanical garden; and on the outskirts of town a pineapple plantation - Ponta is also the best place to sample Azorean cuisine, which of course is heavy on seafood (and if you've ever been curious to try barnacles, called cracas here, they're a local delicacy!). Speaking of unusual dishes, 45 minutes east of Ponta, the tiny town of Furnas is located actually within the caldera of a volcano, and a local dish called cozido das Furnas, a hearty stew of various meats and veg cooked in a pot placed underground where it slow-cooks geothermally for six hours. And wherever and whatever you eat, be sure to cap it off with queijadas da Vila (cheese tarts), which despite the name don't include cheese but rather milk, egg yolks and sugar.

As for what to bring home as mementos, in addition to handicrafts such as quilts, blankets, elegant pottery, and cornhusk dolls, other good choices include organic tea from Europe's only tea plantation (Porto Formoso on the north coast) and local cigars.

Read more about São Miguel - especially its eco and adventure side - here!

 

klaravlas
 

Santa María: Island of the Sun

Some 12 km (seven mi.) long and with a population of just under 5,600, the southernmost as well as easternmost of the Azores (also the first to be settled by the Portuguese, in 1433-36) is known as the Ilha do Sol for its warm, dry climate and stunning white-sand beaches (one great example being Praia Formosa), which are great for surfing, windsurfing, sailing, and snorkelling/diving.

Especially in its main town, Vila do Porto, Santa María also offers a variety of local seafood, and is especially known for its fruit liqueurs and a pair of soups. Caldo de nabos mixes turnips with pork, bacon, local chouriço (sausage) and sweet potatoes, while sopa do império (named after colourful little chapels called impérios) is a soup based on beef, cabbage, and bread, made during festivals such as Espíritu Santo and Nossa Senhora da Assunção, held from April through September.

Santa Maria is reachable from São Miguel via four-hour ferry or a half-hour flight.

 

eyewave
 

Terceira: History & Nature

A flight of 45 minutes from São Miguel and prosaically named because it was the terceira ilha (third island) to be discovered by the Portuguese, its capital Angra do Heroismo (generally called just Angra, with a population around 35,400) is the Azores' historically most important city, founded in 1478 and once the archipelago's capital; key in Portugal's history for various reasons; and in fact considered so special it has long been on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites., with top landmarks including the 16th-century Palace of the Captains-General, the city hall, several forts, and the also 16th-century Sé cathedral (the Azores' largest church). There are several interesting museums, as well, including one of local history and another devoted to vulcanology and speleology.

But in addition to all that, adventure and sports? In spades, especially the aquatic likes of sailing, windsurfing, snorkeling/diving, fishing, and ocean kayaking. On land, there's plenty of great hiking on trails such as Baías da Agualva, Fortes de São Sebastião, Mistérios Negros, Monte Brasil, Passagem das Bestas, Rocha do Chambre, and Serreta. You can also have a soak in natural pools such as those around the town of Biscoitos on the north shore (beaches here are limited, whereas lava formations like these are more common along the coasts). And speaking of speleology - explore caves such as Angra's Algar do Carvão, including a volcanic chimney more than 90 metres (295 feet) deep.

On the culinary front, wine lovers will get a buzz from the vintages grown right here, also around Biscoitos - Terceira is one of three Azores islands where they're made - with dry whites and fortified wines being expecially prevalent. The star dish hereabouts is savoury alcatra, tender beef slow cooked in a clay pot with bacon, onion, laurel, black pepper, and red wine. Follow that with the quintessential Terceira dessert, queijadas Dona Amélia, cupcakes made from egg yolks and whites, corn flour, cinammon, and nutmeg.

Terceira is also known for its great celebrations throughout the year, including wine and music festivals, Sanjoaninas marking the summer solstic, and pre-Lenten Carnaval.

 

Angrense
 

Graciosa: The White Island

Only ten by seven km in size (just over six by four mi.) and with a population of barely 4,400, the flattest and second smallest of the Azores is just over two hours' flying time from São Miguel. Graciosa is mostly laid back and rural, and is known for its green but underneath volcanic landscape (indeed, despite the greenery, its nickname comes from its whitewashed houses as well as the particular volcanic stones here, which turn white with the passage of time) as well as its lovely, rugged coastline with thriving sea-bird colonies including the endemic storm petrel. Indeed, such is Graciosa's natural wealth that it's a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

All this provides a stunning backdrop for activities such as hiking, biking, and soaking in 40º Celsius (104º Fahrenheit) geothermal pools on land, and in its waters kayaking, sailing, and snorkelling/diving.

Local culinary specialities include fresh fish (especially tuna) in all its various forms, as well as stewed pork and its own take on queijadas, star shaped and crunchy yet simultaneously chewy, made with milk, egg yolks, and cinnamon . Gracioso is also known for its gourmet garlic and crisp, dry white wines.

 

Rich Higgins
 

São Jorge: What's a Fajã?

Not far from Terceira and a flight of three hours 45 minutes from São Miguel, this narrow island 53km (33 mi.) long and with a population of just over 8,300, is most distinguished by its fajãs, fields of debris from collapsed cliffs, often next to the ocean, on which sedimentation over the millennia has created fertile conditions for both cultivation and settlement. Two of the best known are the Fajã da Caldeira do Santo Cristo (which features a waterfall, a lagoon famous for its clams, and beyond it, a beach with something of a surfing scene) and the nearby Fajã dos Cubres (with its own impressive lagoon, where clams are also harvested along with shrimp, and surfing the fast waves beyond).

Offshore, diving as well as whale- and dolphin-watching are especially rewarding, whilst land-based activities in the fajãs include hiking and biking, and in the interior, canyoning,mountain biking, horseback riding, and taking dips in geothermal pools.

São Jorge's main towns are Velas out west and Calheta in the east, home to a number of historic buildings with the Azores' classic whitewashed and black basalt architecture. They're also where you stay and eat, enjoying the aforementioned clams as well as local specialities such as morcela, fried cakes made with green onions, parsley, rice, flour, eggs, spices, chili peppers - and pig’s blood. Another must is the locally grown coffee and raw cowsmilk cheese notable for its slight tang.

 

Atmo-Sphere
 

Ilha do Pico: The Black Island

Just 445 square km (172 sq. mi.) in size, in the central group of the Azores near São Jorge and a four-hour flight from São Miguel, this island is named after its most dominant feature, Portugal's highest pico (peak), a dormant volcano 2,350 metres (7,713 feet) high (it's a steep uphill hike, but worth it - and highly recommendable with a guide).

And another distinctive feature the volcano has since the 15th century endowed the island with rich soils and a particularly strong culture of grape cultivation and winemaking so distinctive that it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks especially to its 987-hectare (2440-acre) landscapes of vineyards protected by corrais (corrals) made of stacked volcanic basalt stones to protect them from salt-laden ocean winds, salt sprays, and torrential rains; an interpretation centre explains it all very ably, and visits to corrais and distilleries are available. The largely vermelho grapes yield dry whites as well as chewy fortified wines - and by the way, it's that ubiquitous black basalt stone, that gives Pico its "black island" moniker.

Other activities Pico has become known for include spotting more than 20 species of whales and dolphins (the island is on whale migratory routes, and there's also a museum about the island's historic whaling culture). There's also some marvelous diving, with nine great dive spots, and it's one of the few places in the world where you can dive with blue sharks. There are a handful of beaches, as well, the most picturesque of which is Canto da Areia, with views out toward São Jorge island.

All on the coast, the main towns are Lajes do Pico, Madalena (the largest), and São Roque do Pico. This of course is where you'll stay and eat!

 

 

Dmitry Malov
 

Faial: The Blue Island

The third most populous of the Azores (with just over 14,500 inhabitants) is just under an hour by air from São Miguel, and its "blue" moniker is due to the thousands of hydrangeas which in the spring bloom in the fields and window boxes of houses across the island.

And it's not just the hydrangeas which impress - the Faial gives the impression of a pristine paradise with its exuberant vegetation, including forests of oaks, cedars, and ferns - some endemic to this island. And through those lovely landscapes there's a network of trails to travel on foot, by bike/mountain bike, and ATV.

Out on the coast you can enjoy the black-sand beaches of Almoxarife, Conceição, and Porto Pim, as well as the rock pools along the coast, such as Varadouro. Offshore, besides sailing (Faial has also become quite the yachting hub), kayaking, windsurfing, and game fishing, whale and dolphin spotting is also popular.

The oceanic theme very much carries over to the local cuisine; though there are plenty of land-based dishes, seafood and shellfish predominate, and outstanding dishes including caldo de peixe (fish soup), caldeirada (fish stew), polvo guisado com vinho (octopus stewed in wine), and arroz de lapas (limpets cooked with rice - don't knock it till you've tried it!). For a final sweet touch, try the local fofas, pastries baked with fennel seeds and stuffed with lemon-flavoured cream.

The best place to enjoy all of that is the island's largest town, Horta (pop. 6,400) on the south coast, also home to various museums, historic landmarks, and a buzzy international yachting marina featuring a sea wall with hundreds of paintings , drawings,and messages of all the yachties who've called at this port.

 

tane-mahuta
 

Ilha de Flores and Ilha de Corvo: Nature Reigns Supreme
 

If you really want to "get away from it all" in nature, there's no better choice than the smallest and westernmost/northernmost islands of the archipelago. In fact, Flores (named for the profusion of flowers dotting its landscapes) has for some years now been a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve thanks to its pristine landscapes; high number of endemic species; and sustainable-development practices of its 3,900 inhabitants (most of whom live in the only village, Vila do Corvo, located on a fajã). The rugged coast and interior filled with waterfalls, rivers, lagoons, and ponds can be explored by hiking, biking, horseback riding, with a boat excursion in the mix, as well.

Meanwhile, the smallest island of all, Corvo (just 6.24km/four mi. long and 4km/2½ mi. wide), with a population of less than 500), is perfect if what you want most is to disconnect from the rest of the world. You get here by boat or small plane from Flores, and top attractions include an extinct volcano crater called Caldeirão and superb birdwatching, especially of hundreds of migrating species.

 

Intrigued? Get more info from VisitAzores.com and check out our cheap fares from Madrid - a 3½-hour flight starting at 162 euros!