Prepare to be inspired! Affectionately nicknamed the Hawaii of Europe, the Azores are full of natural drama with landscapes so extraordinary it’s like being in a movie. The towns are pretty special too, with roots going back to the 1400s. Here are six of the best, most exciting, interesting and awe-inspiring Azores destinations to inspire your trip. Just bear in mind they’re the tip of the iceberg – this place has so much to offer.
The legendary Furnas Valley on Sao Miguel island
The village of Furnas lies 45 minutes east of Sao Miguel island’s capital, Ponta Delgada, by road. This is one of the world’s most lively geothermal areas, where water heated by the earth’s deep movements and enriched by minerals from volcanic rocks finds its way to the surface, sometimes so hot it actually steams.
The Furnas volcano last erupted in 1630 and although it isn’t active right now you can see, smell and sense the roiling violence far below. The landscape is dotted with steaming fumaroles and countless places where hot springs bubble up. You’ll fall in love with lovely old Terra Nostra Garden with its fantasy of a therapeutic thermal pool. Poça da Dona Beija hot springs is a gorgeous too, a jewel within lush gardens with a collection of pools at a perfect 39C. A session after a thrilling hike might be just the thing to top off your day.
The village of Furnas itself is super-cute, set next to a vast water-filled dormant volcanic crater with the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Alegria church to admire and a bizarre upside down house, La Casa Invertida, great fun for social media snaps. There’s yet more eye candy at Terra Nostra Park, offering endless tempting hot spring pools along with stunning Furnas Lake itself.
Chalet da Tia Mercês is perfect for a cuppa, and it’s a strange and exciting experience. Super-hot water straight from the spring turns the locally grown tea purple. Wash a tasty snack down with the purple tea from Gorreana and Porto Formoso plantations for an authentic island flavour.
Faial island’s extraordinary Cabeço Gordo
In the centre of 800,000 year old Faial island there’s a massive one and a half mile wide, 1300 feet deep volcanic crater, a sight that actually makes visitors gasp out loud. It is extraordinary to see the sheer drama of the perfectly-formed crater with its steep sides and fertile floor. Created by a huge eruption about 10,000 years ago, you can walk all the way around the rim of ‘Fat Mountain’ on a stunner of a five mile crater-edge hike with endless views of the island itself plus Pico, Sao Jorge and Graciosa islands.
The volcano blew its top in 1672-1673, part of the eruption of Cabeço do Fogo, and again in 1957-1958 when the eruption of Ponta dos Capelinhos wreaked havoc. Things are peaceful for now and you can visit a variety of fascinating volcanic sights on foot as well as walk the magnificent 10 Volcanoes Trail, which will blow your mind! Kicking off 900m up on the rim of the caldera, it ends at the lighthouse at the island’s west end taking in cones and vent caves along the way and offering some demanding climbs. Not for the faint hearted.
Towering Mount Pico on Pico island
Pico is home to Portugal’s highest mountain, named after the island and 2352m above sea level. Bearing in mind the highest mountain in the Lake District is Scafell Pike at 978m, it’s a whopper. It is also one of the highest mountains in the entire Atlantic and over twice the height of anything else in the archipelago. Designated a nature reserve since 1972, this place is seriously stunning, perfect for lovers of world-class natural wonders.
Walk to the top for the best views of all. The adventure starts at Casa da Montanha, about 1000m up, leaving you with a climb of 1050m or so. Kick off your walk at the Casa da Montanha Visitor Centre, where there are steps to the trail marked by numbered poles all the way to the volcano’s epic top. The last bit takes some grit, a properly steep final ascent. Plan on taking 8 hours total to get t the top and back, and you’ll be fine. Some people do it in five hours but it’s nice to take the scenery in and go slow. Faial island is visible from the summit, weather permitting, and on a clear day you may spot São Jorge, maybe more of the islands.
The magnificent Algar do Carvão on Terceira island
Hikers also adore this one, the extraordinary Algar do Carvão on Terceira. Here’s where you don’t just look up at volcanic stuff, you actually do deep inside it… and it’s another mind-blower of a sight. This 90m deep volcanic chimney dates back about 3200 years, a toddler in geological terms. It features 338 dizzying stairs to totter your way down to the eerie 100m depths dotted with beautiful stalactites, the world’s biggest concentration of them.
Think Jurassic Park and you’ve nailed the atmosphere. This is how earth used to be millions of years before humans came along, with the dense vegetation covering almost-vertical rock walls, a lovely underground lake, the cries of animals and birds and the heavy, misty, wet air. Some people get married here. Wow. And they hold concerts here too, which must be amazing.
Explore the Algar do Carvao’s three sections: the chimney, the cathedral with its 35m high ceiling, and the lake. Basically the molten magma collected in the cathedral like a great big zit 3000 years go then erupted through the chimney. The crystal clear freshwater lake at the base is about 12m deep in some places and 25m in wet weather. In drought situations it dries up. Weirdly, wildlife lives way down here. Look out for uniquely-adapted spiders, centipedes, and beetles in the cracks and crevices.
Farol de Gonçalo Velho lighthouse on Santa Maria island
This is living history. Farol de Gonçalo Velho is a lighthouse on Santa Maria island, perched high above the waves and surrounded by lush green. It plays an important part in weaving the thrilling tale of the islands’ past, named after Gonçalo Velho Cabral, the Portuguese navigator who discovered the island in the 1400s, offering breathtaking views of the coastline and the ocean beyond.
You can’t poke around inside, it’s a working lighthouse, but it’s perfect to soak in the past five hundred years of island life, imagining Portugal’s long-gone heroes and their lethally risky voyages to distant places they could only imagine. You can explore the gardens surrounding the lighthouse, with their splendid ocean views, and give a nod of respect to the critical role it has played and still plays in Azores maritime navigation. Or find a spot to sit in the sunshine overlooking the outcrop the lighthouse sits on and just… be.
Angra do Heroísmo, the capital of Terceira island
And finally, some urban delights for you. Dating back to 1478, Angra was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. The Terceira capital and the islands’ oldest city, it started life as a hotbed of Portuguese trade with the East Indies, a bustling cosmopolitan place throughout the 1400s and 1500s and a safe haven for sailors. In 1980 it was damaged by an earthquake and they’re still restoring bits of it.
What a fabulous city it is. The 1500s San Sebastian Fort is home to a 4 star hotel, rather magnificent, and graceful Praça Velha town square makes it special. Don’t miss the beautiful blue and white 1700s church, Igreja da Misericórdia, and the fascinating San João Baptista fortifications. The buildings are lovely, the history is unique, the culture is warm and welcoming, and the food marvellous. Don’t miss the bakeries hidden down little cobbled streets, full of fragrant local baked goods and traditional sweets.
Find a place to view the city from above and photograph the lyrical lines of the rich red tiled roofs. Stroll the bay, walk the harbour arm, wander around the marina, admire the colourful houses, dive in the clear waters, sunbathe on the small beach, it’s just idyllic. This place typifies Azorean towns, an altogether delightful experience.
We’ve taken a good look at more top destinations in the Azores, your handy guide to everything about these special islands. Take a tour of our blog, see what you can find.
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