The Azores – an Atlantic Adventure

The Atlantic ocean, that great mass of water that divides the western world between the old and the new, mostly an endless blue that provides a backdrop to an in-flight meal, copious drinks and the latest chick-flick from Hollywood. But look carefully part way through your flight and you may glimpse some emerald shards rising up from the Ocean…this will be the Azores.

Just a 4 hour flight from Amsterdam, and a similar 5 hours from the east coast of the Americas, this archipelago should be on everyone’s must visit list…but we are selfishly happy that has not quite made it there just yet! Stunning natural beauty, volcanic peaks, crater lakes, bubbling hot springs and cetaceous seas that are all ready to be explored and enjoyed. If the great outdoors give you chills then don’t fear as Portugal has tamed these islands to bring smooth roads, fine wines (from Pico) and excellent food…so a day’s hiking will always be rewarded with a feast and merriment!

The Azores are made up of nine islands, of which we just scratched the surface with a third, but we almost covered the breadth with the eastern island (and capital) of São Miguel and the most western point of Europe – the island of Flores. Why these islands? São Miguel is the entry point for most international flights (direct from AMS / US) as well as having a most stunning volcanic landscape that just begs to be hiked across. And Flores? Well, our guidebook for the Azores had a most amazing view on the front of it, that turned out to be in Flores, so that gave us the desire to see this in real life!

So let’s take you on the tour to experience:

When, where, what, how… 🏠

The Azores are pretty steady in terms of their weather throughout the year, European summertime gives the most sunshine and low rainfall, but outside of that period you will not experience extreme cold or precipitation, so you can pretty much travel here the whole year round. Be aware though, that you can get all types of weather in one day, no matter the season…sun, rain, cold, warm…it can all hit with a moments notice, so make sure you pack a diverse set of clothing and a positive attitude to overcome the bad weather when it hits!

If you want to enjoy some whale watching, this is where you are going to see a plethora of whales, but be aware that whales are sticklers for their seasons, so if you want to meet up with them then April through October is the best time as they are typically migrating through to say hello! Coming from the Netherlands, we know about floral sightseeing, so if you want to see some colour, apart from blue and green, then June / July are the months to be here, the hydrangeas explode at this time and will ensconce you in clouds of pastel for your visit.

Which islands? We can only really recommend the 3 of them that we have visited, that are each stunning – São Miguel, Flores and Corvo, but our next trip will certainly take in the others – Faial – for yachting and a visit up close to the results of geological upheavals at the Capelinhos; Graciosa – for rural idyll and natural spas; Terceira – volcanic caverns and a bit of vinho; Pico, the land of wine and home to Portugal’s highest peak; São Jorge for hiking and its volcanic coastal plains; and Santa Maria, that you can sometime see from São Miguel, where the sun shines the most and has plenty of sandy bays to soak up the rays.

Getting here is surprisingly easy, with multiple direct flights from a number of European capitals, as well as direct from both the US and Canada, normally direct into São Miguel. From here you can get reasonably priced flights between the islands with Sata Azores Airlines, which don’t have such great reviews but when we flew with them they were excellent, and allowed us to change flights when the weather forecast did not look so good (which can be a fast and frequent situation!). Flores and São Miguel have good roads and plenty of hire cars, so that is the best way to get around, but make sure one of you heads straight to the car hire counter as soon as your plane lands as the queues for cars can build up rapidly; and little Corvo is best done as a day tour from Flores, more about that later.

The capital of the Atlantic – Ponta Delgada 🏠

With its volcanic black and white theme the capital of the Azores is framed by the emerald green of the surrounding volcanic peaks that makes for a mesmerising visit. The mosaics of the streets tell you where the beaches of Acapulco in Brazil got their inspiration from, along with churches and monuments that let you know that you are still firmly in Europe.

We enjoyed two homes whilst here, the first Casa do Campo de São Francisco located on a beautiful square in the town and built in the first half of the 18th Century, you’ll feel the history coming from the surrounds. Owned by the same family for over a hundred years and yet run in such a friendly and relaxed way that you will feel immediately at home, with cozy breakfasts and after dinner digestifs available to enjoy.

On our return to São Miguel we stayed a bit more central at Commercial Azores Guest House, a bit more tricky for parking if you have a car, but right in the heart of the beating centre of the Azores and simple to walk through the backstreets of Ponta Delgada to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy all the food and drink that is on offer.

Speaking of food and drink, Ponta Delgada is going to spoil you in both of these departments, from local cuisine, the freshest of seafood and kitchens from all over the world, all enjoyed with the Azorean wines and finished with the local pineapples that are grown here in the city. Our foodie & drinkie delight in the town include:

  • Otaka – right in the centre, a Japanese fusion restaurant that blends perfectly the local produce into perfect dishes. It was so good that we actually came twice, the first time to experience the tasting menu and the second time a la carte…reserve in advance. Otaka was also where we got chatting to a local guide – Ruben – who then became our guide for an amazing day of hiking…more on that later. The moral of the story is that you should always chat with your table neighbors at Azorean restaurants!
  • O Baco – Azorean cooking at its finest and local fish soup to savor and enjoy!
  • Casa do Bacalhau – with decent food, here is the place to come if you want to enjoy some Fado with your meal. A 3 course meal plus the show at a very good price!
  • Plantação de Ananás dos Açores – food adjacent, but well worth a visit to sample the local pineapples and the derivatives (including liqors) that come from this local delicacy. A trip here includes a free self tour of the greenhouses and instruction on the production of these little delights.
  • The Gin Library – on the edge of town, so will need a car / bus to visit, but well worth it. With vistas of the town and (more importantly) the biggest collection of Gins in the world. They also produce their own gin, and the Azorean Pineapple & Chilli gin has to be one of the best gins we’ve tasted. A bonus is that if you bring a bottle of gin from your own country then you can swap it for one of the locally produced ones (if not already there).
  • Hot Dog Fast Food – one of the best hot dogs you’ll find in and on both sides of the Atlantic! Just along the main coastal road in Ponta Delgada, just by the Guarda Nacional…perfect for a road trip!!

Whale & Dolphin watching 🏠

If you arrive here between April and August then you are firmly in whale season. Sperm whales are firm residents the whole year, but during this period you may be lucky to catch the migratory whales, like humpbacks, fin whales, pilot whales and even the mighty blue whale. Dolphins will also keep you company with many species including the Bottlenose and Spotted that we were able to see.

We took our morning tour with Futurismo, one of the larger outfits out of Ponta Delgada, but still with a friendly touch that didn’t make it feel like a factory tour. Futurismo offer two types of tour (at the same time), so you can opt for the stability of a sizeable ship or the fun and adrenaline (and sea-spray) of a zodiac. It wasn’t a difficult choice for us, and soon we were skimming across the waves with the sea in our faces! Fortunately Futurismo provides waterproofs for this excursion…but our tip is to be at the front of the boat (unless you have sea sickness) as the ride is way more fun, and less wet!

As is often the case with wildlife spotting you will rely on the skill of the skipper, the spotter network and a large degree of luck to encounter whales, but the spotters know how long each whale can hold its breath for and so can give a pretty good estimate on where and when they will next pop up. This knowledge meant that we were soon being tail-flipped by sperm and fin whales and we even managed to glimpse the light shadow of a blue whale.

Even if you don’t get to see whales there is an almost guaranteed chance that you’ll have dolphins coming around the boat; the natural performers of the sea who love to ride in the wake of the boat and take things easy, but who can easily out-accelerate the boat when they see some tasty snacks swimming on ahead.

Once back on terra-firma the whale watching does not stop, so whenever you are driving by the coast keep an eye out for a shadow in the water or a waterspout. You will also see the various spots that the professional lookouts use as you travel around the island, such as the Moinho dos Feteiras windmill that is just up past the airport, and where you can practice for that second career.

Calderas, fumaroles and hot springs 🏠

Naturally, a volcanic island chain is going to deliver a lot of dramatic landscapes, hot water and steam! As the archipelago is located near to the confluence of the three tectonic plaques: North American, Euro-Asiatic and African, it has seen the islands created at different points of time as they migrate over the hot cracks. And lucky for us São Miguel is the most active of all the islands, you just need to look up into the mainland to see the volcanoes looking over the towns to get an appreciation of where you are.

But where is the fun in looking and not touching?! So your intrepid explorers have made several treks through the gates of the underworld to transcribe to you the volcanic sights and sounds of the islands. Let’s sub-divide this into 3, the west, the east and the centre.

The Volcanic West

Starting at a safe distance, São Miguel is covered with the remains of volcanoes that have been beautifully filled up with water to create the most dramatic vies that you can go and hike to see. Foremost amongst those is on the western side of the island and the gigantic crater of Sete Cidades, with a 12km circumference that is full of hiking routes and miradouros that will give you picture perfect views of the crater and the two lakes that shine at its centre – lago azul and lago verde.

There are more hiking spots here than could be done in just one day, and you need to optimise your visit with the weather as it can go from sunny to cloudy at a moments notice, so start your visit with a hike to the Miradouro de Boca do Inferno (Hell’s Mouth!). Squeeze your car into the car parking and set off on a nice short hike to the viewpoint, a quite flat and easy walk through a forest until the end where you then tightrope along a mountain ridge (but all with a laid out, fenced path).

After taking in the views from the official viewpoint, follow the instagrammers off-piste to the unofficial viewpoints where ridges of the mountain end in cliff drops that provide for exhilarating views for those brave enough to get close to the edge. As you hike back to the car park, do stop off at the Lagoa do Canário where you can descend right to the waters green tinged edge.

The rest of the viewpoints of the lakes are somewhat safer, and can be quick pit-stopes with the car but no less stunning – the Miradouro da Vista do Rei, has a very civislised observation deck that frames the lago Verde most perfectly. Here there is also the remains of a 5 star hotel that offers a slightly more dangerous viewpoint for those that enjoy decaying architecture.

Heading down into the crater, if you are here at the right time of year (July / August) then you can drive along the pictoresque Estrada Hortênsia, do send us pictures, as we were too early in the year to see this! The Miradouro do Cerrado das Freiras will give you up close views to the lago Azul, where you can also stop off a bit further down to take a dip or explore with a kayak.

Hopefully you’ll have taken advantage of sunny weather and you can now go back and visit some of the spots that don’t necessarily need blue skies to enjoy to the max. The Aqueduct that is closeby to Hell’s Mouth is full of mystique, set alone in a green valley it is overun with moss and ambience, that is a mini adventure to explore if you can get it just to yourselves.

After all this hiking and exploring we would recommend heading to the nearby coast for lunch and Restaurante Gazcidla in Mosteiros, with sea views, great food and friendly service. Try to local soft cheese along with the spicy sauce, top up on yet more lapas and try the local sparkling wine…surprising!

A post lunch walk along the volcanic black beaches and crashing waves of Mosteiros. Head a little bit further round onto the northern coast for the very photogenic windmill – Moinho do Pico Vermelho.

Finish your day with a bit of hot spring relaxation…with a difference. At Ponta da Ferraria is a natural thermal pool that is set in the Atlantic Ocean! Make sure your check the timing of low tide, as it is both dangerous and not warm at any other time. But if you do get here at low tide then you and plenty of others will get the chance to clamber across the basalt rocks and down into the hot spring pool to be gently washed around by the current of the ocean. Whilst here, also look out for the natural saunas of small caverns that are heated by volcanic steam.

The Volcanic East

Over to the opposite end of the island, not excessively far away, but with all there is to do, and lots of winding roads to do it along, makes for something that you will need to plan a separate day for. This side of the island is dominated by the Valley of Furnas, a collection of two quite active calderas that are so big that it is not so clear as Sete Cidades that you are actually in a volcano! However the many pools of bubbling water and fumaroles of superheated steam will soon give the game away!

Approaching form the west, you will first descend down and alongside the Lagoa de Furnas where you will start to get glimpses of volcanic activity on the far side of the lake. The Fumarolas Lagoa das Furnas is about as commercial as things get in the Azores, with parking charges (a nominal 3 eur), private waterfall hikes and volcanic cooked food that comes at a devilishly high price. You’ll get to see bubbling mud pools and pits of swirling steam, along with the aforementioned cooking holes that were traditionally used to make the local stews and boiled eggs.

The main town of Furnas is a volcanic DisneyLand, with pools of hot water, mud pools and clouds of steam billowing all over the place. Just park your car up in the first space you can find and enjoy a wander through the eggy smelling town!

As you amble through, lookout for the various water fountains that have the most mineralised of water ready to drink, as well as the hot water fountains that indicate just how hot.

If you need a respite from the volncano scene, then heading south out of the town you can take a little hike to the Cascata da Ribeira Quente, a lovely little river walk, that first starts off in a road tunnel, then down into a hidden valley that ends with the waterfalls.

Once again, all this walking and hiking will need some relaxation for those muscles, and in Furnas is one of the most beautiful hot springs we have been fortunate to visit. Poça da Dona Beija, with 5 different pools to enjoy, set along a central hot spring river and framed with beautiful gardens, it’s a wonderfully rejuvenating place to visit.

Do make sure you reserve your ticket in advance, as spots fill up very quickly, and especially in the evenings. You can get most gear, such as towels and lockers, but if on a budget they will also give you a little basket to put all of your stuff in to carry around to each of the pools.

Finish your day here with dinner by the coast in Ribeira Quente at Restaurante Ponta do Garajau, set in what is made to look like a fishing house the menu is dominated by excellent seafood and great wines.

The Volcanic Centre

The centre of the island is dominated by the Lagoa do Fogo. This we did on our hiking tour with Ruben, so we’ll talk about that a bit more down below. Outside of the Fogo lake the attraction of this central part of the island is exploring (and getting lost) along the various backroads that crisscross the mountain peaks and coastal roads.

The coastal road that runs to the south of Fogo will bring you to secluded coves and hilltop churches, particularly Caloura and its rocky coastline where you have to make sure lunch one day is at Bar Caloura, where your lapas and fish will be accompanied by the best local wine and the finest sea views. Further along the coast at Vila Franca do Campo is the stunning Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Paz, that just begs to be run up in a Rocky Balboa style!

Heading into the mountains from here the Lagoa do Congro is a wonderful, and mildly taxing hike down through the greenest of green forests and finishing in….naturally the greenest of green lakes!

Heading over the northern side of Fogo into the Vale das Lombadas, you may be rewarded with some stunning vistas…or you may, as we were, be hemmed in by thick clouds and rain that are very common up here. But don’t despair the lack of view, as the drive down the northern flank of the mountain is a lot of fun, along green, narrow lanes with walls that are leaking volcanic steam. Detour to sleepy Termas das Caldeiras, where you’ll see some more of the local cooking pots, as well as a effervescent pond bubbling away to itself.

Along the north coast of this part of the island you will find the only tea plantations of Europe, Gorreana is the oldest, where you can tour, taste, explore and buy all that is tea, and is well worth a stop as you pass by this area. The green tea with Azorean pineapple is especially good!

Naturally the day here needs to be finished with some hot spring action! This time at the Centro de Interpretação Ambiental da Caldeira Velha. The website loftily says it promotes the intrinsic environmental values, allowing visitors to discover the specificities of this place of interest 
in situ, making it a complementary space for informal education, while also offering a vast network of resources and promoting a tourist component…and by the way you can enjoy the thermal pools!

10 euros to get in, and once you have enjoyed the intrinsic environment values (which are exceedingly beautiful) you can dive (or rather slowly lower yourself) into four different thermal pools, which, counter-intuitively get hotter the further down from the source you go! There are changing rooms and lockers…if you have a little padlock then bring it and you’ll save yourself a euro and having to rent one. Don’t forget to head all the way to the top of the centre to the cold water waterfall, that is a refreshing end to your visit.

Hiking with Ruben 🏠

We’ve already peppered this blog with reference to a most wonderful Azorean that we met on this trip and who gave us an insiders tour of São Miguel, Ruben. Fate lead us to meet him over dinner in the most excellent Otaka, where he regaled us of the beauty of the islands, felt immediately like a friend of old and even helped us navigate the Otaka menu to the highlight of its cheesecake!

So a few days later we had booked ourselves onto his very personal hiking tour of the island. Be prepared for a tour that is without time limits, that is truly tailored to what you are looking for (even if you don’t know what that is!) and that feels more like meeting an old friend who wants to show you the best of their home. With just the two of us on the tour we jumped into Ruben’s car and headed off to explore the island…there is a network of cameras across the island that give an insight as to where the sun is and Ruben makes best use of this to decide where best to take you…so our first early morning stop was the Lagoa do Fago.

Another reason to take a guide such as Ruben to this part of the island is that because its popularity the municipality has put in place quite a cumbersome way to visit – to drop your car off down below and then take an arduous bus route to the lake views; coming with a guide skips this rigmarole and allows you to get straight to the top with no fuss. But with Ruben, you are not just going to get the standard tour spots, and he immediately has us hiking up to the communication pylons that sit above the lake and that give the most amazing views of the crater and lake below. And timed to perfection before the clouds will invariably roll in!

Our next stop demonstrated Ruben’s ability to read the mind of what his guests really want when he took us to a hike that had all the hallmarks of what Lyssa and I love. To the Cascata do Salto do Cabrito, starting with Lyssa’s rule of ‘no wasted walking’…so once again as a licensed guide, Ruben short-cutted us from the public parking, avoiding the 2km very up and down hike to the locals car park that meant we had all our energy for the unfolding adventure.

Starting with the falls themselves, that would be enough of a site to visit, but a secret stairway behind the falls had us following the hydroelectric piping through dense forest and stunning canyons that had us grinning ear to ear for each tightrope step along this route. The route takes you up to a thermal area where the steam seeps from walls and where the source of the hydroelectricity is channeled into the turbines below.

The morning sped past and our tummies were rumbling, but Ruben had that covered with one of the best packed lunches of the islands…the steak sandwiches of the Associação Agrícola da Ilha de São Miguel; requiring reservations in advance to eat at, but for us the best of both worlds, to enjoy their wonderful cuisine, but then to eat it as a picnic with the stunning views of Miradouro de Santa Iria.

The Miradouro also gave us a bird’s eye view of our next hiking destination, the Miradouro do Furado. Easy to see from here, but slightly more tricky to get to IRL…through herds of cows, brambles, up and down through valleys, but all worth it not just for the destination but also the journey.

Ruben treated us to a well earned break by the sea at the Praia dos Moinhos, where we could sample the local beer and meet the local wildlife.

But there’s no rest for the wicked, and it seems we have been very bad (in a good way!), so back on the trail and this time heading along the north coast of the island and the beautifully manicured Parque Natural da Ribeira dos Caldeirões, entering its gates you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’ll be paying for this visit, but it is open and free and could be a several hour stop in itself. Next to the park is a beautiful waterfall, that almost spills onto the road and sprays a beautiful rainbow out from the rock when the sun is shining down.

Our last stop of the day was the wispy Cascata do Salto, a steep drive down, that Ruben tackles with an easy nonchalance that would see Matt sweating and swearing to navigate! But Matt gladly had the driving day off and Ruben was all in control.

The falls are set by the coast, that make for a perfect day’s end, a rugged coastline, crashing waves and stunning views. Sadly for us we had an appointment to get to at the end of the day, otherwise we’re sure Ruben would have just carried on with the tour until he’d had the chance to show us every inch of this wonderful island!

When you sign up with Ruben for his guiding, you are not just getting a tour for few hours in a day, but you are getting a lifelong friend who is ready to share his love of the Azores with you whenever you are around…so just a few days later we met for lunch at the surf capital of the island…Santa Barbara beach and the most excellent TukáTulá Beach Bar, another discovery we would not have had without Ruben.

Flores – To the end of the European World 🏠

There is more to the Azores than São Miguel (really!), and for an edge of the world vibe we headed to Flores. Known as the the Pink island, owing to the local azaleas. Flights to here can be notoriously fickle, affected by frequent storms and general bad weather…so try to give yourself space to get here and back (if you have an international flight) in case of disruption. Matt can give this advice but he did not heed it, and with a return just a day before our flight back to NL and stormy weather forecast he was already looking at contingency flights to get back! Fortunately we did not have to enact these plans, and the local SATA airlines was super flexible about changing flights (despite the reviews on google!).

We left São Miguel to clear blue skies, but indeed, as we approached Flores the clouds and rain began, making the dramatic landing to the airport, that has the plane flying next to the cliffs of the Santa Cruz town even more impressive!

Arriving on Flores, in the pouring rain, and on an Easter weekend is a bit of a shock after the metropolis of São Miguel. Our first task was to find some lunch, and it seems Easter is a time for everything to close, so it looked like we were going to be living off the in-flight peanuts for our stay. Luckily, after a drive across the island, through the low clouds and a rain soaked windshield we were able to spot our savior…Cana Roca. Not just some lunch, but most excellent pizza and pasta.

With our bellies happily full, we exited to a completely different island, the storm had passed and we were rewarded with blue skies and sunshine! When you get some blue sky on flores it is not just a matter of ‘carpe diem’ but rather ‘carpe horam’ and you have to put on hold any plans like checking into the hotel and rather get out and see the sights of the island!

Fortunately the island is not so large, and most of the main sights are clustered together on the western side, so you can squeeze a lot into a few hours, and that is exactly what we did. Starting with the reason for our travel to this far flung island, the Cascata da Ribeira do Ferreiro…a multi threaded set of waterfalls that slide into the Patos lake below. Every bit as stunning as the pictures and Instagram reels will have you believe, and all the better with a bit of blue sky and sunshine!

With the blue sky persisting head up above that waterfalls to the twin lakes of the Caldeira Negra and Caldeira Comprida

Then across to the Miradouro Caldeira Rasa e Funda for another lake double hat! Finishing the afternoon’s tour with the Miradouro da Caldera Seca and the Caldeira Branca.

Still, all this blue sky can trick you into thinking you will have it for your whole stay and you may park some spots for the next day…like the Miradouro Craveiro Lopes, that is supposed to have wonderful coastal views, but as we parked it for the following day we were rewarded with a view of clouds (from the inside!).

One final must do sight on the island is on the western side by the settlement of Fajã Grande, the Cascata do Poço do Bacalhau makes for a lovely sunset walk, joined by cows for a short hike to the foot of this very high waterfall that cascades into a fresh clean pool.

Just next door to the falls was our home on Flores, the Villas do Mar, modern coastal houses that had way more space than we needed (easily able to fit a family), but felt gloriously decadent for just the two of us. Attached to the nearby Aldeia da Cuada hotel, you’ll have everything you need for a few days (or more) on the island, and beautifully desolate views out onto the Atlantic ocean and the end of the European territory…and we are not just talking figuratively, Fajã Grande is the most western point of land in Europe (despite Google dropping the pin in the middle of the sea to the North!).

You can easily cater for yourself, with a fully spec’d kitchen…but where’s the holiday in that! So we had our first nights dinner at the hotel restaurant at Aldeia da Cuada; cozily set in what feels like a large garden shed and with very tasty food to match!

Public holidays or not, your will definitely not get the variety and choice of restaurants on Flores that you have in São Miguel, but in some ways that adds to the charm and the adventure in being on the edge of Europe! And there is still some excellent food to be had…but be prepared, even if you get to your chosen restaurant that they will have run out of the dishes you want, as happened to us at “O MOREÃO“, a seafood speciality restaurant that had run out of fresh fish!!!

The crater & cetaceans of Corvo 🏠

If Flores isn’t small or remote enough for you, then why not jump on a boat and head across to the island of Corvo. With a population of around 400, the smallest of the Azores islands, but no less beautiful and stunning to visit that the rest of the archipelago! There are a couple of companies that do daily trips across to Corvo and we joined Flores by Sea for the 9am start on their Rib to glide across the sea. For 40 eur pp the trip includes a return journey to Corvo, plus dolphin and whale spotting along the way, and on the return you get to visit the other main sights of Flores, the sea caves and waterfalls.

Around 60 min to cross, although this timing can vary greatly depending on what you see in the sea…the colourful sails of Portugese man-o-wars and, extremely luckily for us beaked whales, that it seems are very rare to see as they can dive down to 3000 metres and stay there for several hours. So the trip had already paid dividends even before we set foot on our destination!

As you cruise into Corvo harbour you will be welcomed by a phalanx of taxi vans, ready to whisk you up to the top of the volcano (which is pretty much two thirds of the whole island), the deal is 10 euros for a trip up, drop off for your own hiking / sightseeing and then a pickup a coupe of hours later to bring you back down. You can choose to hike up and down, but given the boat timetable, and our love of feeding ourselves the taxi up and down is a really good choice. The drivers are also great characters to chat with and will also give you some good facts about the island mixed in with some nice humour!

The Caldera is immense, at 2km in diameter it stretches out in all directions, but still has that volcanic feel to it. We started by skirting some of the rim to get a feel for the size and depth of the view in front of us. Then down into the crater to hike along the lake, and snap a few pics. Because of the scale of things, what looks like a short trip down actually takes almost an hour each way, so plan your time if you are to be picked up by the taxi for the trip back down.

Once you done the caldera, then it’s back down to the town for a spot of lunch…the Caldeirão, Restaurante does quick, good food and excellent coffee. And just across the road are some very photogenic windmills, waiting patiently to have their picture taken.

The boat back leaves promptly, so be on time…as well as to make sure you get the best seats at the front of the boat – both exhilarating and the driest spot if the waves are lively. As advertised the journey back to Flores passes by the hidden sights of the islands…the sea caves and sea waterfalls, well worth the trip in itself! Matt has been dreaming of the Múlafossur waterall in the Faroe islands for some time now, and the waterfalls of Flores nearly sated that dream…but it is still on the bucket list!

The predicted storms that were forecast for our stay were not so severe as to hinder our return flight back to São Miguel (via a de-planing stop over in Terceira), and we returned to the main island to find it much as we had left it, with green landscapes, blue skies and sunshine! A truly wonderful little tour throughout the Azores, but with the promise is still yet more for our next visit…enjoy!

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