The Azores: the pearl of the Atlantic just for you
Because there is a destiny for each person, for each moment of our lives. Destinations that we know without having visited them and unknown destinations that surprise and move us like this latest discovery. Let's go to São Miguel in the Azores Islands in Portugal.
WILD NATURE
The Azores, first, enter through the eye. The first thing that catches your eye when landing on the island of São Miguel is the contrast of colors, the exuberant nature of a very intense green , adorned with a large number of flowers, the tall trees covered by moss inch by inch of its trunk.
All this contrasts with the blue lakes , most formed inside large volcanoes, and the black sand beaches of volcanic origin , with its crystal clear waters in light blue tones and surrounded by the dark blue of the Atlantic Ocean. A show.
Welcome to the great secret of Portugal
The majority of the inhabitants of the Azores are farmers, fishmongers or ranchers . Along the roads you will find a beautiful, clean and well-kept island, everything always decorated with different plants, houses painted in colors and that many churches of colonial architecture (black stone and white walls), which dot the landscape. You will see some of them built very close to cliffs, defying the waves of the Atlantic, such as the Church of San Roque.
The Azoreans are endearing, close . It is not trivial that you receive greetings while you walk or tour the island by car. In their towns, made up of few houses, the custom is to leave the houses to greet the newcomer, always with a smile.
Don't be surprised, yes, that feeling of thinking that there are more cows than inhabitants... quiet and calm, you will find them grazing on the green island.
In Azores, always with a smile
Though not be a sun and beach destination , since the weather is very changeable and in the same day it can rain and the sun comes out, there are many options to enjoy of water and nature.
WHAT TO VISIT IN SAO MIGUEL DE AZORES?
City of Ponta Delgada
The visit to the island Sao Miguel starts in the city of Ponta Delgada , where all flights and cruises arrive. City founded in the fifteenth century, retains its colonial architecture. We are in the most built and exploited part of the island, but there are plenty of reasons to spend some time visiting it: from the Mother Church of São Sebastião and of Sao Jose or the Sao Bras Castle .
The food here is delicious and fish is the order of the day: tuna, pastéis de bacalhau, shellfish, soups... but also meat from the cows that graze on the island. You cannot leave without trying their famous cheeses, its regional pineapples, tea and its traditional sweet, Dona Amélia cakes and queijadas .
For all this, the Acor Tavern and in To Tasca. Both with rich traditional dishes and a cozy atmosphere.
Getting lost by its nature is the law
seven cities
Sete Cidades may be one of the most famous images of the Azores archipelago and surely the most visited, but it does not stop being one of the most impressive. Two lagoons, one green (Lagoa Verde) and the other blue (Lagoa Azul), formed inside large volcanoes. The most impressive thing is to see them from the King's Viewpoint , the most frequented, or from Closed das Freiras much calmer.
North cliffs
North cliffs
Calmly explore the great cliffs from Ferraria to Ribeira Grande, colliding with the Atlantic. And get your swimsuit ready, because in Ponta da Ferraria , there is a pool, or rather, a small cove between rocks of salt and thermal water : in the interior you can see the currents of hot and cold water due to the swaying of the sea currents.
Mosteiro Beach
Later, in Mosteiros , you will find a beautiful beach of volcanic sand. From its waters rise, challenging, several rock outcrops. Here you will see sunsets of intense orange and red colors.
Lagoa do Fogo and Caldeira Velha
Another of the famous lagoons of Sao Miguel is located in the center of the island, Lagoa do Fogo , also formed inside the crater of the volcano Pau water . We recommend taking a walk through the forest until you reach Caldeira Velha , a waterfall that flows through the rock to a lagoon of hot emerald waters. The water stains the rocks a reddish-orange color. , which joins with the intense green of the vegetation. Even if you feel cold outside, go for it take a bath in this natural paradise.
Lagoa do Fogo
Near Lagoa do Fogo , there is a hiking trail that leads to the blue well, a small spring, sheltered between large rocks. Here the water is not hot; In fact, it's really cold, but it's worth being brave, get into these waters among so much virgin nature.
Terra Nostra Park and its hot springs
The Terra Nostra Park is the garden of the summer residence of the American consul, Thomas Hickling , which he had created in the 18th century. It has thousands of plants from all over the world and next to the botanical garden there is a thermal pool, with hot waters rich in mineral salts that give it a yellow color due to its high concentration of iron.
Blue Well
Lagoa das Furnas and the gastronomy of the place
This time, the most impressive is not going to be nature, it surrounds the lagoon and lets you whet your appetite because you have to try the Cozidos das Furnas , stews that are made with the heat of the earth , burying pots in the fumaroles area next to the lagoon They have a touch of iron flavor and it's delicious.
To "practice" cooking, we recommend the Tony's Restaurant . Its stew is magnificent, both in flavor and quantity. The ideal is to spend half an hour beforehand in the area where the dish is being cooked and then sit in the restaurant quietly tasting it.
Lagoa das Furnas
MORE GASTRONOMY
It's easy to find a good cheap menu almost anywhere on the island: the catch of the day is the law. But if you want to taste the bovine delicacies of the area, we recommend the ** Restaurante da Associação Agrícola de São Miguel ,** where the high quality of the product prevails.
Also worth a visit to Ananases Arruda . It is a facility where they grow regional pineapples and where you can taste an ecological menu inside one of its greenhouses. Quite an experience.
Tukatula , in Ribeira Grande, is a beach bar located on the Santa Barbara beach , where they make delicious homemade hamburgers in front of the sea or something as simple as buying the famous ones island meat sandwiches.
Ananases Arruda
WHERE TO SLEEP
For nature lovers, the camping park Located in Sete Cidades, it is the best option: it is sleeping surrounded by lakes and immense nature. There is also the possibility of renting houses or small wooden cabins facing the sea or facing lakes throughout the island.
But for the less adventurous, there is a hotel that will not leave you indifferent, Santa Barbara ECO- Beach Resort , a hotel built on a cliff facing the sea, with access to a small and beautiful cove.
Azores or bestial nature