Our first big activity planned for Pico was whale watching with Espaço Talassa in Lajes do Pico. It was a beautiful afternoon, but we learned that the seas were rough and that the spotter was not seeing signs of whales in the area. We were … Continue readingExploring Pico Island
We have landed in a magical spot on Pico Island (near San Roque do Pico), way out in the country, overlooking the water and the island of São Jorge, with our own cows. Our lovely host Beatriz met us to show us around and left us … Continue readingSettling in on Pico Island
On our last morning in Vila Franca do Campo, we went out on the water with Filipe who runs Azorsea Adventures for a quick boat trip to check out Ilhéu de Vila Franca do Campo. These cliffs are often the site of major diving championships. Filipe was a … Continue readingIlhéu de Vila Franca do Campo
We spent all of day four in Furnas, known for the hot springs, gardens, bread cakes, and cozida stew, cooked in the hot ground. Furnas is in a valley after a beautiful drive near the coast from Vila Franca do Campo. At last, we captured some … Continue readingFurnas and Terra Nostra Gardens
After Setes Cidades, we headed to Ferraria, where there is a thermal spa and pool, and also a natural thermal pool in the water (above). It was approaching high tide, so the natural pool was a bit less defined, colder, and rougher than felt safe, … Continue readingTermas da Ferraria
This is one of the spots that they tell you must be seen on a clear day. We set off with a questionable forecast and were delighted to have the skies clear somewhat as we arrived. This lake has been formed by the crater of … Continue readingLagoa das Sete Cidades
There are magnificent parks all along the way, with gorgeous trees, Azalias, formal gardens, picnic areas and waterfalls. Here we have Miradouro do Pôr-do-Sol. And a funny little band of park kitties, which seems to be the way here. Along the way, we got held up for … Continue readingParks and More Cats
We stopped at Fumarolas da Lagoa das Furnas to watch the restaurants pull the cozida that had been cooking in the hot earth. We’ll be back to Furnas in the next few days to sample the fare. One of the great surprises has been the … Continue readingFumarolas da Lagoa das Furnas
We started out exploring this morning with a visit to Nossa Senhora da Paz, a temple built in 1764, that overlooks Vila Franca do Campo and the Atlantic.
The day started as our Azores Air plane landed in Ponta Delgada in rain on a spectacular landing strip that runs right along the water. The island is a lush green, with palm trees, flowers, and vegetable gardens everywhere. We were through customs, had our … Continue readingA Warm Welcome in Vila Franca do Campo