Ponta Delgada is the largest city and administrative capital of the Autonomous Region of the Azores in Portugal. Located on Sao Miguel Island, its population is about 69,000. Founded in the 15th century, its scale is small and intimate. Here we stayed in a very nice hostel, which was an … Continue readingPonta Delgada
There is great food to be had in the Azores, but it’s worth planning for to avoid frustration. We had reservations for about half the nights (some documented elsewhere on the blog), and then returned to a couple of favorites. We didn’t always grab photos … Continue readingGreat Food in the Azores
Our last two days in the Azores had us back in Sao Miguel, this time staying in the main city of Ponta Delgada. Here we had scheduled whale watching with Sea Colors Expeditions, and it was truly one of the highlights of the trip. The … Continue readingWhale Watching with Sea Colors Expeditions
On our last day on Pico, we enjoyed some quiet time at the beautiful house, and then set off to check out more of the western side of the island. In Madalena, we came across another natural pool, created in the sea by lava flow. … Continue readingMore Exploring Pico
With the necessary shift in the schedule to accommodate the whale watching rebooking, we had only a short window to visit Faial Island. It’s a quick ferry ride from Madalena to Horta. (Times are limited and not entirely convenient off-season, so be sure to check … Continue readingColorful Port of Horta
We set off again the next morning for whale watching, and were warned seas were rough but we went out. It was an experience! The boat was small, the ride was rough, and we got very wet, but we had the wonderful opportunity to see … Continue readingWhale Watching with Espaço Talassa
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