The Atlantic isn’t particularly known for its islands, but then again, not many people are aware the Azores even exist.
At Lagoa do Fogo
Perhaps if they did, the Atlantic would draw more visitors.
Church doors in Furnas, São Miguel
Not that that would necessarily be a good thing. Seeing a place unspoiled by outsiders is a dream, as most of us seasoned travelers know.
Lagoa do Fogo
We came across the Azores one day while scrolling across the Atlantic on Google Maps. What the heck is this? we thought. After some Google Image searching, we knew this HAD to be our next adventure. This special place is part of Portugal.
We had a few friends living on the Iberian Peninsula at the time, so we packed our bags and met them in Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel. We got a rental car, as public transportation didn’t seem like the best bet to get around the island.
Stopped on our drive to take in the view and those vibrant colors
Our AirBnB was spacious and BEAUTIFUL, located just outside ponta Delgada in Livramento. There were 5 of us, and there was plenty of seating, space, and privacy, plus an garden area with covered seating, and a small farm on site! The host lived next door, so one day when I was terribly sick she brought over some medicine. So sweet!
Once we started roaming around the island, it was like sensory overload. The Azores get plenty of rain, so the greens popped without effort, and the blues of the ocean and the lakes were deep and calming. The buildings were mostly white with dark stone trim and red rooftops, making them pop from the surrounding landscapes.
Church in Furnas
Stopped for pictures. Always having a good time ;)
Doesn't even matter that it's overcast, still so pretty!
@jbnomads
We kicked off the trip by checking out the Lagoa do Fogo, a lake located right in the center of the island. After snapping a bunch of photos and standing in awe for quite some time, we descended down to the shore, snapped a few more shots, then made our way back to the top. This was already our new favorite destination.
Fellow Nomad, Talia, descending to the lake shore
We excel in awkwardly posing for pictures. At the Lagoa do Fogo lake shore
"You are here"
Talia and our new Polish friend, one of the only other tourists we saw on São Miguel
Fellow Catalan Nomad, Ramon at Lagoa do Fogo
Very limited parking at Lagoa do Fogo, but not many visitors either
Our next stop was Caldeira Velha, a forested spot down the road with hot springs and modest waterfalls. It was a relatively short hike in from where they allow you to park, and you’re rewarded with a nice hot bath once you arrive. Not a bad way to spend a slightly chilly, overcast day in the middle of the Atlantic!
Hot spring, fully equipped with waterfall
Nomads enjoy a nice dip in nature's baths
I must note, we did venture out that day without much preparation. Sure, we had our rain jackets, but brought no water, no food. At this point we were parched and famished. Thankfully, there was a small snack/drink truck by the parking area.
After downing a few bottles of water, we counteracted that with a few shots of local liqueur.
If the Azores are known for anything (besides their stunning landscapes, of course), it’d be their liqueurs. They come in every flavor you could imagine and are DIRT CHEAP. Really, everything is quite cheap there, but no joke, we went grocery shopping one day and stumbled across their liqueur section — 12 CENTS A BOTTLE. Instead, we decided to be big spenders and got a few bottles of wine for $2 each. Like, GOOD wine.
In Furnas
One day we found ourselves quite lost (GPS was failing), and all of our bladders were about to burst, so we decided the next town we came upon we would find a restaurant to stop at, get ourselves back on track. Well, the restaurant had just closed for the afternoon so the owner directed us to the bar next door.
When we walked through the doors, you could hear a pin drop.
The place was crowded, men only, locals for sure, as all eyes were on us. We shuffled up to the bar and ordered 3 cafes con leche.
“90 cents,” the bartender said.
“Wow, that’s so cheap,” we responded. He didn’t understand us.
I handed him 3 euros and he handed me 2.10 back.
Oh my gosh. It was 90 cents for all 3 coffees!
We skedaddled out of there as quickly. We didn’t feel threatened, but absolutely none of the locals tried to refrain from staring — and everyone was staring. Just a bit uncomfortable. (In their defense, we must have looked so out of place to them, considering we saw all of 5 tourists the whole time we were in the Azores.)
Laughing about our last encounter with the locals
We’d planned for horseback riding and canyoning one day, but Ramon & I fell deathly ill with food poisoning, so we and Jake stayed at the AirBnB for the day while Annemarie & Talia went adventuring! (See the video below for a peak into their day, and the rest of the trip -- of course we made a video!)
Some lasting impressions
- Staying and playing in the Azores is CHEAP
- Hardly any tourists! Makes “seeing the sights” stress-free with a calm feeling of seclusion
- Go for the nature explorations! Lakes, hiking, hot springs, waterfalls, beaches, horseback riding, canyoning, etc. The list is endless!
- The Azores location in the Atlantic makes it a prime location for trying all the best seafood! Yummm!
- Although our experience in the bar was awkward, the Azorean people are quite friendly & helpful! From the rental car people, to our AirBnB host, to our restaurant servers, locals we talked to along the way, everyone was always willing to help.
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Like most of the places we visit, we can’t wait to go back to the Azores! Check out our video below!
Have you been to the Azores? What was your experience like? Let us know by commenting below!
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