Why the Azores Changed Everything I Thought I Knew About Island Travel
I'll be honest with you – I almost didn't go to the Azores. They weren't even on my radar until a fellow traveler in Lisbon grabbed my arm at a hostel bar and said, 'Cancel whatever you have planned next. Go to the Azores.' Three days later, I was on a plane, and within an hour of landing on São Miguel, I understood exactly what he meant.
The Azores are what happens when you take the dramatic landscapes of Iceland, the lush greenery of Ireland, the volcanic mystique of Hawaii, and the laid-back charm of Portugal, then combine them into nine islands scattered across the Atlantic Ocean. And somehow, despite being just a 2.5-hour flight from Lisbon and 4 hours from Boston, they remain remarkably undiscovered.
"The Azores taught me that the best destinations are often the ones nobody's talking about yet. In a world of overtourism and Instagram queues, these islands feel like a secret whispered between travelers.
I spent three weeks island-hopping through this archipelago, and I'm going to share everything – the hidden spots that took my breath away, the mistakes I made so you don't have to, and the moments that reminded me why I fell in love with travel in the first place.
São Miguel: The Green Island That Defies Description
Let me paint a picture for you. It's 6:47 AM, and I'm standing at the Miradouro da Boca do Inferno viewpoint, shivering slightly in the morning mist. Below me, the twin lakes of Sete Cidades stretch out in impossible shades of blue and green. The legend says they were formed by the tears of a shepherd and a princess whose love was forbidden – one lake blue from her eyes, one green from his.
Standing there alone, with clouds rolling through the volcanic crater like slow-motion waves, I felt like I'd stumbled into a place that shouldn't exist. No photos had prepared me for this. The scale, the silence, the way the light kept shifting and transforming the colors – it was one of those rare travel moments where you just stand there, mouth slightly open, trying to commit every detail to memory.
Sete Cidades: More Than Just the Viewpoint
Most tourists drive up to the viewpoint, snap a photo, and leave. That's a mistake. Rent a kayak and paddle across the lakes – the perspective from water level, looking up at those towering crater walls covered in hydrangeas, is even more spectacular. I spent an entire morning just floating, occasionally dipping my paddle in, watching clouds drift overhead.
The tiny village of Sete Cidades itself is worth exploring. Population: about 800 people. There's a small church, a few cafes where locals play cards in the afternoon, and an overwhelming sense that life here moves at a different pace.
- •Best Photo Strategy - Start at the Vista do Rei viewpoint for the classic panorama, then drive down to the lake shore for kayaking
- •Hidden Walk - The lakes are connected by a small bridge – walk across and explore both shores on foot
- •Avoid Crowds - Visit during weekdays; weekends bring day-trippers from Ponta Delgada
- •Lighting Tip - The western lake (Lagoa Azul) is best in morning light, eastern (Lagoa Verde) in afternoon
Furnas: Where the Earth Cooks Your Dinner
I've eaten a lot of unusual things in my travels, but nothing quite prepared me for cozido das Furnas – a traditional Portuguese stew that's literally cooked underground by volcanic heat. Restaurants in the town of Furnas bury large pots containing beef, pork, chicken, sausages, and vegetables in holes near the geothermal hot springs. Six hours later, the earth has slow-cooked everything to tender perfection.
The Terra Nostra botanical garden is an absolute must. Its thermal pool, naturally heated to about 35-40°C and tinted orange by iron content, became my favorite place to end each day. Floating in that warm, mineral-rich water as the sun set through the giant trees... that's the kind of moment that stays with you.
"There's something humbling about eating food cooked by the same volcanic forces that created the island beneath your feet. It connects you to the land in a way that a regular restaurant meal never could.
Pico: Climbing Portugal's Highest Peak at Midnight
I almost skipped Pico. My original plan had me spending all my time on São Miguel, but a local guide convinced me to take the ferry. 'You cannot understand the Azores without climbing the mountain,' he said. 'And you must do it for sunrise.'
So there I was, starting my ascent at 2 AM, headlamp cutting through the darkness, legs burning as I scrambled over volcanic rock. The climb is challenging – 1,100 meters of elevation gain over about 3.5 kilometers – but it's the most rewarding physical challenge I've ever undertaken.
The final push to the summit involves some actual scrambling over loose rock. But then, just as I pulled myself onto the highest point in Portugal (2,351 meters), the sky began to lighten. Within minutes, I was watching the sunrise from above the clouds, with the silhouettes of the other Azorean islands floating on a sea of orange and pink.
I cried. Not a little misty-eyed moment – actual tears rolling down my cheeks. When was the last time a sunrise made you cry? That's the power of Pico.
The Wine That UNESCO Protects
Pico's other claim to fame is its wine – specifically, the extraordinary vineyard landscape that's been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Imagine thousands of small stone-walled enclosures, called currais, built to protect vines from Atlantic winds and retain volcanic heat.
- •Mountain Logistics - Book a guided sunrise climb through local operators – they provide transport and headlamps
- •Timing - The weather window for climbing is May to October; check forecasts obsessively
- •Underground Adventure - Visit Gruta das Torres, the longest lava tube in Portugal
- •Marine Life - Whale watching from Lajes do Pico has the highest success rate in the Azores
Faial: The Yachting Stopover That Stole My Heart
Faial is known as the Blue Island, partly for its masses of hydrangeas and partly for its deep connection to the sea. The marina at Horta has been a legendary mid-Atlantic stopover for sailors since the 1930s, and there's a superstition that painting a mural on the harbor wall brings good luck for the crossing.
The result is one of the world's most unique open-air galleries – thousands of paintings covering every available surface. I spent hours wandering through, reading messages from sailors dated decades apart.
Peter Café Sport is the social hub of this sailing world. Opened in 1918, it's part bar, part museum, part message center for transatlantic sailors. The walls are covered in memorabilia, and if you sit at the bar long enough, you'll hear stories that would make Hemingway jealous.
"Capelinhos reminded me that we're just guests on this planet. The earth will do what it does, and we simply adapt around it.
Everything You Need to Know Before You Go
SATA Azores Airlines connects the islands with small propeller planes. Book early – popular routes sell out. You absolutely need a car on most islands. Rental cars are cheap (€25-35/day) but book ahead in peak season.
- •Accommodation - Guesthouses and B&Bs €40-60, boutique hotels €80-120
- •Food - Local restaurants €10-15 for a filling meal with drink
- •Transport - Rental car €25-35/day, inter-island flights €40-80
- •Activities - Many viewpoints and trails are free, museums €3-5
Why the Azores Should Be Your Next Trip
I've been to over 60 countries, and the Azores have cracked my top five. It's not because they're the most beautiful, or the most exotic. It's because they represent something increasingly rare in modern travel: authenticity without performance.
There are no tourist buses blocking viewpoints. No aggressive touts selling souvenirs. Just nine islands of extraordinary natural beauty, inhabited by some of the warmest people I've met anywhere, waiting to be explored at your own pace.
"Some places change the way you see travel. The Azores changed the way I see what's possible – that you can still find corners of the world that feel undiscovered, that remind you why you started traveling in the first place.
