My trip to the Azores, Europe’s Hawaii!

Earlier this year, my boyfriend and I started considering our travel options for summer 2025. We’d initially decided on Slovenia, but then I came across the Azores — Europe’s Hawaii! It’s a country that’s been on my list for a long time, and it’s less touristy than other European countries. However, that week, I came across a video of the Azores and fell in love with the idea of exploring these islands, hiking and enjoying nature. After some research, we found that there were direct flights at very reasonable prices. That was our sign, and we booked the trip a week later!

I’m so glad I chose this destination, which took me out of my comfort zone and really deserves to be discovered. The Azores offer magnificent scenery, lush vegetation and plenty of outdoor activities. It’s the perfect destination for rest, sport and relaxation. This archipelago comprises nine islands, and I was fortunate enough to visit two of them: São Miguel (the largest and most populous) and São Jorge.

I just had to share all my favourite places with you to inspire you to add this destination to your bucket list!

Sao Miguel 

Activities

• The Arruda pineapple plantation: It is a small estate where you can visit the greenhouses and see the unique Azorean pineapple variety. You can purchase a range of products derived from this tropical fruit.
• Sete Cidades – Lagoa Azul: It is one of São Miguel’s three main lakes. We hiked around the adjacent Lagoa Verde lake and it was beautiful.
  In the charming little village of Agua de Pau, you can enjoy magnificent ocean views. If you have time, I suggest stopping for a few hours at Caloura beach to enjoy the sun!
• Furnas: It is a pretty village with a magnificent lake! The Parque da Graça is a particular favourite of mine. We did the waterfall walk.
• We also went on a boat trip to see dolphins and whales. The Azores are renowned for their marine life, including sperm whales. Unfortunately, we weren’t lucky enough to see any, but we did see a large group of dolphins that hung around our boat for thirty minutes — it was magical!
• Boca da Inferno: It is one of the best-known viewpoints on the island of São Miguel, and with good reason. Here, you can see the three lakes of Sete Cidades. The view is truly magnificent!
• The Monte Palace Hotel: It is an abandoned hotel that attracts many curious visitors and is well worth a visit! Having been derelict for several years, it has become one of the island’s most popular spots.
• Praia do Areal de Santa Barbara: It is a beach in the town of Ribeira Grande that I would highly recommend! The black sand makes it really special.
  Lagoa do Fogo is my favourite spot on São Miguel! My advice is to go to the Miradouro do Pico da Barbossa and follow the small path down to the
• Lagoa do Fogo beach: The scenery there is some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen! The walk back is more challenging as it’s uphill the whole way, but it’s absolutely worth it!

Restaurants

• Réserva: It is a small restaurant in Ponta Delgada where you can create your own platter of charcuterie, sausages and local cheeses. It’s a great way to sample local flavours. The restaurant also offers an excellent selection of Portuguese wines.
• Restaurant Tony’s: At Tony’s, we enjoyed cozido das furnas, a traditional Azorean dish featuring various types of meat and vegetables cooked using volcanic heat.
• Quinta dos Sabores: the best meal of my entire trip! This farm-to-table experience did not disappoint, and they adapted everything to accommodate my allergies. The inn offers a six-course meal based on products from the Azores and ingredients from their farm. I would recommend it 100%!
• Rotas da Ilha Verde: this vegetarian restaurant was a big hit! The service was fantastic, the staff were attentive, and there were lots of dairy-free options.
• A Tasca: It is a very popular restaurant in Ponta Delgada that I really wanted to try, but unfortunately we couldn’t get a table. Get there early if you ever want to try it!

Advice

• The island of São Miguel is the largest in the archipelago, with plenty to see and do, so I recommend staying for at least five days, if not a whole week.
• Renting a car is essential! We used it every day!
• The weather can change very quickly, so it’s likely to be rainy, sunny or chilly all in the same day. I’d therefore advise you to carry a few different outfits and shoes in your car.
• If it’s cloudy or rainy in one part of the island, it’s likely to be fine and sunny in another. Avoid viewpoints when it’s very cloudy!
• Make sure you bring good walking shoes – I almost didn’t, but I’m glad I changed my mind because I wore them almost every day!

Sao Jorge

Activities

• The Velas natural swimming pool: It is a wonderful place to swim and admire the view of Pico, Portugal’s highest mountain, which is located on the neighbouring island! This volcano is also one of the Azores’ most popular attractions!
• The Caminho das Fontes: It is a superb three-hour walk where you can see a wide variety of landscapes, ranging from forests to beaches and fields.
• Calheta is a super-cute little village and definitely my favourite in São Jorge! It’s small but very charming. Take a tour of the Francisco de Lacerda Museum to learn more about the island and its various industries, such as tuna fishing — it was really interesting!
• The walk from Serra do Topo to Fajã da Caldeira: This walk is definitely one of my favourite hikes of the trip. The views are breathtaking.
• The natural pool at Porto de Fajã do Ouvidor has a magnificent view!
• The Simao Dias natural pool: This pool was created by volcanic formations, is extraordinary. It’s probably my favourite place in São Jorge!

Restaurants

• Fornos de Lava:  It is a beautiful restaurant with stunning views of Pico, if the weather is clear! The menu is based almost entirely on local produce.
• O Branquinho: It is a super friendly little restaurant a few minutes from Velas. I ate some delicious octopus there!
• Residencial A Quinta: It is a small, friendly restaurant close to Velas. They have a set menu for dinner and we enjoyed a delicious beef alcatra, a traditional Azorean dish.

Advice

• Once again, I recommend renting a car here!
• The island of São Jorge is quite small, so I recommend spending a maximum of four or five days there!
• I was attracted to São Jorge by the views from the cliffs and the fajas. These extraordinary landscapes are well worth discovering. However, the weather can be quite unpredictable, so I’d advise staying close to the sea and avoiding high points if it’s cloudy!