Azores - Europe's best Island Getaway? Driving and Hiking around the Island in June.

A green and lush island full of flowers, where Hydrangea grows in abundance, with a warm climate, full of fresh fish, locally grown bananas, Europe's first and only tea plantation. A fair bit of history, some good restaurants, birds and marine wildlife, great hikes for all levels of hikers. All this readily accessible only a couple of hours flight from continental Europe and where hotels and AirBnB still offer some really good bargains.


Sounds too good to be true? I am happy to say Azores could as well be too good to be true, luckily it is a very real group of islands in the Atlantic outside of Portugal :)



Location of Sao Miguel Island, Azores

I spent 5 days on the main island of Sao Miguel in June this year. The flight was booked with TAP and I paid just below 100€ return from continental Portugal to Ponta Delgada. There are also quite a few options available with low cost airlines to Azores both from Portugal and from other European airports during season (UK for example). I stayed in a very comfortable room that I found through AirBnB and paid no more than 25€ per night.



On the island I rented a car, driving here is easy, traffic is not too heavy and roads are good, one just needs to be careful not to get to swept away by the beautiful landscape and make sure to keep focus on the other cars around.



Below would be my impressions of places visited, and food eaten during my days driving and hiking around Sao Miguel.




Among others I visited a Jurrasic Park like hot spring area near to the Viewpoint of Bela Vista, the tea plantation of Gorreana, hiked to a waterfall (see separate post), and also went Whale Watching. In addition to that I spent one sunny afternoon lazing around and swimming on the small islet of Ilhéu de Vila Franca do Campo.

Since 1883 the company Gorreana produces black and green tea on the island of Sao Miguel - Azores



Lau-a-Teng (picture) and his buddy Lau-a-Pau arrived from Portuguese Macau in the 1800s to start Europe's first tea plantation



Tea plantation, Cha Gorreana, Sao Miguel - Azores



The Islet of  Ilheu de Vila Franca is just outside the town with the same name, it offers a secluded lagoon with clear and rather warm water for swimming. Boats depart from the marina hourly during the day. Sao Miguel - Azores



The Islet of  Ilheu de Vila Franca is just outside the town with the same name, it offers a secluded lagoon with clear and rather warm water for swimming. Boats depart from the marina hourly during the day. Sao Miguel - Azores



Jurassic World looking environment around one of the thermal baths on the Island of Sao Miguel - Azores



Jurassic World looking environment around one of the thermal baths on the Island of Sao Miguel - Azores



The trade mark view on the island of Sao Miguel, Sete Cidades, with the Atlantic in the background - Azores



Fish stew with rice, a very tasty dish offered for 15€ (for a large pot) at the restaurant O Capitao, Lagoa, Sao Miguel - Azores



Braised Tuna on Sao Miguel - Azores



Fresh sea food served on Sao Miguel - Azores