Our first trip to the Portuguese Azores totally exceeded my expectations. There are hikes and viewpoints all over the island, and we only had enough time in a week to scratch the surface of what is possible there. We loved the island and can’t wait to return to continue exploring.
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Sete Cidades
We spent our first two nights in Sete Cidades, a charming little town surrounded by amazing hiking and gorgeous views. The town was quiet and peaceful and we loved the picturesque scenery all around us. It was definitely worth the trip to this side of the island.
Miradouro da Boca do Inferno Viewpoint
A short drive from town and easy hike on a trail leads you to this stunning viewpoint that you won’t want to miss! We enjoyed the hike just in time for sunset.
Seven Cities Loop Trail
My husband and son enjoyed an early-morning hike along this 12.6 mile trail that circles the whole area around Sete Cidades. The path led them through dense green forests, along narrow ridges, and past awesome views.
Mosteiros Beach
A short drive from Sete Cidades, this dark-sand beach was a great place to watch surfers attack the waves and get our own feet wet!
Furnas
Our last four nights on the island were in Furnas, and I could have spent months happily biking around the lake, exploring the hot springs (caldeiras), soaking in hot pools, and savoring the delicious food in the area.
Furnas Lake
Our rental house on Furnas Lake was the perfect place to relax and a great home base to enjoy both the lake and the town. I wrote a whole post about the house and the lake that you can check out here.
Soak in the Hot Pools
There are two main sites in Furnas to soak in hot pools. We enjoyed both, but if you are pressed for time then one would do. Remember to bring a dark swimsuit or one that you don’t mind ruining, since the orange water will stain any light swimsuit!
Terra Nostra
The most popular spot to soak is the huge orangish-brown mineral pool in front of the Terra Nostra Hotel. The warm water soothed and the hot spouts felt pretty amazing. The pool was deeper than I expected, even too deep for me to touch the bottom in a few places. The iron smell wasn’t my favorite, but the warmth was definitely relaxing.
Wandering around the Terra Nostra Gardens was a wonderful way to spend an hour or so; you’ll want to give yourself time to walk before or after you soak!
Poca da Dona Beija
There were several small hot pools of varying depths here to enjoy. We loved the waterfalls and had a great time soaking in the warmth and enjoying the calming scenery all around. The orange-brown river of steaming mineral water was quite a sight! This was a great way to spend a rainy afternoon.
Wander around the Caldieras (Hot Springs)
There was no fee to walk around the hot springs in Furnas town. I felt like I was in a mini Yellowstone National Park but without the crowds! You can see everything in under 30 minutes, but it’s definitely worth the stop to check out the area. It was one of my favorite spots in town.
Savor Local Foods:
Cows are everywhere in the Azores, munching on the green grass that covers the beautiful rolling hills. Happy cows make delicious milk and cheese that you won’t want to miss! I can still taste the milk, so sweet and creamy, so much better than milk from a jug back home!
Queijaria Furnense
In Furnas, definitely take time to stop at Queijaria Furnense. Their cheese is the star there, and we loved all the kinds we tried. A baguette with cheese and fries was the perfect budget-friendly lunch. On another visit we enjoyed the ice cream, chocolate cake/pie, passionfruit cake, and cheese bon bons. Yum! We wish we would have taken some cheese home as a souvenir; their cheese can sit out before the wheel is cut. Next time for sure!
Parking can be tricky, even when we were there in the off-season, but it’s worth a walk and some patience to enjoy their delicious food.
Cozido at Tony’s
Cozido is Portuguese stew. Ours was a mix of various meats, potatoes, cabbage and other vegetables. It reminded me of the milk can dinners I’d had as a kid growing up in Wyoming, USA.
We saw the underground “ovens” where Tony’s Restaurant (and other local restaurants) cook their Cozido in the thermal area by Furnas Lake, which made it even more fun when we got to eat the stew. Our waiter told us that lunchtime is the best time to eat Cozido since it’s fresh out of the hot pools then.
Nearby Waterfall Hike
Just over 30 minutes from Furnas is the Parque Natural da Ribeira dos Caldeirões. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery and hiking around the waterfalls. We passed a canyoneering group on our hike and chatted with one of the guides. If you are feeling adventurous, consider booking a canyoneering tour here; they were definitely having a good time and we wished we had enough time to join them!
Whether you want to relax, see the sites, or go on an adventure, you can’t go wrong in the Azores. Our time on the island reminded us of our first trip to Kauai, Hawaii in 2006 when there weren’t many tourists and the dazzling green of the island took our breath away. We can’t wait to return to the Azores!
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