Azores Photo Gallery
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The Azores comprise a number of islands in the middle of the Atlantic. The Portuguese arrived in 1427, and turned it into an important trading post between Brazil, Africa, and Asia.Just 2 hours by plane from Lisbon, this is a good summer getaway as mass tourism has yet to discover its greatness, which include plenty of mountain scenery, good hikes, and sea views. The dining scene is also pretty good with fresh seafood and even a locally-produced green tea to try. I visited for 2 weeks during summer 2025 and it was only enough to cover a subset of islands - 4 in total. The weather was absolutely wonderful with only a small handful of rainy days, which made going from one island to another relatively straight forward using domestic flights and ferries with minimal delays. Despite its southerly location, it was surprisingly cool and refreshing.
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FaialAn hour's flight from Sao Miguel is the smaller island of Faial. It was discovered by the Portuguese in the first half of the 15th century and settled by the Flemish. It was a major stop for sailors travelling between South America, Africa, and Europe to resupply and refuel. As the English settlements in the New World grew, Horta became a busy port as it was the only safe anchorage harbour in the Azores.
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Sao MiguelBeing the largest island, I stayed longest here, and ventured well beyond my Ponta Delgada base to explore the good variety of natural attractions around the island as well as quieter towns all along the coast. You definitely need a car rental to get around, although the island is not that big so it was never a long ride to the next spot. Cluster your day trips by zone - west, east, and north, and budget 4-5 days on the island.
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