Açores (São Miguel)
It’s soooo hard to write about São Miguel because it has so much to offer and so much to see.
I had no idea what I was missing. I am deeply ashamed to have only met Açores with 31 years old.
It was my Christmas gift to Pedro in 2017. He gave me a trip to Amsterdam and I gave him this one! We both offer books from lonely planet to each other, haha.
Where should I start?
We visited São Miguel in September and I remember we were having a few rainy days in Lisbon and the hurricane Helena had just passed through Açores and there was another one coming named Joyce. So, we were very excited but curious to see what we were going to find once we arrive at Ponta Delgada.
This is what we found.
Hahaha. Yes.
Joking aside, the first hours after landing here, were (now hilarious), at the time, very annoying. We had to rent a car and go to the Airbnb to leave our bags and it was pouring rain! The moment we stepped out of the airport and we immediately became soaking wet!
So, after driving to the Airbnb and drying all of our clothes, what is the first thing to do when you arrive in a new place and it's raining? EAT. Always eat. Also, we were starving, and we were very curious to try the famous Grilled limpets (a kind of sea snail, in portuguese - lapas, that are usually served grilled, in a sauce of butter, garlic, and spicy red pepper). Hmmm. And they didn't disappoint.
Now I was fortunate enough (and this is one of the reasons I still love social media) to have a girl I know and follow on Instagram, emailing me amazing information about São Miguel! She saw I was in Açores because I shared some stories, and sent me a guide with places to visit and to EAT! And since we were there for just 4 days and I didn’t do a proper research, it was a miracle to have found someone who gave me so many good tips! Thank you so much for that!
Here are my suggestions for restaurants and also the places I visited.
Lagoa do Fogo
Lagoa do Fogo - There are several viewpoints to Lagoa do Fogo
Porto da Caloura – Bathing area
Restaurant Bar da Caloura - We had dinner here and we ate fish and it was deliciousssss! The restaurant is right on the beach so you have a table with a privilege view over the sea. Go at the end of the day to watch the sunset, eat the famous limpets (lapas), and then order the fish!
Lagoa das Sete Cidades
I loooooved this place! We went first to Grota do Inferno, where you can see the 4 lagoons, Lagoa das Sete Cidades, Lagoa Rasa, Lagoa de Santiago e Lagoa do Canário. Then we went to see Vista do Rei (viewpoint) and then to the Hotel Monte Palace, abandoned for more than 20 years. It’s now under construction because it got purchased and I think it reopens in 2021, so go while you can because you won’t be able to see the view from there anymore (unless if you stay at the new hotel)! I almost didn’t make it inside because it was already in construction when we visited, but Pedro encouraged me to jump over the walls and we illicitly explored the abandoned hotel. It’s scary (I’m a total chicken when in comes to these things), but worth it.
The view from there is spectacular.
In the lagoon you can go kayaking or stand up paddle. We went kayaking, or more precisely, Pedro rowed the boat and I took pictures.
Lagoa do Congro
This little lake is the most amazing thing! It is a bit of a hike (20min or so) to get down to the lake, but it is completely worth it, and because it’s so well hidden, you won’t find any crowds in there. We were the only ones down there! Wear good walking sneakers as it can be wet on the trail.
Gorreana
See the sights, drink some tea and just enjoy!
Salto do prego
Lagoa das Furnas
So much to do here! Where to start?
Walk around Lagoa das Furnas, a beautiful and mystical place!
Go to Caldeiras das Furnas and watch how Cozido das Furnas is made, one of the most emblematic and typical dishes of São Miguel Island Açores. All the ingredients are placed in a pan, which is buried in the ground next to the Furnas boilers, and the average cooking time is five hours.
Eat in the famous Cozido das Furnas in Restaurante Vale das Furnas, nhom nhom nhom.
Parque Terra Nostra
A beautiful park with a big thermal pool, but wear an old swimsuit because most likely, the water will ruin it.
I don’t have any pictures of it, but go to Poça da Dona Beija! It’s mandatory! A place with 5 hot thermal pools, with different depths and temperatures. This is definitely a must! Go at the end of the day to decompress and watch the sunset. The water is so hot it’s even better when it's cold outside!
pico do ferro
Praia da Ribeira Quente
(I made a little friend)
Other restaurants I recommend:
Associação Agrícola - Best steak of my life!
Pizzeria Fantasia - This was such a cute place! A really good tip the girl I talked about gave me! The owners are real Italian characters, but genuine and nice people, and the food is amazing!
There were so many other places we wanted to see, but we only had 4 days.
Açores, 31 years without knowing you was wayyyy too long!
I have to come back and see more!
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