Journeys for Women presents:
The Azores
Terceira, Faial, São Miguel
The Azores
Terceira, Faial, São Miguel
June 4-18, 2025
Our introduction to the Azores, which lie almost 1,000 miles off the coast of Portugal, was on Terceira, where we enjoyed lovely views from our oceanfront rooms in Angra do Heroismo. Dinner that night was at the bustling Tasca das Tias; the food was delicious and the tuna, phenomenal. The following afternoon, we had an introductory walking tour in this World Heritage Site town w/ our teddy-bear of a guide, Paolo. Notable were the statue of Vasco da Gama and the cathedral (sé). The next day we toured the island with him. The beautiful shades of green on the hills are reminiscent of Ireland. A highlight was our lunch of alcatra, the beef dish cooked in a clay pot and served bubbling hot. This was the first of all the included lunches on our full-day tours. Much appreciated.
The inhabitants of these deeply religious islands celebrate the Holy Spirit annually, where they gather and share food with all. We were there during the festival and got to see spirit houses and celebrations. Heartwarming.
The next morning was probably the most exciting. We went whale & dolphin watching and were so fortunate to see pods of three different types of dolphins and some sperm whales. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic.
Next we were off to Faial. Along the harbor the first day, we lunched at the famous Peter's Cafe Sport. That afternoon, with guide César, we had a walking tour of hilly Horta, our home for 3 nights. Meeting him was fortuitous, as he works in a restaurant that doesn't take reservations--and he got a group of us in. The next day, we toured the island with our delightful woman guide, Alda. Among the highlights was a visit to a volcano interpretive center. It was fascinating; some of us could have spent the day there. We also saw multicolored hydrangeas which grace all the islands. There were more beautiful hills, volcanic rocks, vineyards and windmills. And did we mention the cows that outnumber people 2:1 on these islands?
The following day, we took the ferry to Pico, accompanied by young guide Leandro. Pico is the only island that produces wine in bulk for export. It also sports the highest volcano on this archipelago. There were lots of vineyards, lovely churches and a famous volcanic rock that resembles a puppy. Sadly, the whaling museum was closed due the the Holy Spirit holiday.
Our last island was São Miguel, the largest and most populous. We jumped right in the first afternoon in Ponta Delgada on a food walking tour with charming Nadja. The tour lasted at least an hour beyond the promised three, but it was so well-paced, with a tasty variety of food, that it seemed much shorter. We enjoyed the visit to the market and the main course which was served in their tiny cooking school.
The next two days were spent touring the island with another Paolo, first one side and then the other. Highlights included views of the twin lakes of Lagoa Verde (green) and Azul (blue), and a pineapple farm where they grow the fruits by successively transplanting them from one greenhouse to another. The production process takes two years, and the fruits are much smaller than Hawaiian ones--but incredibly tasty. We also visited the Porto Formoso tea plantation where they harvest three types of black tea, and serve guests a cupful at the end. The only time we experienced rain was in Furnas. This impaired our ability to see the botanical garden, but part of the group took a swim in the iron-rich warm water of the geothermal swimming pool. We were still able to see the bubbling mud pools and sulphureous steam vents as well as the cozido holes where slow-cooked stews are simmered. Our finale dinner at our Grand Acores Atlantico hotel was deliciously prepared and carefully served by a staff dedicated to our group. It was a perfect ending to a delightful stay in the Azores.
The following morning, half the group headed home while the other half continued on to Lisbon. The first night, they enjoyed a nice dinner on the hotel's rooftop bar. Despite the above-average temperatures, the group got a lot of touring in. The first full day with guide Antonia, they headed to Sintra where they visited the impressive Pena Palace. They droved through the charming seaside town of Cascais and had lunch with a view of Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point on the European continent, before returning to Lisbon along the coast.
The next day was spent in Lisbon and Belém. After seeing sights in Lisbon proper, they visited Belém. They saw the Tower, Jerónimos Monastery, and the Monument of the Discoveries which celebrates the early Portuguese explorers. Of course, they enjoyed some pastel de nata pastries as well! The finale dinner was at Taverna Alfacinha, and was enjoyed by all.
Our introduction to the Azores, which lie almost 1,000 miles off the coast of Portugal, was on Terceira, where we enjoyed lovely views from our oceanfront rooms in Angra do Heroismo. Dinner that night was at the bustling Tasca das Tias; the food was delicious and the tuna, phenomenal. The following afternoon, we had an introductory walking tour in this World Heritage Site town w/ our teddy-bear of a guide, Paolo. Notable were the statue of Vasco da Gama and the cathedral (sé). The next day we toured the island with him. The beautiful shades of green on the hills are reminiscent of Ireland. A highlight was our lunch of alcatra, the beef dish cooked in a clay pot and served bubbling hot. This was the first of all the included lunches on our full-day tours. Much appreciated.
The inhabitants of these deeply religious islands celebrate the Holy Spirit annually, where they gather and share food with all. We were there during the festival and got to see spirit houses and celebrations. Heartwarming.
The next morning was probably the most exciting. We went whale & dolphin watching and were so fortunate to see pods of three different types of dolphins and some sperm whales. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic.
Next we were off to Faial. Along the harbor the first day, we lunched at the famous Peter's Cafe Sport. That afternoon, with guide César, we had a walking tour of hilly Horta, our home for 3 nights. Meeting him was fortuitous, as he works in a restaurant that doesn't take reservations--and he got a group of us in. The next day, we toured the island with our delightful woman guide, Alda. Among the highlights was a visit to a volcano interpretive center. It was fascinating; some of us could have spent the day there. We also saw multicolored hydrangeas which grace all the islands. There were more beautiful hills, volcanic rocks, vineyards and windmills. And did we mention the cows that outnumber people 2:1 on these islands?
The following day, we took the ferry to Pico, accompanied by young guide Leandro. Pico is the only island that produces wine in bulk for export. It also sports the highest volcano on this archipelago. There were lots of vineyards, lovely churches and a famous volcanic rock that resembles a puppy. Sadly, the whaling museum was closed due the the Holy Spirit holiday.
Our last island was São Miguel, the largest and most populous. We jumped right in the first afternoon in Ponta Delgada on a food walking tour with charming Nadja. The tour lasted at least an hour beyond the promised three, but it was so well-paced, with a tasty variety of food, that it seemed much shorter. We enjoyed the visit to the market and the main course which was served in their tiny cooking school.
The next two days were spent touring the island with another Paolo, first one side and then the other. Highlights included views of the twin lakes of Lagoa Verde (green) and Azul (blue), and a pineapple farm where they grow the fruits by successively transplanting them from one greenhouse to another. The production process takes two years, and the fruits are much smaller than Hawaiian ones--but incredibly tasty. We also visited the Porto Formoso tea plantation where they harvest three types of black tea, and serve guests a cupful at the end. The only time we experienced rain was in Furnas. This impaired our ability to see the botanical garden, but part of the group took a swim in the iron-rich warm water of the geothermal swimming pool. We were still able to see the bubbling mud pools and sulphureous steam vents as well as the cozido holes where slow-cooked stews are simmered. Our finale dinner at our Grand Acores Atlantico hotel was deliciously prepared and carefully served by a staff dedicated to our group. It was a perfect ending to a delightful stay in the Azores.
The following morning, half the group headed home while the other half continued on to Lisbon. The first night, they enjoyed a nice dinner on the hotel's rooftop bar. Despite the above-average temperatures, the group got a lot of touring in. The first full day with guide Antonia, they headed to Sintra where they visited the impressive Pena Palace. They droved through the charming seaside town of Cascais and had lunch with a view of Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point on the European continent, before returning to Lisbon along the coast.
The next day was spent in Lisbon and Belém. After seeing sights in Lisbon proper, they visited Belém. They saw the Tower, Jerónimos Monastery, and the Monument of the Discoveries which celebrates the early Portuguese explorers. Of course, they enjoyed some pastel de nata pastries as well! The finale dinner was at Taverna Alfacinha, and was enjoyed by all.