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Go to Chapter 2: A Family Getaway in Sao Miguel: Nature, Relaxation, and Activities
In the previous chapter, I wrote that on the day of our flight to Flores, we encountered amazing weather!! After an hour and a bit of flying, we landed on the island of Flores. The airport on the island is situated on a tiny strip of land and consists of a challenging runway that must be fully utilized for both takeoff and landing. The island of Flores and its neighbor, the island of Corvo, are the westernmost islands in the Azorean archipelago. They are already sitting on the tectonic plate of America and are the least thermally active. Therefore, you won’t find geysers and hot springs like in São Miguel. However, they are considered the most special islands in the archipelago!
Learning from the unpredictable weather on the islands, I decided to take advantage of the short trip to the guesthouse and the perfect weather for a stop at a few viewpoints, whose fate in the coming days is uncertain. The island of Corvo can be seen in the distance.
A unique viewpoint where we stopped is the lakes at the highest point on the island. From this viewpoint, an amazing trail descends to the village of Fajã Grande and passes between additional lakes. I planned to do it on one of the days of my stay on the island.
From there, we headed straight to a cozy cabin in the secluded village of Paja Granada. The journey to the village was enchanting, with towering green cliffs that cascaded into the sea, surrounded by waterfalls from every direction.
The village itself seemed like it was plucked right out of a movie. Tiny houses lined a single street, which seemed even smaller against the backdrop of the towering cliffs above. There was a tiny grocery store in the village where we picked up our supplies. Every day they had something different, as the products run out and they have to wait for the next boat, which doesn’t come daily. Each day brings something new. The owner of the grocery store, seeing the disappointment on my face when I couldn’t find any vegetables other than green peppers, immediately went out to his small private garden to specially pick some red tomatoes for me.
The cabin where we stayed, located on the outskirts of the village, was stunning, cozy, and luxurious. Everything was well-organized and clean, with a beautiful yard outside. Ricardo, our charming host, was always happy to help us with any questions about what to do. Additionally, at night, we heard the sounds of unique birds, which added to the atmosphere. Sítio da Assumada.
Car rental: An excellent search engine is economy car rentals. They also work with smaller rental companies that sometimes offer lower costs in the market. There is an option to cancel up to 48 hours before picking up the car.
One of the marvelous places in Flores is a lake formed by the many waterfalls that envelop the green cliffs. It’s one of those amazing places where you just don’t want to leave.
We didn’t get a chance to return to the lakes higher up on the island and the stunning trail that leads down to our village. The weather in Flores is even more unpredictable than in Sao Miguel, and when a cloud settles over the island, it takes a while to move on… and that’s what happened 🙁 Luckily, we stopped there on our first day.
The fog affects the higher places on the island more, so following Ricardo’s recommendation, we set out on a trail that descends to the southern seashore of the island. You can see in the picture where the fog reaches.
In our village, located in the most beautiful part of the island, we also found some ‘surprises’. For example, a charming waterfall that cascades from a height directly into a beautiful pool. The water was freezing, but our boys didn’t hesitate for a moment and jumped in for a swim. For us, water always works!
In addition, there are pools along the rocky ocean coast. These are completely natural pools where crabs scuttle across the rocks beside them.
But the highlight of our visit was the trip to the nearby island of Corvo. There are no cars on Corvo. When we arrived in Flores, Ricardo arranged a boat trip to Corvo for us. It was a speed boat ride with a maximum of 20 people – one of the coolest experiences! During the boat ride to Corvo, the guide tried to spot whales and dolphins, but in this area, the chances are lower than in the other Azorean islands.
We set out for the boat trip when the weather was not in our favor. Fog, rain, and Corvo appeared wrapped in a cloud from a distance. But since we had already learned that this doesn’t necessarily mean anything, we boarded the boat anyway. After about an hour, we arrived at Corvo. The guide recommended that we wander around the village a bit and climb up to the caldera (the bowl-shaped depression formed by the collapse of a dormant volcano) later to maximize our chances of seeing it without fog. Here are some photos of the village and the island of Flores seen from a distance.
The caldera of Corvo was one of the most amazing things I saw on this trip!! After a 20-minute drive through thick fog, it awaited us completely clear, as if it had arranged itself especially for us. It’s one of those landscapes that are simply breathtaking! Such a pristine and untouched view. We set out on a trail that circles the caldera, and I just couldn’t stop taking photos.
One of the surprises of our boat trip to Corvo was visiting caves that can only be accessed from the sea. On our return from Corvo to Flores, the guide took us on a thrilling close-to-shore boat ride! We saw many unique caves, waterfalls cascading into the sea, and flying fish.
♥ Canyoning.
Embark on a journey through a stream channel, accompanied by sliding down waterfalls or jumping. This activity is suitable for ages ten and up and lasts about four hours. Advance booking is required for this adventure:
♥ Boat Tour Around the Island of Flores.
Visit caves and waterfalls that plunge into the sea. If you don’t get the chance to sail to Corvo, you can join this boat tour to experience the island of Flores from a different perspective.
After three days in Flores, we set off on our return journey to Lisbon.
But just before we bid farewell to all this beauty, the local airline created a bit of a longer layover for us in Faial. Instead of two hours, we had seven! We decided to turn lemons into lemonade and set out to explore Faial.
Faial is a tiny island, known as the Blue Island. Its blue ocean waters are visible from every direction. It’s part of the central Azorean islands, which we hadn’t visited on our trip, except for this stopover.
Our first stop was at a very special place. In the 1950s, a volcano erupted from the sea. It erupted so close to land that it actually connected to it! You can see a lighthouse there that was once active but became obstructed after the volcanic eruption.
On the island of Faial, there’s a charming port town – Horta – from which you can set sail to the nearby islands. Adjacent to it is a volcano that essentially forms a peninsula. The views from it are stunning!If you’re interested in a slightly different kind of excursion, I recommend horseback riding for all skill levels, departing from PÁTIO Horse & Lodge.
♥ Tip: If you’re visiting the central Azorean islands for more than a few hours and you’re a fan of trekking and hiking, I highly recommend climbing Mount Pico. Pico is a volcano located on the nearby island of Pico, adjacent to Faial. It’s the highest mountain in Portugal, reaching a height of 2,352 meters. From the island of Pico, there are organized and guided tours to the summit of the mountain. Additionally, the island of Pico is considered to have the best chance of whale watching. I recommend going on a boat tour with : Futurismo Azores Whale Watching
And so concludes 11 marvelous days in the Azorean islands. We say goodbye to Sao Miguel, which is like a beautifully wrapped candy, wild Flores, and Corvo, which is utterly a creation of the world!
Conclusions!
The beauty of the Azorean islands is a blend of European scenery and tropical landscapes – one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The scenery of the islands is thrilling and creates endless excitement.
You have to keep that in mind and not get too worked up. Just like how a gloomy and rainy day can turn into the most beautiful day. That’s the reason for all this greenery!
Therefore, even if the weather is excellent, it’s a good idea to bring rain jackets when heading out on a trip. Conversely, even if the weather is less friendly, it’s still worth hitting the road, as you can be pleasantly surprised. For this reason, I also recommend spending time on each island and not just hopping between them. Dedicate several days to each island, and it allows for a lot of flexibility in choosing places to visit. What you can’t cover in one day, you can do on another
From a family travel perspective, the Azores islands are suitable for families with children accustomed to nature outings! There are no attractions like Amusement Park and Water parks. However, you can incorporate attractions that blend with nature into your trip, such as bike tours, hot springs and ocean pools, canyoning, and kayaking.
