Each of these islands, which emerged from the sea about 36 million years ago but didn't turn up on any map until the 14th century, has something special to offer. Visitors to São Miguel, the largest island (and the entry airport), can bathe in a hot spot right in the middle of the cold Atlantic Ocean, meet artists, hike to calderas (the cauldron-like depressions formed when volcanoes erupt), and drink freshly picked tea. On Faial, remnants of the most recent eruption (which ended in 1958) are still visible. Over on Pico, a giant grey volcano towers over everything. And though these islands at the intersection of three tectonic plates are certainly not geologically new, they’re a revelation to most of the 382,000 international visitors who descend upon this sub-tropical region each year. It’s a relatively uncharted travel destination—perfect if you want to avoid the huge crowds at most popular European cities.
The Azores: Portugal’s Green Archipelago
Located 850 miles from the mainland, these nine subtropical islands each have a distinctive character—none of which you can encounter anywhere else in Europe.
Turns out you can visit Europe by simply hopping a four-and-a-half-hour flight from Boston to Portugal. No, not to the mainland, as locals call it, but to the nine volcanic islands that make up the Azores, a land of neon lakes, fertile prairies, stunning hydrangeas, steaming hot springs—and just 250,000 residents.
See Green
Begin your adventure on São Miguel, known as the “Green Island” for its forests, which are truly a shade seen nowhere else—and for the awe-inspiring varieties of flora. The three volcanoes that formed this island are typically shrouded in mist, while down at the black-sand beaches, there’s rarely a cloud in the sky. (Don’t miss Praia de Santa Barbara, a 1km-long spit of black sand.)
Food is organic by default, since pesticides have never been allowed on the island and all the animals are free range. Be sure to try the semi-hard Queijo São Jorge, made from local cow’s milk on the Island that bears its name; you can find it at any grocery or market, since 800 producers craft nearly 1800 tons of the cheese annually.
“There’s enough to do on São Miguel to keep you busy for at least five days.”
Make a day of it
Pack a swimsuit, rent a car (note: most are not automatic), and head out for a day of visiting the resort town of Mosteiros in the north, which claims the most stunning views of the oceans and black beaches. Nearby you’ll find Ponta da Ferraria Thermal Baths & Ocean Front Spa, where a small cove creates a natural Atlantic swimming hole that’s fed by geothermal springs, making it pleasantly warm. Then, drive a little over an hour to Sete Cidades volcano, which boasts a crater lake that is split in two by a narrow land barrier, each side of which is miraculously blue and green. Legend has it that the lake was formed from the tears of a green-eyed shepherd and a blue-eyed princess who shared a forbidden love.
Don’t miss Miolo, an artist-owned shop featuring photographs and paintings from the island's most notable artists. Then, gain some caffeinated energy at one of two green-striped tea plantations, Gorreana Tea Factory or Tea Porto Formoso— the only tea plantation in the world to find purple volcanic tea. Make haste to another volcano, Furnas, which resembles Yosemite with all its geysers and bubbling calderas. In-the-know visitors bring meat, vegetables, and potatoes in a pot, bury it all in the ground, head to the thermal pools of Poça da Dona Beija—then return five hours later to a meal, called cozido das furnas, that’s been cooked simply through radiant heat. As an alternative, many restaurants offer this hearty dish, always big enough to share.
Is Cash or Credit Better for European Trips?
visit smaller islands (and lisbon)
There’s enough to do on São Miguel to keep you busy for at least five days, but if you’ve got time to burn, hop a puddle-jumper to see the rocky volcano on Pico, or to witness the “Blue island,” Faial, which is rife with hydrangeas and azaleas that blend beautifully with the iron-tinged land of a similar shade.
Before heading home, cap off your stay with a few days in Lisbon at the Bairro Alto Hotel, an 87-room Luxury Hotel Collection escape set in an 18th-century building. The location in the center of town is close to museums and dining spots, and the return to bustling “civilization” will help ease the transition of returning home.
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