São Miguel Island – The Azores – Day 3
Unfortunately, this was our last full day in the Azores so we wanted to see a few more things before we had to go home. Since we had concentrated on the northern shores the previous day, we wanted to explore the southern coast of São Miguel today.
Our first stop was at a pineapple farm in Ponta Delgada which is located a short drive from downtown. The farm has been there for over 100 years. In addition, the farm is covered in hydrangeas and other beautiful plants along with greenhouses with pineapples at various growth stages.
After touring the facility (not a guided tour), we headed to the cafe/gift shop. The gift shop sold a pineapple liquor that was delicious and quite strong, free samples were available. However, it was probably not the best thing to drink on an empty stomach at 10 AM. However, it was good enough for us to buy a couple of bottles to bring home. Unfortunately, it does not keep well after opening as it becomes very strong and loses the pineapple flavor.
Lava Tubes
After leaving the pineapple farm, we headed to Gruta do Carvão to see the lava tubes. You enter into a small building and then you have to take 2 or 3 flights of stairs down to reach the tubes. We opted for the short route tour which covered about 200 meters of the tunnels. However, they offer a longer tour that is about 800 meters. The caves are believed to be between 5000 and 12000 years old. It is a short tour, but for 5 euros it was worth it and pretty cool (pun intended). If you are visiting the Azores, you should check them out.
Lunch
It was about noon when we left Gruta do Carvão, so we decided to grab something to eat in Ponta Delgada before seeing more of São Miguel Island. Luckily we found a traditional café on a side street that had some of the local favorites. After lunch, a short walk to stretch our legs was needed as we would be in the car most of the afternoon.
The Beach and Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Paz
Since our kids wanted to go for a swim in the ocean, we headed to the beach. Unfortunately, the water was quite cold, so that was a quick step in and out of the water. Even though the beach was busy and some people were swimming, we returned to the car and continued our day of sightseeing. Luckily, while we were at the beach, I noticed a church on the hill just north of where we were. Therefore, it was the next stop as it looked interesting from below.
Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Paz is situated on the hill above Vila Franca Do Campo. This location has great views of the coastline and the farmland surrounding the chapel. The building was constructed in 1764 and the current staircase was added in 1967.
from Wikipedia
Hermitage of Nossa Senhora da Paz (Portuguese: Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Paz), the simple hermitage was elaborated into an important scenic attraction with the construction in 1967 of a staircase to represent Pais Nossos dos Mistérios Gozosos e Dolorosos (Our Father and Joyful/Sorrowful Mysteries) prayer, separated into ten flights to symbolize the Ave Maria prayer;
The church is accessed by a 10 flight stairway to reach the top. The stairs are flanked by hydrangeas and other plants creating a park-like setting on the side of a mountain. My wife and I wanted to see the chapel up close, our kids decided to sit it out and waited for us by the car. The climb was well worth the effort as you are rewarded with stunning views. The building and stairway are covered in the typical blue and white tiles seen all over Portugal.
Lagoa do Fogo
Lagoa do Fogo is a lake within an old volcano crater. The drive up the mountain takes you from sea level to over 900 meters above sea level in a short distance. Unfortunately, the car we had rented started to run a little warm (including the clutch) due to the steep climb and slow drivers in front of us. Therefore, we parked near the peak to let the car rest and to enjoy the views. Once you reach the peak, you are rewarded with 360-degree views of São Miguel island and you can see the ocean on 3 sides. However, the view was somewhat blocked by clouds.
The view of Lagoa do Fogo from the lower overlook was amazing, you can see the blue-green lake, the crater walls, and the ocean all in one view. It was just another day in the Azores.
Caldeira Vehla Park
Caldeira Vehla Park is a biosphere reserve of lush vegetation and hot springs embedded into Pico do Fogo. As you walk down the path from the entrance, you feel as if you are in Jurassic Park surrounded by huge ferns and thick forests of vegetation. Luckily, the velociraptors were off on the day we visited. Try to imagine if Costa Rica, Hawaii, and the Amazon forest merged, you would be in the middle of it at this location.
The park has streams and several dams where you can enjoy the hot springs as people have been doing for centuries. Luckily, other than the few visitors that were there, you are surrounded by nature in an almost untouched environment. Therefore, you could spend hours here and feel like you are detached from society and life as you know it.
Dinner
After a day of seeing more of the island, we had to do the worst thing yet. Unfortunately, we needed to pack as it was our last day as we had an early flight in the morning. Therefore, we returned to the apartment and packed up everything we would not need for the rest of the trip. After packing our backpacks, we headed out for our final meal in the Azores.
Since we had a great experience the first night at the Beach Bar and Grill, we decided to do that again. Unfortunately, they did not have any fish and chips that night. My wife, son, and I each ordered the beef skewer/kebab. However, the waiter said it was a lot of food and wanted to confirm that we didn’t want to share 2 instead of 3. We opted for the trifecta of meat goodness. It was only 10€ each, how much meat could it be since it included fries and a salad?
A few minutes later our salads arrived, not sure what the green stuff was on the plate, so I gave it to my wife. I didn’t need that kind of negativity in my life. When the main course arrived, it was a large plate of fries (per person) and 3 skewers full of large cubes of beef. It was what I was waiting for, and now I know why the waiter recommended 2 instead of 3. As a result, we weren’t able to finish it but left a couple of pieces behind. Luckily, we had a teenager with an appetite and I never back down from a meaty challenge.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, São Miguel is one of the most amazing places I have visited. For instance, you are always surrounded by natural beauty, friendly people, minimal language barriers, great food and it is very cost-effective. So, if you don’t consider moving there in the first 48 hours, you might need to check your pulse. However, we visited just before the peak tourist season, so it may be different in July or August. A friend visited in August and said it was fairly crowded, but she still loved it and would go back in a heartbeat.
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