Amazing Azores – A Sao Miguel Itinerary

The gorgeous Azores are an archipelago of nine islands located right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. They are a haven for marine life, notably whales and dolphins, and viewing these marvellous mammals is one of the key attractions. But it’s not all about the sea, the islands are truly beautiful and have some interesting landscapes to explore as well. Sao Miguel is the largest in the group and the easiest to reach. Our Sao Miguel itinerary has a combination of active and relaxing activities, including wildlife viewing, nature excursions, cultural sites and foodie fun. 

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Where are the Azores?

The Azores are located right in the middle of the Atlantic ocean, about two-fifths of the way between Europe and America. They are an autonomous region of Portugal.

Azores’ location in the Atlantic. The largest island is Sao Miguel with its main town, Ponta Delgada.

When To Visit The Azores?

The Azores can be visited all year round. Thanks to their location, they have a mild climate with an average temperature range between 12C (winter) and 25C (summer). The islands do see a lot of rainfall, which accounts for the lush greenery, but the drier season runs from April to August. However, these ‘drier’ months can see a fair amount of rain as well!

If you are interested in whale and dolphin watching, you will be able to see species all year but some visitors are seasonal.

The resident species are:

• Common dolphin
• Bottlenose dolphin
• Risso’s dolphin
• Sperm whale

The regular seasonal species are:

• Atlantic spotted dolphin – June to December
• Striped dolphin – March to September
• Blue whale – March to June
• Fin whale – March to June
• Sei whale – March to July
• Pilot whale – April to October

Of course whales and dolphins do not have a precise calendar, so these dates are not fixed – some years they may pass through earlier, some years they’ll be later. And because they are wildlife, sightings cannot be guaranteed, although there is usually a good chance of seeing something.

How To Reach the Azores

Most people fly in to Sao Miguel which has the archipelago’s only major airport. There are regular flights from Lisbon and other European cities. Visitors often choose to stay on Sao Miguel but, if you have more time, it is possible to explore some of the other islands. You can fly inter-island or catch a ferry.

Where to Stay in Sao Miguel

Ponta Delgada is the main town on Sao Miguel. It’s just a 10 minute drive from the airport. It’s a small and very pretty town that is very easy to walk around. There are plenty of hotels to suit any budget.

We stayed at the Canadiano Urban Nature, a three star hotel. We had a large room with balcony and a fine buffet breakfast was included. The staff were delightful and very friendly.

Sao Miguel Itinerary Day 1 – A Marine Wildlife Boat Trip

The Azores are famous for their thriving marine life, especially the whales and dolphins that populate or pass through the seas surrounding these lovely islands. There are various tour companies that run trips several times a day from the harbour in Ponta Delgada. The excursions usually last around 3-4 hours.

There are primarily two types of boat for the trips – a large catamaran or a Zodiac RIB. Each has advantages and disadvantages. The catamaran can accommodate more people so can get a little crowded, especially when everyone rushes to the side of the boat to peer at the marine life. The Zodiac has a much smaller capacity but the ride can be bumpier and your seating position is fixed – you can’t move around the boat.

There will be a marine biologist on each boat and they explain about the different types of species that can be seen. They are great at spotting wildlife and have equipment to locate the whales. They also look for the ‘blow’ (a spout of water vapour) as the whales exhale – sperm whales have a blow hole on the front left side, blue whales have two blow holes.

On our first trip out we saw lots of Atlantic Spotted Dolphins who were happy to swim alongside the boat.

Then we came across a sperm whales. These magnificent creatures feed on squid and octopus on the sea floor. They dive to the bottom of the ocean for up to 45 minutes, down to a depth of around 1000m.

The biologists will also let the boat know when the whale is about to dive – the head bobs up. Then they dive and you see famous tail flick. Timing the photo of the famous tail flick can be tricky so we thought it was better to watch and enjoy. Many of the marine biologists have amazing cameras and will share photos from your trip. The boat trips usually last around 3-4 hours.

In the afternoon take some time to explore the lovely town of Ponta Delgada. The three arches of the city gates, Portas da Cidade, are the entrance to the city.  They were built in the 18^th century and later moved to Gonçalo Velho Cabral Square. There is a legend that if a couple walks through the central arch together, they will stay together until the end of their days. Well, we had to… and we received a round of applause from local bystanders as we walked through holding hands!

Ponta Delgada is a lovely town to wander around and has plenty of shops, restaurants and cafés.

Even the paving stones are pretty…

Sao Miguel Itinerary Day 2 – Marine Viewing Trip in a Zodiac

Whale watching in a Zodiac RIB – this is a smaller vessel where you are much closer to the sea. These nippy boats can also reach the marine life more quickly if a whale is spotted. But – they are bouncier so may not be the best option if you are likely to suffer from seasickness. If you have a tendency to feel queasy on the ocean, try to sit near the back of the boat.

On all the whale watching trips we were impressed that the animals’ welfare was top priority. All the boats have to adhere to a specific set of rules: they can only ever follow a whale and are never allowed in front of its path. They must also stay at least 50m from the whales, but most remain 100m away, which is more responsible. Although we got lucky when a curious baby sperm whale approached our boat to enjoy some human watching while her mum was feeding on the ocean floor.

Some common dolphins accompanied us back to shore.

In the afternoon we recommend a visit to the botanical gardens. Jardim Botânico António Borges is delightfully designed. It has all sorts of nooks and crannies with lovely paths, small cliffs, bridges, caves and grottoes. It also has a small café. There are several botanical gardens in and around Ponta Delgada and, although they were all great, this was our favourite.

Sao Miguel Itinerary Day 3 – Day Trip To Las Furnas

You could hire a car and drive to Las Furnas but we decided to opt for an excursion. They are good value, well organised and lunch was included. There are plenty of options to choose from, depending on your interests, and most companies will pick you up from your accommodation. The Las Furnas trip perfectly demonstrates how geologically active the island still is.

The day starts with a trip to one of Europe’s only tea plantations – where you can see the tea growing, observe the tea being processed using traditional equipment and, of course, enjoy a cuppa.

The next stop is the Lake Furnas viewing point. Sadly it was a bit of a murky day.

We then descended to the local town which smells of sulphur and steams copiously. There are many fumeroles which bubble and hiss, squirting boiling water and steam from the depths of the earth.

Then it’s a trip to the lakeshore. One of the great things about this trip is that, not only is lunch included, lunch has been cooked inside a volcano! Cozido is a dish comprising meat and vegetables that have been placed in a large pot and then buried in a hole in the ground for around six to seven hours. There is a fenced-off area next to the lake which has mysterious mounds of soil, each with a name tag.

At around 1pm the restaurants’ vans arrive to collect their food. Then it’s back into town to enjoy a leisurely lunch. If you are vegetarian, let the restaurant/tour company know when booking and they can arrange a veggie cozido untainted by meat.

And what better way to relax after lunch than relaxing in a thermal pool at Tanque Termal Parque Terra Nostra? The rusty colour of the water isn’t particularly inviting but they are a delightfully warm temperature, fed by the local hot springs.

We left our valuables in the minibus and just changed into our swimwear by the edge of the pool. It was actually quite nice that the weather was a bit cold and grey – soaking in a warm, mineral-rich pool was very pleasurable. We bathed until we were all wrinkly then wandered around the lovely gardens.

Sao Miguel Itinerary Day 4 – Day Trip to Sete Citades

Sete Citades is located on the west side of the island. The name means ‘seven cities’ after a legend where an archbishop and six of his bishops each established a city in the area. However, apparently disaster struck and all the cities were sunk.

The Azores are volcanic and a vast caldera was formed when a volcano collapsed in around 1445. Two lakes have formed – Lagoa Verde with its green waters and Lagoa Azul with water of azure blue. They are separated by a bridge, which has seven arches.

A delightful area to visit, the main caldera is comprised of two lakes, each of which has a distinct colour – one with blue water, the other with green. There is another legend that a princess fell in love with a lowly shepherd and planned to marry him. But her father disapproved of their union and told them he would never allow it. She obeyed the king and broke it off and, when the lovers last met for the final time, they cried. The tears from her blue eyes coloured the larger lake and the tears from his green eyes tinted the smaller pool.

There are all sorts of activities in this area. We enjoyed mountain biking along the shores of the lakes and then went kayaking on the lakes. It’s possible to kayak underneath the bridge. Stand-up paddleboarding is also available.

And, of course, it’s the most delightful area to go walking in. You could hire a car from Ponta Delgada or arrange an organised trip which includes the activities.