Cetacea [an Azorean travel diary, pt I: Terceira]

“Why?”
“Where?”
“Alone?”
Probably were the most common questions I got asked when I told people that I was planning a solo trip to the Azores. Some played poker face, some didn’t hide the fact that they had no clue about what I was talking about, very few could actually place the archipelago on a map.

So I guess I’ll answer back to the questions before going into detail.

“Why?”
after I visited places like Iceland and the Galápagos I realized I have a massive soft spot for volcanic islands and dramatic landscapes. I originally was planning to visit the Faroe Islands, which have been on my bucket list for quite some time. However, I soon had to admit to myself that it was way out of my budget, and quite frankly, the idea of camping with strong winds, heavy rains and rigid temperatures, made me question my choice further…
The Azores seemed to be a more affordable, allegedly warmer, possibility. On top of that I was very much curious to get to know more about the locals products, some of Portugal’s finest, and to dig deeper into the azorean folklore, which, funny enough, I got curious about since, as a teenager, I found out about Nelly Furtado’s ancestry .

“Where?”
The Azores are an archipelago of nine volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
There are three groups: western (Flores and Corvo), central (Terceira, Graciosa, Pico, São Jorge and Faial) and eastern islands (São Miguel and Santa Maria).
Each one of the islands has their own colour. For instance São Miguel is the green island due to its meadows and cedar forests, Faial is the blue one due to the massive amount of blue hydrangeas, Pico is the grey due to vast expanses of dried lava…
They are an autonomous region of Portugal and host Mt Pico, the highest peak in the country.

“Alone?”
Those who know me also know that I happened to travel alone already quite a few times. I did it in China, Myanmar and Montenegro and always saw it as a chance to challenge myself, be resourceful, and generally focus on my personal growth. My way of traveling is not everyone’s cup of tea: I’m a backpacker with FOMO and I really love to make the most of the time I spend somewhere which translates in a mix of organisation and spontaneity that plenty of people wouldn’t necessarily find relaxing.

This trip proved to be more challenging than what I had originally in mind. Solitude and bad weather tested me and affected my mood in several occasions, making it harder for me to see the bright side of things. I still visited some breathtaking sceneries and possibly found some of the answers I was looking for.

TERCEIRA, 28-29/05/2022

The easternmost island in the central group of the Azores, second largest and second most populated, Terceira, served as the start of my trip.

Colour: “lilac island” because of the purple facades of some historical buildings, the heather that grows in the volcanic caldera, the wisteria in Angra do Heroismo and the purple hydrangeas growing on the side of most of the island’s roads. Honestly I didn’t see much purple when I was there, but I was also a bit early on the hydrangeas blooming season (which normally reaches its peak during the summer months). I’d say that “green” was definitely the predominant colour, and it turned out that Terceira hosts the largest area of native forest in the whole archipelago.

first impression: as on the very first morning I walked out on the balcony of my accommodation (the absolutely beautifully located Mid Atlantic hostel) I honestly couldn’t believe my eyes for how quintessential the view on the marina was. The way colours popped made me immediately think of England (where, in case you haven’t noticed, the grass is really greener), the buildings all around had an obvious Portuguese traditional touch, the ever-changing sky made me think of Ireland.

days spent: 2

days recommended: 2 (+ 1 buffer in case the weather sucks)

how to go around: first lesson I had to learn in the Azores: if you don’t want to waste time, don’t bother waiting for busses. There are only a few a day. The best way to explore this island, and the others, is by car or scooter. There are literally heaps of stunning places where to spontaneously stop, very often not for a long time, and not being bound to bus schedules will result in less frustration and definitely a better time management.

On a side note: I travel in a very spontaneous way, and, especially in a place where the weather is so whimsical and unpredictable, arranging everything ahead of time wouldn’t really sound like a clever option. HOWEVER, everywhere I went I struggled long time to find availabilities for cars and accommodations, which seemed to be all booked out til August. I eventually found my way but it was definitely a big amount of stress that I would have gladly avoided. In Terceira I rode a scooter, thank God it didn’t rain, but due to the strong winds I only had an autonomy of max 4 hours. I was so cold that I couldn’t move nor feel my fingertips.

Weather: another lesson that I soon had to learn: don’t trust the forecast (they predicted 3 consecutive weeks of rain as I checked them on my arrival) and learn to layer up (you’ll definitely need that jacket and rain coat more than you can possibly expect). I wouldn’t agree with what I read on my travel guide that quoted “the Azores have all seasons within a day”, but it is indeed true that the weather changes ever so fast. In my case I was gifted with sunny/cloudy weather. There was a massive storm at one point but it didn’t last long, and ended with the first of a long series of incredible rainbows.

luck factor: 8/10 I’d say. I had a whole dorm for myself which definitely counts as a plus, I managed to find myself a scooter to rent, the weather was lenient.

what to do:

use one morning to roam around the cobblestone alleys of the UNESCO world heritage Angra do Heroismo. Start from the viewpoint and walk all the way down through the mesmerising city garden (Jardim Duque da Terceira), pay a short visit to the local market where the scent of aromatic herbs mixes with the smell of dried fish. End on the marina, where modern and traditional architecture harmoniously coexist. Not packed with tourists, almost obsessively clean, with a massive attention for details, drenched in Portuguese folklore. The amount of pics I took made it quite obvious that Angra has to be my favourite city in the Azores.
monumento natural das Furnas do Enxofre. a devilish-sulphur smelling volcanic park that can be explored on a trail meandering between geothermal active spots and carpets of heather.
Gruta do Algar do Carvão. an ancient volcanic vent or lava tunnel that from its lush green mouth, takes you down to majestic cavern that hosts a pool and several stalactites. the further you dive into the tunnel, the more the temperature drops and the humidity rises, to the point where droplets start falling on you like a light rain. I can’t deny that the whole show left me quite speechless.
the swimming hole at Quatro Ribeiras. as I got ready for this trip I made sure to look up for the best swimming holes in each island, feeling pretty confident that the weather would have been warm enough for a refreshing swim. Online this place got described as very crowded in the summer. Imagine my surprise when I made it there and there was none else to be seen… and fair enough, I’d say, considering that I was literally freezing at that point and taking my raincoat off felt like an unnecessary torture. I still enjoyed my walk on the rocky black beach, listening to the waves violently crashing on the shore and to the seabirds nesting on the cliffs.
miradouro Serra do Cume. pretty breathtaking view on the eastern coast of Terceira. More than the view itself I enjoyed getting lost amidst pastures and cows and being chased and barked at by the occasional shepherd dog.
coastal roads. sometimes what makes the biggest impact is not a specific attraction but rather the whole vibe a place gives away. To me Terceira, with its ubiquitous cows and pastures, small colourful villages, coastal views, and insane variety of vegetation, was a proper bliss to explore on a scooter. Plus, this is maybe the best way to get an insight on how people live. Most villages were mainly inhabited by elderly people, most likely that spent their lives working in the fields seeing the wrinkles and tan on their faces and how hunched many backs were. Generally I wasn’t greeted with many smiles and I received a few annoyed gazes. But i guess the older generations in the north of Italy would have behaved exactly the same way
monte Brazil. overlooking Angra, the scenic Mt Brazil, offers a series of trails perfect for easy hikes that will keep you busy for a good half a day. I was gifted with a beautiful sunny weather as my hike up started. I laid down between humongous white lilies, looking at the clouds taking shapes in the blue sky, I bumped into a small group of fallow-deers and we spend a couple of minutes staring at each others in the eyes, before we both carried on walking our ways, I took some time to marvel at the view on Angra and the southern coast and at the magnitude of the Atlantic Ocean, as the sky turned asphalt grey and the wind started to blow. A sudden summer shower forced me to take shelter. Headphones in my ears, I sat and waited with patience til the sky cleared up and the golden hour kicked in.
praia do Vitória. honestly you don’t come to the Azores to beach bum on an average-looking, artificial sandy beach. I literally just drove past. Maybe things are different if you’re a local and those rare hot days actually happen.
the duck lake. oh god, this is something that I found fairly weird and creepy. The locals have this trend of recreating artificial lakes, surrounded by tropical vegetation and make them home to big flocks of lazy ducks. It is pretty, don’t get me wrong, but somehow very much unnecessary in a place where nature is already stunning as it is.

What I missed:

vineyards in Biscoitos. I was on a scooter a good 40 minutes ride away from Angra, and somehow visiting the wine museum (Museo do Vinho) and having to skip any wine tasting felt a bit like of a self inflicted punishment.
Gruta do Natal. I tried, twice. You can actually buy a combined entrance ticket along with the Gruta do Algar do Carvão. This cave wasn’t meant to be as impressive as the former, however, since I once showed up too late, and the other time too early, I will never be able to tell you my opinion. Just make sure to check the opening hours before going all the way there.
the “happy local experience”. I don’t know, call me a snob but I was born in the Alps and I’m very much used to see cows roaming around and having a “happy” life. I had the chance to milk them as a kid and was often offered fresh milk directly from the farmers. So basically paying 32 euro to witness how cows live felt not so appealing to me.

Where to eat:

Verde Maça in Angra. if you miss that avocado on toast, or granola yoghurt, this is the closest you can get to a continental hipster brunch.
Beira Mar in São Mateus. My absolute favourite. I sat on a terrace by the harbour and I ate a 5 euro fish soup served inside a humongous loaf of bread and some delicious, generously dipped in butter and garlic, limpets (one of the most traditional dishes you can find in the Azores), as I chatted and exchanged travel stories with an elderly American gentleman. Absolutely worth that five minutes drive from Angra.
Tasca das tias in Angra. Was kinda the only open place I found on a Sunday evening, and it was very much filled with moderately wealthy tourists. I still enjoyed its warm and piratesque vibe and the glorious piripiri shrimps I ordered.
Vaquinha in Cinco Ribeiras. the cheese in the Azores is dubbed as the best in Portugal. Not so surprising when there are more cows than people! Here you can try out some local cheese varieties with a nice glass of local wine.
cheap cafes like café Aliança in Angra. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Portuguese sweets and bakery products, BUT, when breakfast costs you 2,50 euro there’s really no room for complaints.
Loja do Gelado in Angra. Honestly, 4 euro for a massive waffle with 2 balls of creamy ice cream and caramel and Nutella dips… 10 minutes in heaven!

personal highlights: the food, especially fish! my grounding hike on Monte Brazil, the laid back Azorean vibe, the Marina in Angra and its view from the hostel.

Feeling as I left: no matter how often I read that Terceira was probably not the most spectacular island in the Azores, I really enjoyed my time there. I felt like it offered a lot and it was the perfect place to start my adventure. At that phase, I was super excited to see what would come next.