I never thought about going to the Azores. It never was on our A list or B list or even C list. But a couple of months ago a great deal popped up on Travelzoo offered by Azores Getaways; 5 nights in Terceira, one of nine islands of the Azores for $599 per person; that price included air and a four-star hotel. There had to be a catch; there’s always a catch. But after doing some research there was no catch. So we said why not, let’s do it.
Boston is the gateway city to the Azores and Azores Airlines flies non-stop to both Sao Miguel, the largest of the nine islands and to Terceira, the second largest. It’s a four hour flight.
So we headed off with a plane full of people who were taking advantage of the special deals.
Arriving in Terceira, we picked up our Hertz rental and began our Azores Adventure.
The thing that impressed me immediately is the natural beauty of the island. Green with hand-built lava stone walls; the cows-more cows than people, the flowers, the sea. And, the food!!
Our first stop of course was our hotel, Pousada de Angra do Heroismo. The Pousada is located at the top of a cliff inside a sixteenth century fortress; commonly known as the Castelinho de Sao Sebastiao and was ordered built by El-Rei D. Sebatiao, from where it got its name, it overlooks the bay called Pipas Port. This is not the fishing port but the port with amazing sailboats moored and where the day trips leave from.
Set within the walls of the fortress, the hotel is modern and sleek with dramatic sea views.
So what do you do in Terceira? It’s easy to stay busy all day. If the weather permits there is lots to do on the sea. If not, drive around the island, which is twice the size of Martha’s Vineyard. Visit the fishing villages, small towns, the volcano, and as we did, go to an agricultural fair.
First stop for us after we took a nap was to walk to Angra which is a short walk from the hotel. Angra is the capital of Terceira. In 1983 it was designated a UNESCO world heritage site after an earthquake damaged much of the city. The only way you can tell that there was damage now is by the color of the roof tiles. The city of Angra do Heroísmo was the first settlement of Açores elevated to status of city in 1534, having been a maritime harbour of great importance from the fifteenth century through to the nineteenth.
Lots of restaurants, shops and of course the church. The streets and sidewalks are paved in cobblestones. It’s picturesque, yet modern with it’s restaurants, cafes and shops and it’s incredibly clean. At night there isn’t a soul on the streets except in the restaurants. We couldn’t figure out where everyone was!!
Terceira is called the festive island. The big festival, Sanjoaninas, occupies the streets of Angra do Heroísmo for ten days in June. Parades, concerts, bullfights, food stalls, theatre shows, fireworks and sporting events culminate in a parade of popular marching bands. We got to see the streets being readied. Every evening in weeks leading up to the big festival, you can hear the sound of cannons which mean the bulls are running free through the streets of various neighborhoods, and crazy people are being chased by them!
The people of Terceira love bullfights. There is an homage to bullfighting in a round-about next to the bullfighting arena.
With all the cows, there must be cheese! Our first day, we went on a cheese tour. We visited a small artisanal cheese maker, queijo vaquinha. We did everything from milk the cows to hand feed the calves and eat the cheese with some wine! The cows have no predators, they have a happy stress-free life and the cheese proves the point.
We did a lot of driving. Roads are well marked and it’s easy to get around. What did everyone do before Google Maps? The island is scenic. Stone walls, cows, green, the sea, the towns. Here are some pictures to prove the point.
The Algar do Carvão, is an ancient lava tube or volcanic vent located in the central part of the island. There are tours and you can also do it by yourself. It’s very well lit. It looked like a scene out of Journey to the Center of the Earth!
We attended an agricultural fair. Like 4H here in the United States – the kids showed their cows. The winner was all of 5 years old. And then, we were hungry – so we sat down at one of the food tents and had some fried chicken!
The food – being an island it’s obvious that the fish and seafood would be outstanding. And it’s true. And also, the beef which is from the island and grass-fed. We tried things we’d never heard and can’t forget the pastries which I couldn’t get enough of.
Slipper Lobster:
Alcatra: the iconic dish of Terceira. It’s much like a stew, cooked for hours in a clay pot. We didn’t love it but we loved the clay pot and brought some home!
Limpets: Like littleneck clams but smaller and cooked with olive oil and garlic – delicious
Fresh Fish-lots of it – wreck fish and snapper. this is snapper.
The wines of Portugal: They don’t get enough attention. This wine is from a young vintner, Antonio Joao Lopes Pinto, who has a small vineyard in the Douro Valley in Portugal called Desnivel. He is very passionate about what he’s doing. We were lucky to meet him at Taberna Roberto, the #1 restaurant in Terceira where he was invited by Roberto to introduce his wines. The wine was delicious, and we brought a bottle home!
This is Roberto (on the right), owner of Taberno Roberto and Antonio Joao Lopes Pinto
We visited a market in Angra and this is some of the fresh fish
We happened upon a kids day in Porto Vittorio. Kids will be kids!
This potter makes the Alcatra pots. His original kiln is from the 14th century!
So, bottom line, we loved Terceira, the island and the people. It’s a perfect 5 day getaway. Here are a few parting shots:
