travels.of.tara

Sunday, 8/31/2025

I’m a week into my Azorean adventure, and as I finally slow down for a few hours to rest, I’m overwhelmed by all I’ve done and seen in a short amount of time. Stopping after a week of near-constant movement is difficult but necessary, and I am fighting the simultaneous urge to run back outside to jump into the water or drive to a nearby hike. I’m exhausted. I’m also in paradise, and I’m feeling really full and satiated. With a full week to go.

My first five and a half days were spent on Sao Miguel Island, the largest and most developed of the nine islands, with its main city of Ponta Delgada. Only two of the islands have international flights – Sao Miguel and Terceira. On all the islands, the airport is right in the main town.

I’ve been journaling everyday to remember my experiences and some of my emotional state while traveling solo these two weeks. While part of me wants to edit it down to spare anyone who reads this the details (and to practice writing snappy pieces that are easy to read), this travel blog is mostly for me and my memories. So please enjoy five days of Sao Miguel island in the Azores! Or at least, scroll through to see some pretty pictures!

Sunday, 8/24/25

It’s my first day in the Azores. I’m currently lounging on the crowded cement in Ponta Delgada at the natural pool overlooking the ocean, sky gray with occasional flecks of blue and occasional drizzle.

Naturally, that was the last word I would write before the rain started making it less than pleasant to be outside, and throngs of people quickly evacuated to a covered structure with a few stores to peruse. Some intrepid kids, all boys, stayed to keep swimming. A few kept up their long laps.

I’m feeling kind of icky as I settle into day 1, really feeling my aloneness and fatigue/jet lag. Plus some kind of travel-related stomach bug. Today is a looongg day. The 4 hour 40 minute flight was fine; I didn’t really sleep but kept my eye mask on the whole flight. The landing happened faster than I expected as we cleared cloud cover. My eSIM worked fine, bag pick up and customs/money were fine, but I couldn’t access the phone to call the rental car shuttle (a problem I had anticipated in advance – my notes doc says to ask someone to call for me). The tourist office man refused to call; ironic as we had that conversation hovering over his landline, though he told me where the pick up location was. I approached a woman – Katherine – a very kind local who was waiting to meet someone. No one picked up for a while and she even offered to drive me to my hostel. But eventually it worked, and I made it to my tiny smart car. It’s automatic but jerks and stalls like a manual, and the AC doesn’t seem to work, but it does the trick. I did not love the narrow roads and made some mistakes, all making me less excited for the bigger day trips I have planned. So I decided to stay local for the day.

More kindness as the hostel woman let me have breakfast and leave my bag. I drove a few minutes to the pineapple plantation on the edge of town, which was interesting but quick and slightly underwhelming. I had a pineapple juice to sample the “best pineapples in the world.” It was good and sweet but my stomach was a little off. I parked back at the hostel and decided to explore Ponta Delgada on foot. I did way too much walking for my tired body, but I loved the tiled ground and unique dark/light architecture.

I got groceries – cheaper than I was expecting – and went back to check in to my 4-person dorm. I showered the humidity off and risked a nap in the nice cool AC, just over an hour. Someone came in and woke me up at one point, which was probably for the best. On to the natural pool to soak in the vibes and feel the cold water on my legs. The evening stretches out before me as I overthink my plans for tomorrow.

I notice I’m craving my home routine in a weird way. It’ll pass. Maybe. I’m just adapting to the solo travel cadence and loneliness. Something to keep an eye on.

It’s nighttime now. The sun came back in full force – the weather truly changes quickly here. I did some more walking, went back to the hostel for some research, and met some folks, though it wasn’t a particularly social hostel. Then out again to find dinner, noticing veggie options were a little tricky, but there were tons of restaurants and international cuisines. I found a spot on the main drag by the water for a cheap filling meal with chicken. My stomach is feeling alright; I might switch to bottled water for a bit. I caught a little live music in the square; there was some more drizzle. Everyone seems to speak at least a little English, but I’m already hearing Portuguese everywhere. It really feels like Hawaii a little, plus the ease and vibes of Europe.  

Monday, 8/25/25

What a blast of activity the last two days have been! Today was truly a turnaround from a day of jetlagged fatigue to a fulfilling day of adventure. And still, as bedtime nears in an hour or two, I feel my eyes start to droop as I finally slow down from a day of near-constant movement.

Today I started the real adventure, finally ready to push my little smart car to the max and drive out of the city. After free hostel breakfast and prepping lunch, I left at 8:30 for my first stop: a timed entrance ticket I bought the night before for Poça da Dona Beija – a thermal hot spring area set in a glorious flowerful jungle about 45 minutes away. The roads there were very windy and mountainous, in a way that made me anxious when cars started tailing me, but the car did well and I came to enjoy the smallness of it, though not the poor pickup or the broken AC. I arrived in the town of Furnas, around the lake where they cook the famous cozido (a meat dish that the earth heats for several hours).

The hot springs were lovely, with a light on-and-off drizzle contrasting the 102 degree sulfuric pools. I didn’t need the full hour and a half I was allotted, as I felt the relaxing effects quickly – and also noticed the brown stains on my skin quickly too. I opted to skip the Terra Nostra park, a famous big hot spring pool and garden in the area. A gift shop worker wrote me out a list of places to check out in the area, including the place where her husband sells cooked corn on the cob, apparently another famous dish of the area (which I didn’t make it to). I went to Caldeiras, a free park and garden you can walk around and see fumaroles and bubbling pots in the earth, wafting clouds of sulfur whichever way the wind was blowing, plus some lush mountain views in the background.

I decided to get a move on away from Furnas, knowing I could come back to some spots on my way back later. The sky was blue and I was so ready to hike, and another 45 minutes east I got to the Salto do Prego waterfall hike. Parking was a little adventure in itself (people like to drive up curbs here it seems), but I figured it out. AllTrails claimed 2.2 miles round trip and moderate, but I think it was more than that, and due to mud there were some difficult parts and I was VERY sweaty. But still, this was up there on my list of favorite hikes (which I know is growing longer and longer, but still). I felt like I was in a wet jungle, with endlessly changing scenery, including yellow flowers that reminded me of Hawaii. The waterfall at the end was perfect, and some people had brought swim suits to jump in. I put my feet in and it wasn’t too cold, but I had decided after the morning water adventure to skip the dip. The way back looped into an historic little town that had a working bar and bathroom, and despite some awkward cobblestone switchbacks down, it was a great hike.

I decided the theme of my trip needed to be to pace myself. And indeed, I chose today to be a more chill day, and it was already almost 4pm. I routed back via a famous church and a beach, but decided along the way to skip both and just go back so I don’t tire myself out too early in my trip. I stopped at a few impromptu miradouros (lookouts), but otherwise made it back via some actual highways to take a much-needed shower.

I walked to dinner, a pizza place where I ate the entire thing and had a limoncello spritz, getting me a little tipsy after a long day. Some ice cream on the walk back, a quick grocery stop, and it was back to the hostel to prep for the next day!

Tuesday, 8/26/25

I had a pretty epic day in the Azores: I went canyoning! I’ve been wanting to try this activity for years; I almost did it in France last year but the tour was canceled. I struggled a bit to find a company that would let me book a single ticket, which was insulting, and I’m really happy with the company I found – Picos de Aventura. It was a beginner route, but it was hard work and adrenaline-pumping.

After meeting in the parking lot at Ribeira dos Caldeiroes Natural Park, about a 45-minute drive northeast, our group of 11 (including one other solo traveler) got on our wetsuits, harnesses, and helmets. We started with a steep, muddy trail around a gorgeous waterfall and hydrangea garden that you could see from the parking lot. Into the jungle we went, passing many waterfalls and a stream connecting them. First up: an abseil down a waterfall. Letting go was scary but it was fun! Swimming in the cold water also helped with the dripping layers of sweat I’d built up in the hot wetsuit. Then, a short jump of 5-10 feet; easy and fun. Then, a really tall jump (9 meters!). I was the most scared of this one, and requested the guide give me a countdown. I opted not to climb back up to do it twice, though many folks did. Then the last one, a rappel, which I loved! I wish it were longer and I could do more. The guide said my technique was “interesting” at the bottom, which I think just meant slow (I was taking in the scenery and trying to do it right!). Apparently the water levels were low so we couldn’t do two others that they usually do. But it was a great amount of adrenaline and swimming and adventure and I loved it all. I booked another one in Flores and I’ll be ready to try the next level up soon!

The guide gave me a good hike recommendation nearby, but I kept to my mantra of not overdoing it everyday. I took a slower route back to see a viewpoint, which required some walking, but it was awesome to see the rough north shore cliffs.

Then I stopped by Cha Gorreana, a popular and old tea plantation and factory. A self-guided tour showed the tea production process (walking right next to the old machines and having to get out of the way of the workers); sampling green tea – very light and delicious and organic; and finally exploring the beautiful tea fields, which you could hike to your heart’s content. I spent a little over an hour there all together, then hit the road.

The final stop – a long black sand beach in the small city of Ribeira Grande. As I parked I knew it would not be a swimming experience due to the waves (and my suit was still wet from the morning). There were beach bar vibes and surf/adventure lessons, but the waves were huge and wind misted onto everyone periodically. Walking down the path, the lifeguards had a little barricade of golf carts set up so you couldn’t even go onto the beach. It was for the best; a lifeguard told me they did drills that morning and her hands were shaking in fear. Some quick photos and staring into the distance while enjoying volcanic rocks and a little black sand, then back to drive around a bit, finding another viewpoint on the other side of town, and finally heading back to Ponta Delgada around 5. A shower, dinner at a Greek restaurant where the waitress complimented my ordering, and a long walk deeper into town in some more local areas, where I admired the architecture and slow vibes. And that’s it for today! I have two full days left here and tomorrow’s activity will depend on the weather, which is risky but we’ll see. There are webcams to help plan ahead. Cheers!

Wednesday, 8/27/25

Another day in paradise. This place is wild and beautiful and everything. Today my main activity was Sete Cidades, one of the island’s top must-see spots. Technically meaning seven cities, this is a natural area known for its twin crater lakes, separated by a narrow road, that is also a volcanic caldera. One lake appears green and the other is blue for some geologic reason, and they present stunning views from above.

I started the day knowing my original plan was ambitious, and I had already tampered it down a bit by the night before. That plan was a 7-mile hike from the top, around the crater, and down into the town of Sete Cidades, where I would have to risk finding a taxi to bring me back up to my car. It would have been beautiful but also nutty. Instead, I visited two of the popular miradouros, the first just a quick stop and easy viewpoint (though I came back later in the afternoon and it was so swarmed with cars I didn’t even stop again). The second required a 15-minute hike/walk along a lovely wet forest trail. It was crowded (and got worse later; I’m so glad I started on the early side), and I finally got to experience the famous quick-changing weather, which made sense given that we were on a mountain. It rained as I walked, then became foggy. As I got to the viewpoint I had about a minute until the lake became fully engulfed in fog, making it impossible to see anything. I explored a little more in another direction with no people, then went back, where the sun was coming back out to light up the lakes. A small swarm of people hung by the viewpoint, all of us taking the same amazing photos. I took the loop trail back to the road, also beautiful and hydrangea-filled, and made it back to the car about an hour and a half later.

I wanted to keep hiking, but the parking lots were getting insane. I realized that one of the popular area hikes left from that same parking lot, and was just 2.5 miles (away from the main lakes), so I decided to take it. It was great, lots of wet forest (though the rain was mostly done now), more lakes, and I impromptu added a side trail up to another peak, where the entire curved path was framed by tall hydrangeas; blues and pinks and whites and purples. Lovely. The wind was starting to pick up, but I had done the loop in the direction where the tough climbs were still ahead of me. They were fairly even paths but became steep, and my poles were essential. As the trees cleared and the trail went up the wind became insane! The views were of more little caldera lakes and were awesome, but it was too windy to linger. This hike was much less crowded (though not empty), and I was sufficiently tired by the end.

It was finally time to move on down, and I drove down the mountain into the town. I stopped at a few more viewpoints and drove over the little bridge, stopping to walk across it. I navigated to one of the tiny town’s three known restaurants, where I was able to use the bathroom and get an iced tea to refuel outside. The longer hike would have ended there, and it would have been too much and very risky to try to get a taxi back up.

I had two more main options for the day, and I did about half of one of them – a drive to a viewpoint on the west side of the island overlooking the natural thermal pools, where I watched huge waves crash along the rocky shore. I saw people below, but the road was getting really steep and I decided I didn’t want to try to swim (if swimming even was an option; I couldn’t see the swimming section), so I made my way back to Ponta Delgada, stopping at a few viewpoints for the 40ish minute drive back. Another quick shower and early dinner (back at the pizza place I liked), more water and dessert from the grocery store, and back early to relax before the final full day in Sao Miguel!

Thursday, 8/28/25

My final day in Sao Miguel was magical, yet again. I explored Lagoa do Fogo, a volcanic crater lake that you can view from above, up in the clouds at about 3000 feet. Though I could have driven myself given my timing, I opted for the 5 euro shuttle that took me to two viewpoints (one caked in fog) and a third viewpoint that was also a trailhead down to the lake. Though I was annoyed by the long wait with the first shuttle of the morning (I got there 8:55am for the 9:00 first shuttle, which left the lot at 9:35), I was able to start my hike around 10:00. And though AllTrails claimed the down and up was a quick 40 minutes, I decided while down there that it was of course, beautiful, and I could walk really far around the lake. I walked along the shore until I couldn’t go anymore, about an hour in, with few other people. The clouds moved quickly, opening to blue and white and gray skies frequently, though it didn’t rain. The hike back up was tough but doable with breaks, and luckily the shuttle came a few minutes after I arrived.

From there, I headed to Salto do Cabrito waterfall nearby. I thought it would be a 3-mile hike, but I realized that trailhead was a little further away, and on my way there that morning I saw a sign for the waterfall and realized I could basically just walk in to it. So given all the hiking I did earlier, I did that. It entailed walking down and then back up a steep road, and it was fairly crowded, but there was plenty of space for me to awkwardly change into my bathing suit and jump in, swimming under the narrow waterfall. It felt amazing, and afterwards my skin felt really smooth. It was strange that there was a hydroelectric plant just downstream, making it less isolated, but it was still amazing and just what I needed.

I got back to the hostel around 3:30, then headed out for my souvenir shopping and another long walk through town. I stumbled back on the city hall and was able to walk up the historic/eerily old bell tower for great views. Back to the hostel, where I showered and repacked – which was harder than expected, uh oh, and leftovers for dinner and an early night in. Tomorrow I’m off to Flores, so while Sao Miguel island is coming to an end and I’m getting a little nostalgic already, the adventure continues tomorrow!