I have one week (saturday to sunday) of time I can allow to the Azores this month. It may be a tad short for island hoping, but probably a tad too much just for the main São Miguel island. Would you recommend I at least hop to one or two other islands? Or maybe skip the main one and just hop between the smaller ones?I'm quite surprised at how booked the hotels are, I thought it was a rather under-the-radar destination. I can also just pack up my mountain hiking gear and tent and go in campings, or better yet, just camp in the nature where there are some nice views if it's allowed.Any anons that went to the Azores? What would you recommend? Ideally I don't want to rent a car, but I likely won't have the choice.
I stayed a week on Sao Miguel in a holiday apartment and enjoyed every minute of it, granted - it was off-season.The island is small enough that you can reach any place within an hour, driving across the island takes 20 minutes North-South and 90 minutes East-West.I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much without a rental car, it gives you freedom and the place is an absolute pleasure to drive.The only drawback is that you'll be forced to to circular hikes to reach your car again.Go see the main tourist sites, visit both tea farms (they're free to visit), take your time for the hot springs and soak up the atmosphere in Furnas, other than that just drive and see what interests you.It's an easy place for self-catering, in Ponta Delgada there's a hypermarket open seven days a week until late in the evening, so even if you're cruising in from the East end after sunset you'll have plenty of time to stock up.The food is great as well, try to get local products in the supermarkets and stores and don't forget to eat a lot of beef, do not miss the restaurante AASM near Ribeira Grande, heavenly steaks in a very down to earth place, I went three times a week.I can't tell you anything about the other islands but I will visit them for sure, AAA destination for sure.
>>2707713Thanks anon, I'll keep your post on a sticky note. I might postpone and try October instead, looks like the weather would still be good enough, and it truly will be off-season.
>>2707706I did a week on Sao Miguel in June a few years back, it was a good amount of time. I'd mostly echo what >>2707713 said, but I'd also recommend taking a whale watching trip while you're there - it's a big migrationary stop off point in the ocean. I saw tons of stuff on just a short trip, way more than I have on similar excursions elsewhere.Definitely get the car.
OH SHIT DID THIS NIGGA MENTION THE AZORES!?!FUCK ITWE GAAN!
>>2708266Wrong island.
>>2707706Car is a must if youre not a serious advanced biker that also isnt afarid to bike on hilly, thin roads with local drunk drivers. They are super friendly, will help you with open air grill ect, offer you a drink but afterwards they pack their whole family inside a small car and drunk drive their way to their home. You can always try to hitchhike, I offered a ride few times when I was there, but its unreliable, especialy when you fibish some mountainhike at late afternoon, you can be stranded and it can be quite cold/moist on the upper levels of the islands.People already spoke about whta to visit on Sao miguel, i will just add that you should visit pico vulcano on pico island and include flores and corvo if you really want to feel being on a "small island in the middle of the ocean with low population".Also dunno how its currently but on some islands (like sao jorge) qll felt so pristine and stuck in time that its dificult to explain how orginal this place feel - there were only 2 cars to rent, both of them were overexploited cars from 80s, there was a festival of local products that felt like 50% of the island population attended. It was finished with a performance from the traveling russian stage group (mother, father, 14-15 yo daughter) that did some gymnastick shtick and later on father dresed as a octopuss and pursue the daughter all around the festival. It was ridiculus, like I was sent back in time 25 or 30 years and there was 0 other turists.Summing up Azores are superb destination, I was there 2 times, in 2000s (only Sao Miguel) and in 2010s (island hoping) and sao migeul was most turisty of them all. Still it was super clean, nature was amazing and place didnt felt beaten down yet, dunno how its now.
>>2707706I always wanted to visit the Azores or the Cannery islands
>>2707706The Azores is a God tier destination. I spent 10 days in São Miguel last year, I don't think a week is "too much" for just the one island. Maybe squeeze in Santa Maria, the smaller one just to the south, if you feel you have time. Trying to visit the eastern ones as well will just leave you with too little time in both places.The weather there is lovely year round, but it rains a lot, which means fog at the viewpoints. You should be flexible and plan to go to the various viewpoints (called "miradouros") as soon as the weather is nice. They have webcams showing what it's like live so you see before you go. Miradouro da Boca do Inferno is where your pic was taken from, it's absolutely epic. Another view of the Sete Cidades lakes is from the Monte Palace hotel, an abandoned hotel you can urbex freely, or just admire the views.Also do rent a car, and make sure it's an automatic. Public transportation exists, but forget seeing the Sete Cidades when the sun finally peeks out. Driving there was piss easy, good roads and no large mammals to jump into the road, a pleasant change coming from Scandinavia. If you're an insecure driver, practice parallell parking before you go, avoid rush hour and the town of Lagoa, whose streets made Ponta Delgada's look like avenues.Pic rel, the sunset from some restaurant in Ribeira Grande. You look north and the closest landmass in that direction is Greenland. Puts life into perspective. I want to go back there and island hop and spend a week on every island. God I loved that place.
>>2711801Did you find it at all boring? It seems like a cool place, for sure, geographically and climatically but the people I've talked to who have been there said it's very agricultural, not very touristic, and there's not a lot going on. Also I heard you can buy subsidized flights from the "main" island to the other ones as a tourist.
>>2711801interesting
>>2711852>Did you find it at all boring?Not really, but it's true there isn't a whole lot to "do" there. You can drive across and around the entire island in half a day. The only museum I went to, the military museum at the fort, was pretty lackluster and smelled of mold. I traveled with my family for my mother's birthday, so it was a fairly slow vacation anyway. I just enjoyed the nature, climate and general vibe. If you want constant entertainment and banging nightlife, maybe it's not for you. The flight thing is true I think, but like I said I never left São Miguel. There's also several boats between the islands for Real Travellers.
>>2711801>make sure it's an automaticThe Azores are the place I would specifically request a manual, it's too much fun to drive on the mountain roads and there isn't much traffic to block if you're not used to a manual transmission any more.
>>2707706I want to take a sailing trip to the Azores, the joy of experiencing land after a long watery journey sounds interesting
