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The Azores - tour and guide to the Islands of the Açores. VR Azores. Virtual Tour of the Islands of the Azores. Includes guides, panoramic views and maps of Sao Miguel, San Miguel, Terceira, Faial, Pico, Sao Jorge, Graciosa, Corvo.
The Azores are a group of islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean: closer to Portugal (about 2 hours flying) than the USA (about 5 hours flying). We chose to go there in the summer of 2008 because of the lure of unspoilt, natural beauty, great walking, flowers, birds, whale and dolphin watching, volcanic craters, lagoons, hot springs, and above all peace and quiet. Furthermore, as there are nine islands in all, we had the idea that, if we liked them, we could keep going back year after year to discover a new one.
The Azores always held a fascination for us before we went. It seemed to be a mystical, far off place of natural beauty, about which we knew very little. Now that we have made our first visit, to the island of Sao Miguel, we are captivated. It is an amazing place. Wild and beautiful in parts, precisely manicured and picturesque in others. An island of lush, verdant green everywhere, which seems to be bursting with life. Flowers in profusion; I mean, where else would you find the countryside criss-crossed with hedges of blue Hydrangeas? Monbretia and Himalayan Ginger growing wild along the roads? And we weren’t there in Azalea season (December to March, apparently), when the whole countryside turns orange, pink and crimson with these exotic flowers, growing wild. What other images spring to mind? Clear, blue, turquoise seas, with black volcanic cliffs and rocky beaches. Field after field of dairy cows, grazing lush grass on the mountainsides, at an unbelievably steep angle. Farmers boys collecting milk on horseback, sitting side saddle with huge churns, hanging from the saddle. Huge, forested mountains disappearing into the clouds. Hundreds of ready made BBQ and picnic sites every couple of hundred yards along the forested roads, complete with running water and toilets, all beautifully mown and strewn with flowers. Fantastic views along the coast. Man made and natural rock pools, big enough to swim in. The sounds of bells around cows’ necks and the constant birdsong. Buzzards circling high above. Twisting, turning roads, usually in fantastic condition and largely empty (except the south coast road - we were there in peak season). Women washing down the walls of their houses with long brooms, EVERYWHERE! (Were we there in national house-wash week?) Waterfalls, volcanic craters, bubbling hot mud pools, geysers. Deep river gorges, plummeting down valleys, covered in huge tree ferns. Fantastic meals of freshly caught fish and regional delicacies, sitting outside in the warm evening air. But above all, the pure unspoilt, undeveloped, uncommercialised aspect. Virtually no concessions to tourists and no attempt to make as much money out of them as possible. It was very difficult to find anywhere which charged for parking, outside the capital, or to buy a tacky T shirt or beach ball. Although the sandy beaches usually had one snack bar, forget your images of a line of burger and pizza cafes, beach shops, parasols and sunloungers for hire. There were no pedalos, catamarans and glass bottomed boat trips. The rock pools and man made pools had nothing at all, except swimming and sunbathing in a beautiful environment. Take a picnic and a sun shade. Lie on the ground. Oh yes, and if you want a vibrant night life, with all-night bars, clubbing and happy hours, forget it. You’re in the wrong place. Where to stay? Well, that depends on what you want to do. If you want to explore the whole island during your trip, then it’s best to stay somewhere in the central lowlands. Either between Ponta Delgada and Furnas on the south coast or between Capelas and Ribeira Grande on the north coast. Or anywhere inland in this central area. If you are not that interested in seeing the whole island, but want to be based in an area of natural beauty, go for the east or west mountainous areas. They are spectacular and peaceful, but the long, wiggly, coastal roads mean that it takes a long time to get anywhere else. The nine islands of the Azores are: THE CENTRAL GROUP THE WESTERN GROUP THE EASTERN GROUP Sao Miguel Island Sao Miguel is 64km long (from East to West) and 8 to 14km wide (North to South). It's lowlands are mainly fields and meadows (hence the nickname), with hot springs in the centre of the island and volcanic cones in the East, around Furnas. The most recent eruption occurred in 1652. The highest mountain is Pico da Vara, at 1,103m high. Sete Cidades ("Seven Cities"), on the west side of Sao Miguel, is one of the most beautiful places in the Azores. Twin lakes lie in the centre of a volcanic crater about three miles across. This volcano is one of the most active in the Azores in the last 5,000 years. If you look from the edge of the crater to the lakes 500 m (1,500 ft) below, one lake looks reflects the sky so appears blue (Lagoa Azul) and the other appears green like the ground (Lagoa Verde). Legend has it that the lakes were created when a princess and her lover, a young shepherd, had to part from each other. The farewell tears which they shed became the two lakes, with the water the colour of their eyes. |
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Virtual Tour of The Azores - panoramic photography © Red Door VR Limited Page Loads since August 2008 - Virtual Tour of the Islands of the Azores: www.vrazores.com: Contact the publishers | Conditions of Use | About the Photographer |
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