Island hopping around the Azores Triangle Islands

When I first visited the Azores back in 2023, I knew I would have to come back and explore more Islands, and I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to do so in 2024.

When

- Late May to early June

Where

Fly into São Miguel (Direct flights from Switzerland with Edelweiss)
Internal flight from São Migeual to Pico — Azores Airlines
Ferry Pico- Faial ( 30 minutes )
Ferry Faial — São Jorge ( 1.5 hours)
Flight back to São Jorge to São Miguel

You can find more info about ferry travel times and schedules here

Car Rental

Unfortunately, you’re not able to move the car from one Island to another, so we had to rent 3 different cars on Pico, Faial, and São Jorge.
We rented with Avis and opted for the full insurance option; it's a bit more expensive, but made the pick-up and handover experience much quicker… the car is covered for all damage, so we didn’t have to get it inspected after we dropped it off. That said… we did end up with a bit of a s**tbox on Pico… the car had close to 100,000 KM… we still got the Bluetooth working and enjoyed some podcasts and music as we explored.

What I was reading

I read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, by Robert A. Heinlein. It took a bit to get into, but after the first few days of reading, I found myself glued to it. If you’re a space nerd like me, you’ll enjoy this book.

Ok with those things out of the way, let's get into the Islands.

São Miguel

We didn’t spend much time here since the last trip was dedicated to this Island. Stayed 1 night in out of the blue, stopped at the sandwich shop, and explored downtown São Miguel before getting the flight the next day to Pico.

Pico

If you’re lucky, you’ll have a clear view of Pico as you fly into the island. We were super excited to start the adventure here. We picked up the first car and got ready to start exploring.

Flying in, we go early look at Pico… | Insula Vinus Apartments was our home base for the week on Pico.

Hiking Pico summit

You MUST book your spot and show up on time. They limit the number of people who can go up each day. You also have the option to spend the night on the peak(o). We just went up for the day. Make sure you wear good hiking shoes. We saw someone being turned away for wearing sneakers. The logic here is if you have an accident, they have to come up and help you down … we saw this on our way up, an older lady slipped and twisted her ankle. She was being carried down on a stretcher… we were pretty surprised about this… they have helicopters on the Island… very strange. So, sturdy footwear is a must; the guy at the counter didn’t seem TOO happy with my Salomon trail shoes… I had to show him that they had a good grip.

The hike itself is well worth it: beautiful views, a nice, challenging route, but not too demanding. Pack a lunch and bring a rain/wind jacket.

We read somewhere that fishermen could prediction the weather based on the type of clouds that were forming around the tip of Pico. Cool.

The tip of pico, getting up past this point requires a bit of a scramble

Gruta das Torres lava tube

Unfortunately, they didn’t have any availability while we were on the Island. So my recommendation is that you book this well in advance. We had the opportunity to visit a lava tube in La Palma, and that was a really unique experience.

Where to eat on Pico

There weren’t many spots that blew us away on this island. But i’ll give you one location that is definitly worth your time

Mar Sushi Terrace

Everything from the food, settings and the service is outstanding here. make sure you make time to go for dinner while your on Pico. It will be a highlight.

Baleias Café

Nice spot for lunch, fish and chips and a pastery. You can enjoy the harber views. Some of the The whale watching tours can be booked from this area.

Best place for a Swim

The main activity we did on each Island was to find the best swimming spots and hang out there for the day, reading and enjoying the ocean. The Azores have some fantastic natural pools, and we tried to experience as many as possible while travelling between the Islands.

We did a lot of driving around the Island. even on a rainy day it was quite beautiful and reminded me a lot of the Irish country side.

Leaving Pico and heading to Faial

Faial

The Lava museum is where it's at. I love how they built it into the ground rather than a large overland structure. Here you can really learn about the islands, how they formed and the history that connects Faial to the US. The volcanic eruption drastically impacted the island's inhabitants.

Another cool thing about Faial is that it's usually the first stop for many sailors crossing the Atlantic. You’ll find many sailboats and flag paintings from all the people who made it across.

Capelinhos Volcano Interpretation Centre

Definitely a highlight and a must-see. You can spend 1–2 hours here. Make sure you go to the top of the lighthouse for the best view.

“A volcanic eruption lasted for 13 months, from September 27, 1957” …. Capelinhos “little cape”

Pico from Faial

Fayal Kompra

This is a supermarket. I LOVE exploring supermarkets on trips; it's often one of the first things I do. They also have a fresh meat deli, where we picked up a lovely piece of fish to grill at the Airbnb.

Delighted with my fire… and the end result of the grill

Best place for a Swim on Faial

São Jorge

We stayed at Cabanas da Viscondessa, a beautiful location consisting of a few cabins built in 2020. I can still remember how nice it smelt inside these cabins; the wood, even 4 years later, gave the cabin a lovely natural aroma. I believe the owner said they were built using Japanese cedar wood that was planted on the island.

Café Calhetense / Calhetense Beach Bar

We spent most of our time eating and playing with the cars at this restaurant, which has lovely outdoor seating. It's nothing special… fresh fish, with chips and a good mussel dessert. Reasonable price and the staff are friendly. We found ourselves coming back here 3 times during our stay.

We also happened to be there during the World Cup, so it was nice to sit outside with some locals and get into the sporting vibes.

Football and good fish… with pico in the background

Centro de Interpretação da Fajã da Caldeira de Santo Cristo

This part of the island is only accessible by walking for about 1 hour from the parking area, but it's worth visiting to learn more about the island's history and the large evacuation that followed the earthquakes in the 60s.

The track … watch out for people on dirt bikes, its a taxi service for people staying the the surf camp

União de Cooperativas Agricolas de Lacticínios de São Jorge

If you like good cheese, this spot is worth a visit. wide selection of locally made cheese.

Farol do Topo

Who doesn’t like a scenic lighthouse?

Café Nunes

Good coffee and the money stuck up on the wall tells a cool story of who’s been there.

Sete Fontes Forest Park

Nice area for a nature walk. Some beautiful Japanese cedar trees were brought to the Azores in the 19th century.

Best place for a Swim on São Jorge

Piscina Natural “Simão Dias” is a highlight among all the islands; we went back here a few times. It's on the bigger side of “pools”, and the water was pretty clear. We liked it here a lot.
Piscinas Naturais da Preguiça

That’s a wrap for Azores. The Islands hold a special place in my heart and memories. I hope to one day go back and explore the other Islands and revisit the ones above.

Remember to slow down as you experience these Islands. Switch to Island time… It’s not about how many things you do, and what you see… sometimes it’s about just sitting by the ocean with good company and being in the moment…