Hiking the Azores

This afternoon we drove to the town of Furnas, the center of Sao Miguel’s geothermal activity. What makes Furnas unique is that the area is a dormant volcanic crater with two active volcanic sites to see boiling caldeiras in action, multiple hot spring pools for soaking, the stunning Furnas lake perched slightly above the town, and the gorgeous Terra Nostra Park. This park features a thermal swimming pool and a very beautiful botanical garden. On our way back to Ponta Delgada we got a quick glimpse of the Vila Franca Islet which is a nature reserve and popular destination for swimming and cliff diving. It is known for its perfectly circular, flooded caldera. For dinner we ate local favourites ordering an octopus salad, locally made bread and butter, and a plate of freshly caught limpets.Read more