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Azores 2026
  • Gina Steiner
  • Gina Steiner

Azores 2026

A 58-day adventure by Gina Read more
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  • Trip start
    January 10, 2026
    Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    18 days to go

    December 23, 2025 in Germany ⋅ 🌙 2 °C

    It's almost time, then I'm off again – for two months – another 1.5 months of workation and two weeks of vacation spread out over time.

    This time I've opted for the middle of the Atlantic, for wild nature; I just had two months of white sandy beaches with endless sunshine and beach bars. Now it's crater lakes, green mountains, and hot springs.

    Now I will spend Christmas in front of the roaring wood stove, slide comfortably into the new year, and slowly start getting everything in order from the 5th onwards.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    I'm wondering...

    January 9 in Germany ⋅ 🌬 -4 °C

    My luggage is ready and the apartment is clean. The weather is rough and blizzard Elli brings a lot of snow ❄️, low temperatures 🥶 and storm 🌬️. I'm wondering if my flight will leave tomorrow...

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Hamburg Airport

    January 10 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ -3 °C

    I have never been to the airport as early as today in my life. 😂

    Everything was relaxed, the buses and trains in Hamburg were all running normally and had no delays more or less.

    So far, only 3 flights have been cancelled today, at 6:00 and 6:05 because the plane was not on site and one later from Munich because the snow is now arriving there.

    So I am confident that everything will be very relaxed, that I will land in Lisbon for the intermediate stop and then continue to Ponta Delgada.

    Hot springs, I'm getting closer! 😍    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Good morning

    January 11 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Good morning!

    I arrived safely yesterday at 8 pm and slept very well. It's drizzling a bit this morning, but that's not a problem since I unpacked first thing.

    Now I'm slowly settling in with a tea and have explored the garden a little. This is the first impressions I'm sending you. Of course, many more will follow.

    The weather forecast looks good for the next few days; I'm confident I won't have too much rain, that I'll be able to explore the area, and especially visit the hot springs in the sea.

    When I compare the weather to Hamburg, I think once again that I made the right decision 🥳.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Fruit

    January 11 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    My landlady did the shopping for my first dinner and breakfast. What a fantastic service! 😍

    I've already decided what I'll have for the next two months: pineapple, freshly squeezed orange juice, and muesli with baby bananas. For sure I brought my electric orange juice press 🤩.

    The fruits are awesome here! ❤️    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Mosteiros

    January 11 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    My little house is in Mosteiros.
    Mosteiros is mostly situated on a flat peninsula by the sea, with a small part perched atop the cliffs.

    One of the small houses on the right side of the picture, in the middle, is mine.

    Mosteiros has a fishing harbor and a black sand beach, but the natural seawater pools, where you can swim, are particularly interesting.

    The sea is a bit too cold for that right now. However, you can drive for five minutes to a spot where hot thermal water flows into the sea, so it's a few degrees warmer there.

    Anyways it's a very impressive coast line.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler
    2

    Piscina Natural Ponta da Ferraria

    January 11 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    The Piscina Natural Ponta da Ferraria is a natural seawater pool fed by thermal springs. Therefore, the water there is a few degrees warmer than pure seawater.

    You have to go swimming at low tide, otherwise there is a risk of being swept out of the seawater pool by the waves so they provide lines, which are stretched crosswise from each side to the others, providing a good grip.

    Beside the natural basins there is also an official thermal bath with a spa, café, and massage services. However, only the café is currently open, as the road is blocked by a landslide since four months and therefore closed. So the pool looks like a lost place at the moment.

    Because of the closed road you have to walk down and, of course, back up again. Going down takes about 15 minutes, going up takes 20 minutes.

    So the whole thing is more of an adventurous story and not just lazing around in a thermal bath.

    So let's go!    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler
    3

    Wind!

    January 12 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    Today was a windy day, and since the wind was coming directly from the sea, it was cloudless here and cloudy at the top and behind the mountains.

    The waves were spectacular, and of course I didn't miss the opportunity to spend some time down by the sea.

    Yesterday I considered going back to the Piscina Natural Ponta da Ferraria, but when I woke up this morning it was clear that I couldn't go in the sea with this storm.

    So today I cruised around the island.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Cruising the island

    January 12 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    Cruising home after a sunny and windy day 😊.

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    After work thermal swim 😊

    January 13 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Today was a workday, but since there's a two-hour time difference, 5 pm in Hamburg is only 3 pm here. 7:30 am is also 5:30 am 😜.

    But let's stick with 3 pm for now, because if the weather and tide are right, it's perfect for an afternoon soak in the sea.

    So today was the perfect day for an after work thermal swim in the ocean 🌊❤️.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Farol da Ferraria

    January 14 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    The Farol da Ferraria is located at Ponta da Ferraria, near Mosteiros, in the municipality of Ginetes. It illuminates a sector from 339° to 174° and has a range of 27 nautical miles.

    The 1883 General Plan for the illumination of the Portuguese coast, which also included the Azores, already envisioned the construction of a lighthouse at Ponta da Ferraria.

    The original plan to build a second-order lighthouse with a range of 25.5 nautical miles was changed in 1891. It was then deemed that a third-order lighthouse with a range of 15 to 20 nautical miles would suffice.

    The project's realization dragged on until 1901, when it finally began operating on November 9th. In 1957, the lighthouse was converted to electric operation and fitted with a 3000-watt incandescent bulb. With the connection to the public power grid, the output was reduced to 1000 W.

    The square tower is set into the main facade of a two-story, rectangular brick building, and a low white wall encloses the property. The entire building is occupied by the lighthouse keeper's family. So you can't go in and only watch it from outside the wall.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Praia dos Mosteiros

    January 15 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    There are not only jagged cliffs and rugged stretches of coastline here, but also a small sandy beach where the sand is pitch black. 🏖️

    This black sand is incredibly fine, and while the bay isn't very large, it's certainly big enough for swimming in the summer. Whether I'll swim here in the winter, I still have to decide. A small river also flows into the sea at the beach.

    Overlooking the beach, there's a small café where you can sit outside, sip galão, and eat a salmon burger ☕🍔. The salmon burger comes in a black bun - you can't taste the blackness at all - and it comes with seaweed 🌿.

    I've been thinking that this little café has a good chance of becoming my go-to spot, since it's only a five-minute drive from my house. Of course, I could also walk down the hill and back up; I think that would take about 15 to 20 minutes. I'll definitely keep looking, though; maybe I'll find another café. 😁    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler
    1
    12

    Limpets

    January 16 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    It's Friday, I have the day off! ❤️

    First, I picked up my ordered bread 🍞 from the village baker. You have to order the "better" bread here and normally the bakery is only open when they bake, so in the evening and the night 😳. But he tells you when you can pick it up, so it was my personal appointment and he waited for me 👑.

    Then I chit-chatted with the fisherman 🎣 at the harbor ⚓. He told me that no one goes out in January, so I couldn't buy any fish 🐟 here at the harbor, but I could try again in February. So let's see...

    That took care of all my tasks for today 😂, leaving everything open.

    First, I went up to the Miradouro Pico de Mafra and looked at the Mosteiros from above.
    Then it was time to try the local seafood 🐚🐙🐟.

    Have you ever eaten limpets? You're probably familiar with them. They're the things that cling to the rocks at the tideline in the sea like tiny volcanoes.

    They're not as salty as mussels and have a much denser texture - also denser than garden snails. They're served in a bubbling hot cast-iron pan with lemon and garlic. Do I need to eat them more often?
    No 🤪.

    But I interviewed the owner extensively 😂 and now I have his phone number ☎️.

    They not only have special menu and a "normal" menu, they also have a daily menu that you have to order the day before. I've already ordered for tomorrow; they're having octopus 🐙😋.

    We'll see if I use that phone number more often.

    As a side note: In summer the restaurant has the perfect view 🌊 but in winter the terrace is closed.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Coffee break

    January 16 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    A coffee break is an important thing, I would say…
    I think I need a coffee break at my day off 🤔 - maybe with some knitting 🧶? It’s pretty essential to get breaks I learned… 🤣.

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Miradouro Pico de Mafra

    January 17 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    Time to write a bit about Mosteiros, the village I picked to stay for two months.

    It lies in the west of the island of São Miguel in the Azores. The population of the whole civil parish was 1123 in 2011, in an area of 8.95 square kilometres.

    Fishing is still practiced with nets and also with handline method, and agriculture dominates in the interior, with herding of dairy cattle and the cultivation of some fruits and vegetables.

    Viewed from above, you can see 3 sections of coast. The natural sea pools in the rocks on the right, the harbour in the middle and the sandy beach on the left.

    It is a very popular parish in the summer, both by residents of the island and by national and foreign tourists. Ideal place for those who love the coast and the sea, whether for bathing or fishing, or to kayak along the coast. In winter there are very few tourists.

    Since 2016 it has been possible to take boat trips from the port and see whales and dolphins or visit the islets or Ferraria by sea but in January the sea is too wavy.

    It is possible to enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets on the island.

    It was only around 1480, that the first people began to settle this part of the island, mostly by the maritime access, for many years. The community of Mosteiros was built on ancestral fishing for many years, even as its territory was cultivated by farmers.

    The name Mosteiros, meaning monastery, refers to nearby islets: the largest of these islets is shaped like a church.

    "Between the large islet and ponta Ruiva, by the cliffs, until the promontory of Escalvados, there are some large depressions and well made fumaroles, in the form of a church, or monasteries, or of both things, that older settlers called the monasteries [Mosteiros], situated on the fajã that ran from the peak in Sete Cidades".    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Moinho do Pico Vermelho

    January 18 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    The Pico Vermelho Mill was built sometime between the 18th and 19th centuries and is one of the few of its kind still standing on the island of São Miguel.

    The mill has been restored and showcases the milling tradition in Ajuda da Bretanha. The Dutch-style building is open to visitors in July and August. It has two floors and is part of a small exhibition of artifacts such as measuring boxes used by the miller, his attire, and that of his wife, who assisted him in the task.Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Lagoa Azul & Lagoa Verde

    January 19 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    My house is only a 20-minute drive from Lagoa das Sete Cidades. It's my second favorite place after the coast, and I spend a lot of time there. I can drive over the bridge between the lakes, but I prefer the northern slope of Lagoa Azul.

    Lagoa das Sete Cidades ("Lagoon of the Seven Cities") is a twin lake situated in the crater of a dormant volcano on the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. It consists of two small, ecologically different lakes connected by a narrow strait, which is crossed by a bridge. The volcano is located on the western third of the island of São Miguel. The Lagoa das Sete Cidades is part of a natural landscape of communitarian interest: it is the largest body of water in the region and one of the most important freshwater resources in the archipelago.

    Although, hydrologically, the Lagoa das Sete Cidades is one lake, most refer to it as two separate bodies: Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul. Literally, the Green Lake and the Blue Lake (respectively), they are so named because each side of the lake reflects the sunlight in different colors.

    The ancient story recounts the tale of a bad-tempered widower King and his daughter in a Kingdom in the Western Sea. He was a King, Lord of Alchemy and sorcerer, who lived exclusively for his daughter, Antília, and who would not let the Princess speak to anyone. Apart from the King, the Princess was raised by an old nurse, after the Queen had died. As the years progressed, the princess grew up to be a beautiful young woman and able to attract the attentions of any boy in the kingdom. However, the King restricted her movements to the castle and garden, and few ever saw her. But, unintimidated by her father, and with the help of the nurse, she escaped to the local hills and valleys, as her father slept after his lunch. During one of her escape adventures, she heard a song: the music was beautiful and enchanted her to follow it to its origins. Hiding from view, the princess found a young shepherd playing a flute, sitting on top of a hill. For weeks she returned, listening to the young shepherd, until she was discovered behind some bushes. The shepherd boy fell in love with the princess, and they continued to meet afterwards, talking, laughing and enjoying each other's company, until the boy decided to ask for the princess in marriage.

    Early in the morning, the couple knocked on the door of the Castle, and asked the servants to speak to the King. Very nervous but determined, the shepherd asked the King for his daughter in marriage. Reacting angrily, the King refused and expelled him from the Castle, and forbade his daughter from seeing the young boy. Not wishing more ill feelings, she followed the orders of her father, but met secretly with the shepherd that afternoon in order to tell him that she would never see him again. Antília and the shepherd boy cried all afternoon, embracing, and their tears formed two beautiful lakes, one green, for the Princess's eyes were green, and the other blue, for the shepherd's eyes were likewise colored.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Bolo Lêvedo

    January 20 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    Bolos lêvedos are a typical gastronomic specialty of the Furnas Valley, a parish in the municipality of Povoação, São Miguel Island, Azores. This sweet treat originated in the mid-19th century.

    They have a shape similar to small discs, with a porous, toasted, and sweet dough. They are cooked on a skillet or metal griddle dusted with flour. With the advent of tourism, they have become the trademark of Furnas.

    I like them 😋.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    The rain is over

    January 22 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    Yesterday it was rainy. Changing weather is absolutely not unusual here, the weather changes a thousand times a day 🤣.

    But yesterday it was rainy the whole day and we had fog. So it was a day for staying home after the work.

    But today the rain is over so it looks promising for a short after work exploration tour 🤗.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Monte Palace Abandoned Hotel

    January 22 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    Perched on the edge of a dormant volcano, surrounded by dense vegetation, a ridiculously gigantic building crumbles in on itself.

    Anyone visiting the Miradouro da Vista do Rei viewpoint on the island of São Miguel can't help but notice this enormous and eerie concrete structure. It is the once magnificent 5-star Monte Palace Hotel.

    Built into the hillside to take advantage of the views of the Atlantic Ocean and the colorful lakes, the hotel had the potential to attract many visitors and be a resounding success.

    It boasted five floors with 88 rooms, including a presidential suite, four deluxe suites, four double rooms with sitting areas, 27 double rooms, and 52 suites.

    The hotel featured two restaurants: Dona Amélia Grill and Dom Carlos Restaurant. The restaurants were elegantly furnished with silverware, crystal glasses, and embroidered napkins.

    In addition, the hotel offered a bar, three conference rooms, a games room, a hair salon, a bank, a basement nightclub, and several boutiques. With over 100 employees working daily, the Monte Palace was a symbol of luxury, incorporating many imported materials.

    Unfortunately, the mountaintop hotel closed on November 26, 1990, just 18 months after opening. It was a rather sad end. On the same day that the Monte Palace's director received the Hotel of the Year award in Lisbon, the staff in São Miguel learned that the five-star hotel would be closing within a week.

    For 20 years after the closure, a security guard and his dogs were stationed there daily to prevent vandalism. But in 2011, the guard was no longer paid and left. And that was the beginning of the end.

    Locals began stealing everything from the abandoned hotel, even the elevator! Now, only the concrete walls, the roof, and the floor remain.

    How did it all begin?

    In 1977, the Azores Tourism and Hotel Industry (IATH), backed by French and Belgian shareholders, began investing in the Azores. They planned to build two luxury hotels on the island of São Miguel: the Monte Palace in Sete Cidades, nestled in the mountains, and the Bahia Palace in Água d'Alto, right on the beach.

    After years of delays, the first of the two five-star hotels—the Bahia Palace—opened in 1984. However, it proved difficult to turn a profit. It closed and reopened several times. Finally, on April 15, 1989, both hotels opened, burdened with a debt of 12 million escudos (approximately €60,000). The hotels faced considerable criticism, loans, and debt.

    To prevent collapse, an external investor had to be found, and so new management began with ESTA (Estoril Sol and TAP Air Portugal). They managed to secure government assistance in the form of repayable grants for repairs. The Bahia Palace is still open today, even though it's a 4-star hotel. Unfortunately, the Monte Palace doesn't have the same story.

    I certainly enjoyed strolling around there.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Mercado da Graça

    January 23 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    Today I went to the market, because my fruit and vegetable supplies had to be replenished.

    I went to the Mercado da Graça, which is located in the parish of São Pedro, in the city of Ponta Delgada.

    The selection is great 🤩, there are an insane number of locate and also imported fruits and vegetables.

    Every second Saturday is a special fish day, on which there are a lot of fishmongers. Today was Friday and another market visitor told me that tomorrow would be the special Saturday and I put that information into my calendar straight away ✍️🗓️.

    So today there was only one fish stand, the rest of the fish hall was empty. The meat stalls, on the other hand, are always there.

    The market dates back to the mid- 19th century, replacing the original trading posts for agricultural products and livestock on the south side of the Matriz church (the Mercado do Pelourinho) and in the arcades of the Cais Velho, next to the Cais da Terra (Arcadas da Feira).

    This agricultural market located in the grounds of the Convent of Graça, was intended, within the ideals of liberalism that were emerging in the country, to become a new market for the city, in a proper and dignified location, in the same way as the fish Market in Corpo Santo, at Cais da Sardinha, and the livestock Market in the grounds of the Franciscan Friars' Convent at Campo de São Francisco, where the buildings of the Autonomous Port Authority are currently located .

    Construction began in 1848 by resolution of the City Council on March 16 , 1847. On December 30, 1849, the Council decided on the construction of a second market in São José.

    It is a very quiet and spacious market, where you are very well protected from the unstable weather and the wind here.

    There is also a cheese merchant, but I write something about him independently.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler
    2

    Torre do Relógio ou Torre Sineira

    January 24 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    The Torre do Relógio ou Torre Sineira is a bell tower in Ponta Delgada near the Portas da Cidade.

    The Bell Tower was built in 1724 and is an integral part of the Ponta Delgada City Hall building. It is approximately 30 meters high and has 106 steps. You can enter the tower on the right side of the building, it's the second door.

    It was reopened on April 18, 2015, World Monuments and Sites Day, after renovation works. At its top you can enjoy a 360º view over the city of Ponta Delgada.

    There are not many steps, 106 like written above, but the top spiral staircase is only 40cm wide, so it is difficult to squeeze through with a bag or backpack. And if you're claustrophobic, it's definitely not for you.

    The tower is really authentic and the stone staircase shows its age. In countless places, the stairs are badly worn out and you can look down through the stairs.

    I definitely recommend to got there, the entrance is free and you get a great overview over the city.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerAzores 2026Traveler

    Louvre Michaelense

    January 25 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    When I was hungry, I stopped at Louvre Michaelense. This is a traditional bar and bistro in the historic center of Ponta Delgada on the Azorean island of São Miguel. It's considered one of the city's most charming spots, blending a rich history with modern culinary craftsmanship.

    Founded in 1904, the establishment originally served as a luxury hat and fabric shop, importing goods directly from Paris. After a renovation that won an architectural award in 2021, it reopened in 2015 as a mercearia (delicacy) and evolved into a bistro and cocktail bar by 2020.

    The original interior, with its high ceilings, dark wood shelves, and antique display cases, has been preserved. Today, instead of hats, the shelves hold local specialties such as tea, coffee, and preserves from the Azores.

    The bistro's concept combines regional Azorean ingredients with French flair.

    Highlights include the famous (gluten-free) chocolate cake, Eggs Benedict on local sweet bread (Massa Sovada), fish and rice stew (Arroz Malandrinho), and various seafood dishes. They also have a daily special; mine was chickpea soup, buttered rice with beans, and calamari. It was delicious and cost €13.

    The team is international, and numerous vegetarian and vegan options are available.

    If you are around, go there!    Read more

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