Have you ever been to someplace so special that you want to scream to world how amazing it is? And then you realize that you don’t want to share in case all the tourists start to flock there in droves and ruin its natural beauty and rich culture. Yeah, that’s how I feel about the Azores. I recently gave a …
Searching for the Pot of Gold Along the South Coast of Sao Miguel (Azores)
After exploring both Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo with the Teacher and the Brown Student and enjoying countless beers at the local watering hole in Ponta Delgada, I joined the boys the next day for a short road trip around the south coast of the island ending at the lighthouse in Nordeste. We got a late start, like 2pm …
Road Tripping Around the North Coast of Sao Miguel (Azores)
As soon as I checked into my hostel on Wednesday morning, I threw my backpack on my bed and immediately jumped into a tiny European rental car with my four newest travel companions. The Fashionable Filipino was the man behind the wheel and handled navigating the narrow cobblestone streets of Ponta Delgada. We hopped onto the main highway and headed …
One Time We Broke into a Lighthouse in Nordeste…
At the very northeastern tip of the little island of Sao Miguel the quaint, charming town of Nordeste sits between the rocky coastline and the interior wooded mountains. Nordeste takes well over an hour to get from Ponta Delgada or any of the larger towns on the islands. Despite the long winding and narrow paved roads to get there, the …
A Photo Tour of Ponta Delgada, Portgual (Azores)
As I climbed down the steps from the plane onto the tarmac of Sao Miguel’s airport, I was met with a strong salty breeze and the comfort of being on solid ground instead of being bumped around by turbulence in a tin can. The immigration line took longer than expected, but I quickly learned that life on a small island …
Hostel Review: Vintage Place – Ponta Delgada, Portugal
Ponta Delgada has many options for accommodations in various price ranges. As a budget solo traveler my preference is always a hostel. It’s cheap and you can meet other travelers to explore with or just grab a beer. Since the Azores are not really a major backpacker hotspot, I had to resort to finding potential hostels using a Booking.com and …
Lagoa do Fogo and the High Anxiety Drive to Get There
Lagoa do Fogo is the highest lake above sea level on Sao Miguel situated in the Agua de Pau Massif stratovolcano at 580 meters (1,900 feet) above sea level. It is one of the main tourist attractions on the island and after seeing the natural wonders of Sete Cidades, the Teacher, the Brown Student, the Fashionable Filipino, and I decided …
Sete Cidades: On Top of a Volcano in Hurricane Force Winds
And no we didn’t die. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t hurricane force winds, but the winds were whipping about 45 mph from all directions and my phone kept beeping with high wind warnings. On my third day on Sao Miguel, I hopped into a car with the Fashionable Filipino, the Brown Student, and the Teacher after a leisurely morning …
A Band of Traveling Friends: The Sao Miguel Story
When I stepped onto the tarmac at the Ponta Delgada airport I was half asleep. My hair was whipping around my face due to the wind and I could smell the salty scent of the ocean. I was here. I had a knot in my stomach; partly because the bumpy plane ride to the island stirred up my motion sickness …