Azores: Wine Culture, Volcanic Landscapes and Nature

Long stone walls divide Pico’s vineyards into rectangular plots and protect them from wind and seawater. Such landscapes, together with trails among lava formations and historic sites, give a trip to the Azores a variety of possible focuses. When choosing where to stay, it is worth first considering which of these experiences you want to shape your trip.

Wine Culture on Pico

The vineyard cultural landscape on Pico covers 987 hectares. The walls around the individual plots, known as currais, define the landscape and also serve a protective function. Winegrowing dates back to the 15th century, and high-quality wine is still produced around the village of Criação Velha. The landscape is therefore not only a historic legacy, but also a part of the island’s culture that is still actively cultivated today.

The Vinhas da Criação Velha hiking trail connects the parish of Candelária with Areia Larga in the municipality of Madalena. It runs mostly through the protected cultural landscape, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, and passes through active vineyards with well-preserved stone walls. Along the way, you will encounter features of winegrowing culture such as rola-pipas, relheiras, shelters, wine cellars and tidal wells. Those interested in cultural landscapes will find a route that reveals both their distinctive structure and traces of the work involved in winegrowing.

Hiking Trails Through Lava and Coastal Landscapes

Other trails offer a different focus. The Mistérios Negros hiking trail begins and ends beside the Casa de Apoio of Gruta do Natal and Lagoa do Negro. It lies within the Serra de Santa Bárbara e dos Mistérios Negros Nature Reserve and a geosite in the Azores Geopark, a UNESCO Global Geopark. Along the trail, you can see endemic vegetation and trachytic domes formed by accumulations of more recent lava.

The Serra do Topo – Caldeira de Santo Cristo – Fajã dos Cubres trail passes through the Caldeira de Santo Cristo and ends at Fajã dos Cubres. It lies within the Fajãs do Norte Protected Landscape Area and passes the coastal lagoons of Caldeira de Santo Cristo and Fajã dos Cubres. Lagoa da Caldeira de Santo Cristo is known for its cockles, described as unique to the Azores archipelago. The routes therefore differ in the landscapes they feature: vineyards and stone walls on one, lava formations or coastal lagoons on the other.

The Monte Brasil circular trail also combines landscape and history. It runs through a geosite on an extinct volcano associated with Angra do Heroísmo. Monte Brasil has a particularly good viewpoint overlooking the city. Fortaleza de São João Baptista was built there in the late 16th century.

Historic Angra and Its Collections

From the 15th century until the advent of steamships in the 19th century, Angra do Heroísmo was a compulsory port of call for fleets on routes between Europe, equatorial Africa, and the East and West Indies. The city centre preserves its 15th- and 16th-century street plan and inventoried buildings; the historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.

The Angra do Heroísmo Museum is housed in a former Franciscan monastery dating from the 17th century. Its collections include ceramics, weapons, coins, nautical instruments, sculptures, paintings, furniture and porcelain, among other items. The historic site can thus also be explored through a variety of artefacts: from its streetscape and role as a port to objects relating to art, crafts and seafaring.

Volcanoes, Marine Life and Seasonal Sightings

The Azores’ volcanic landscape includes 1,766 volcanoes, nine of which are still active, nearly 300 recorded volcanic cavities, as well as crater lakes, fumaroles and hot springs. This variety offers a different way to experience the region from its historic cities and human-shaped vineyards: the focus is on geological formations and how they came to be.

The sea also shapes the nature experiences available. More than 20 different species of whales and dolphins can be seen in the Azores, including resident and migratory species. Blue whales can be spotted off Faial just a few miles from the coast practically all year round. The Azores are among the world’s largest whale sanctuaries and offer whale-watching experiences. However, sightings in the wild are not guaranteed.

Baixa do Ambrósio is a marine protected area with a great variety and abundance of marine life. Groups of dozens of manta rays can be seen there on summer dives. This is a seasonal contrast to the practically year-round opportunities to spot blue whales off Faial; sightings of manta rays are also not guaranteed.

Regional Specialties and Travel Planning

On São Miguel, pineapples grow in wooden greenhouses with glass panels coated in lime; cultivation takes about 18 months. The island has Europe’s only tea plantation. Two factories there still produce black and green tea using the same traditional techniques. These agricultural traditions add another dimension to the Azores, highlighting products whose cultivation and processing are closely connected to their places of origin.

Massa Sovada, a sweet bread made with butter, eggs, milk and sugar and traditionally served at religious festivities, is also part of the regional food culture. Recipes vary from island to island. Bolo Levedo was once made throughout the archipelago and is now considered one of the specialties of the Furnas Valley on São Miguel.

If you include several islands in your trip, plan the journeys between them as well: travel between the Azores islands is possible by boat and regional flights. Check the schedules when coordinating your stays and connections. When choosing a hotel, a good starting point is to consider whether you want to focus on wine culture, historic sites, hiking landscapes or nature watching.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Terceira, Santa Maria, S.Miguel, Pico, Faial, San Jorge, Flores, Mosteiros, Graciosa, Furnas, Horta, Topo, Ginetes, Calheta De Nesquim, Faja De Baixo, São Miguel, Ponta Garca, Urzelina, Fajã Grande, Corvo.

For the main travel overview: Portugal.