and went to the hotl, to take a first look around
and have something typical for dinne in the many Ponta Delgada restaurants
the next day we left towards Sete Cidades
went up Covoada and pat Pico do Carvão (not really obvious to find...)
until we stopped in the area of the Lagoa do Canário and went down
we stayed around and did a bit of the Serra Devassa trail
with volcanic cones, craters, big lagoons and an impressive view
then we went down to Sete Cidades, but first stopping at the Vista do Rei
after a good lunch in Sete Cidades (and a new concept of pepper)
we went to the coast, towards Mosteiros and Ponta da Ferraria
back in Ponta Delgada we went to the Gruta do Carvão
and walked through an onld lava tunnel!
back in town we had again for dinner something typical from the islands!
the next day we took it easy, relaxing in the area of Furnas
where we sepnt a few hours in the warm water of the Poças da Dona Beija
afterwards, in the town of Furnas, we visited the Terra Nostra park
and then tasted the typical Cozido - what a treat!
we drove down to Ribeira Quente for a bit of time at the beach
and came back to the hotel through the Pico do Ferro (spectacular view)
we still had time to go down to the hidden Lagoa do Congro
and pass by Vila Franca do Campo and by the Nossa Senhora da Paz
from where you have a very good viwe of the famous Ilhéu
on the morning of the third day we had the whale watching boat trip
as expected we saw at least two species of dolphins
and many sperm whales, even a mother with her little 8 ton cub!
in the afternoon we went up to the Lagoa do Fogo
and came down by the Caldeira Velha and the geothermal power plant,
afterwards we were back in Ponta Delgada and went again to the beach,
between Lagoa and Sao Roque, very familliar apart from the black sand
on the fourth day we drove to the remote area of Nordeste
again passing by Ribeira Grande where we cisited the cebtral area
and there we went in strangely curvy highway,
passing through the Tea crops area (Gorreana and Porto Formoso)
after having lunch in town (the prices are much lower in this area)
we headed, along the clifs, to the Ponta da Madrugada
passing by many sunday barbeques, always with a nice view
and afterwards we came back, a long way back to the hotwl (almost 80km!)
on the fifth day we drove straight to Povoação, but on mountain roads!
enjoying the view you get if you come from the Furnas area
and, after lunch, we went to Faial da Terra
where we did a very nice trail to a beautiful waterfall
we then crossed again through to Nordeste, but on a dirt road,
passing by the highest peaks (I'm glad the car was a rental!)
on the last day of the trip we stayed in Ponta Delgada,
where we did some tours of some chirches, the harbour area
and the Forte de São Brás barracs
before we went back to the airpot to catch the plane back
I knew the Azores were amongst the most beautiful areas of Portugal!
but I didn't know this island yet, and it is no less beautiful than the others,
the advantage is it includes most of the landscape types in one trip only!
we really wat to come back, next time to the Central Group
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