Walking
at the Azores
A walking vacation is rather
a more common thing in the European countries than it is in the
United States. In Europe, you will find walking tours maps and
guidebooks sold as commonly as hiking trails information is sold
in the United States. If you are interested in walking at the Azores,
you can find many excellent guides to help you to determine the
best places to go and stay.
One thing to keep in mind
while walking at the Azores is that each island is different. The
terrain of the different islands can be very different as well.
If you are not accustomed to a lot of this type of exercise, it’s
important to prepare well in advance by choosing good shoes and
clothing. Lastly, be careful to watch for dehydration. Drink plenty
of water. Each of the islands has numerous walking tours, but some
of the more popular draw dozens of people each year. Because of
volcanic and construction activity in the islands, it’s wise to
find the most current guidebook available, so you won’t be disappointed
if the routes are no longer accessible from an outdated tour book.
One other point to note is that the Himalayan ginger spreads rapidly
and may have overgrown some of the older trails, making them hard
to discern.
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The walking
holidays at the Azores can be either guided or independent, and
can be either circular, so that you can come back to a starting
place—helpful if you drive to the starting place; or linear. Usually
you will arrange for a taxi to drop you off at the start of the
walk and pick you up at a predetermined place further down the trail
later in the day.
Walking tours are perhaps the
best way to see the Azores, even for those only moderately fit.
Whether you are most interested in walking through history such
as in the Angra do Heroísmo, a UNESCO World Heritage City, or photographing
the scenic views of mountain and sea, or viewing unique and beautiful
plants and birds—Azores walking tours provide an unusual vacation.
FLORES
An
example of an independent walking tour of the island of Flores will
guide your around the entire length of the west coast over two days.
On the way, you will pass spectacular waterfalls, abandoned villages
and luxurious subtropical forests.
SANTA MARIA
Santa Maria is less visited
than some of the other islands, so walking at the Azores is a great
way to see the sights of this beautiful archipelago. You can visit
the tiny Nossa Senhora de Lurdes church. Another walk is from the
top of Pico Alto, the island’s highest point down to the hamlet
of Sao Pedro
SÃO MIGUEL
In Sao Miguel the walking
tours might include visits to the thermal ponds, a tea plantation,
a hot waterfall or the Lake of Fire crater. The twin craters of
Sete Cidades with one green and one blue lake make a relatively
easy walk. If you are able to time your walk to participate in one
of the many festivals, you’ll find even more of interest. |
