Our young family fell for the volcanic Azores.

If you missed my first post, Exploring Europe with a 1 Year Old – Portugal, click here.

Now, on to the Azores.

You can do what seems like a million things in the Azores: cycling, hiking, rock climbing, swimming. You can even do all of these activities in a volcano, if you desire! If you have older children, I highly recommend searching for a guide to the Azores with active kids and teenagers.

After a visit to the Azores, there will be no question in your mind why the main island of the archipelago is called “The Green Island”. It’s magical and even otherworldly!

We arrived at the tiniest airport and grabbed our rental. Next, we whizzed off to the most amazing hotel in this magical place! We wound through the flourishing hydrangea that lined the roads from the airport and arrived at Terra Nostra Garden Hotel.

Azores – Hotel Details

Terra Nostra Garden Hotel is located in the heart of São Miguel Island. It was named one of the world’s top “Green Retreats” by Conde Nast Traveler. “The 18th century Terra Nostra Garden Hotel exudes a breathtaking atmosphere of exoticism in perfect harmony with nature.”

Don’t be deceived by its outward appearance. Man-oh-man, Terra Nostra won’t disappoint you! The hotel sits upon the most incredible natural springs.

It was a tough decision, but we decided to spend our entire trip on São Miguel Island. Given our limited time, and the fact that we had a little one in tow, it made the most sense for us. We never ran out of things to do, eat, explore, and see! We even ate corn cooked underground, and Azores’ signature meal, Cozidos das Furnas. Delicious!

Places to Visit

1. Lagoa do Fogo – Here, it was shockingly foggy! The weather on São Miguel Island can vary drastically from end to end.
2. Poça da Dona Beija – We walked from our hotel to these beautiful natural springs. These springs are significantly smaller than the springs of Parque Terra Nostra, but beautiful all the same! As guests of the hotel, we were spoiled and could visit the springs of Terra Nostra at all hours of the day!
3. Islote de Vila Franca – We flew the drone over this gorgeous area. It is also the sight of last year’s Red Bull jumps!
4. Our Lady of Peace Chapel – You’ll find this incredible chapel right up the hill from Isolte de Vila Franca. We pretty much had it to ourselves, for exploring!
5. Ponta de Ferraria – Every trip has a funny “miss”, am I right?! This was ours. We talked to the locals and thought we arrived when the tide was right, to enjoy this natural hot spring. (Here, the ocean meets fresh water.) However, we were hiking in, in our bathing suits, as everyone else was hiking out! It ended up being about 60 degrees, foggy, and rainy. Oops!
6. … and so much more!

Every day in the Azores was truly mesmerizing. I cannot wait to go back! Have you been to the Azores? What was the highlight of your trip? What treat are you saving for next time?

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