My adventure in the amazing Azores: ‘It’s like looking into an open aquarium’

Tour guide Eduardo Elias is scanning the waters from our yellow rib off Vila Franca do Campo Islet in the Azores. Due to the Azores’ location – nestled in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean – it receives currents rich in nutrients, he explains.

“We have the ideal position to function as a pitstop or an oasis for all the species crossing the Atlantic.”

The Azores has gone from a history of whale hunting to whale-watching over the last 30 years, and its untapped tourism has made it a hidden gem for those seeking an adventure.

Set further north than the Canary Islands, about a 2.5-hour flight from Lisbon, this is a remote and often overlooked archipelago of nine islands. A trip feels like an adventure of the elements – water, earth, air and fire – and, as Eduardo puts it, “it’s like looking into an open aquarium”.

The largest of the islands, Sao Miguel – often nicknamed The Green Island – offers a vivid landscape of greenery, intertwined with geothermal activity in the form of steaming fumaroles, thermal pools and natural mineral springs.

It’s true that you will experience all four seasons in a day, from abundant rain to beaming sunshine, but its subtropical climate allows greenery to flourish. And the islands are famous for world-class whale-watching, hiking, sailing and diving without the spoils of mass tourism.

Our whale-watching trip with Terra Azul (azoreswhalewatch.com) began with a boat trip to Vila Franca do Campo.

On the yellow rib, hydrophone systems are available to hear any nearby whales under the water, while “lookouts” along the coast keep an eye on sightings and pass the information along to the boats.

The captain sped through the choppy waters as information of possible sightings was fed through on walkie talkies from the lookouts.

Pods of dolphins swam along with the boat, jumping out of the water with curiosity. Unfortunately, we saw no whales on our trip in mid-October. However, a boat the day before saw three sightings.

A third of the world’s whale species have been spotted in the Azores. The best time of the year to go whale-watching here is spring – from April to June – during mating season when different species will cross the Atlantic.

At this time, the region attracts baleen whales, fin whales and blue whales. Teeth whales and false orcas arrive in summer and will stay until the beginning of winter, while the sardine whale will sometimes stay the whole season.

The last Azorian whale hunt took place in 1987.

“We were very lucky because at the time, nobody believed in the business,” says Eduardo of the establishment of a whale-watching industry in the Azores in 1991.

Since then, it has become one of the world’s most popular locations to whale-watch, with strict rules in place to protect the animals. Sustainability is a focus too – the Azores was the first archipelago in the world to be named as a “Sustainable Tourism Destination”, under the EarthCheck Sustainable Destination programme.

Of course, there’s a lot more to the archipelago than the surrounding waters.

On day two, we travelled to the thermal hot spot of Furnas to take in Sao Miguel's geothermal activity. The striking volcanic landscape is covered in lush green vegetation, and sometimes described as the Hawaii of Europe.

We followed the island’s north road, stopping at a local tea plantation and the Pico do Ferro lookout.

The Furnas Valley in the centre of Sao Miguel is an oasis of green – vibrant scenery with two active volcanic sites and boiling caldeiras. Located within the valley is Terra Nostra Park, which offers a large iron-rich thermal pool reaching 40 degrees.

There are lots of activities to spend a day around Furnas Lake, including hiking, swimming, kayaking and paddle-boarding.

However, if you want to eat like a real local, try a cooking class where you learn to make a steaming hot cozido stew, cooked in the volcanic soil alongside the caldeiras.

We met local chef, Henrique Mouro, from the Art of Tasting Portugal (theartoftastingportugal.com) and cooked our own traditional stew with a mix of traditional Portuguese meats and vegetables.

The ingredients are put in a large pot, covered in a white blanket and slowly lowered into a hole in the calderia, where it stews in the volcanic soil for eight hours.

While your dinner stews, my tip is to take a tour around Furnal Lake, the crown jewel of the Sao Miguell.

The area is actually a dormant volcanic crater, which last erupted in 1630. The geothermal activity is all around with bubbling thermal pools, mineral springs and steaming fumaroles – albeit there is a strong smell of sulphur.

These remote islands, with their charming simplicity and natural wonders, etched a lasting impression for me.

Whether exploring the volcanic craters or savouring local delicacies, the warmth of the Azorean hospitality has made memories that linger long after my departure.

Get there

TAP Air Portugal offers year-round flights to the Azores, via Lisbon. Flights depart Lisbon three times daily to Sao Miguel and twice-daily to Terceira. From Dublin, return fares start from around €197 in economy and €522 in business class. flytap.com

The Lince Azores in Ponta Delgada is a four-star hotel with views over the ocean and the southern part of the island.

Where to stay

Amy stayed at The Lince Azores in Ponta Delgada. The four-star hotel has 154 rooms with views over the ocean and over the southern part of the island, including two suites and 24 interconnecting rooms.

In Lisbon, Amy stayed at Vila Gale Collection Palacio Dos Arcos. The five-star hotel is a refurbished 15th-century palace. The hotel contains 76 rooms, decorated after famous poets and overlooks the Lisbon coast.

This chain also has a great hotel in Ponta Delgada called Vila Gale Collection Sao Miguel.

Amy was a guest of TAP Air Portugal and Visit Azores.

For more information, see visitazores.com