The Azores sit in the middle of the Atlantic, closer to North America than most people realize, and unlike anywhere else in Europe. These nine volcanic islands belong to Portugal, but the experience of traveling here feels entirely their own.
This is not the Mediterranean version of Europe most travelers imagine. The landscapes are wilder, greener and shaped constantly by water, mist and volcanic activity. One moment you are driving through dense forests wrapped in fog, and the next you’re standing above a crater lake that looks almost unreal. What makes the Azores truly special, though, is not only the scenery. It’s the pace of life. The islands naturally slow you down. Days are built around long walks, warm meals, changing weather and quiet moments in nature rather than packed itineraries or rushed sightseeing.
For travelers looking for unique experiences in the Azores, São Miguel is often the perfect place to begin. The island combines volcanic landscapes, thermal springs, dramatic coastlines and local traditions in a way that feels immersive rather than staged.
Here are five experiences that capture what traveling through the Azores actually feels like.
Furnas is one of the most famous places in São Miguel, but many visitors experience it too quickly. They stop for a photo, try the thermal waters and move on. The real beauty of Furnas only reveals itself when you slow down.
The first thing you notice is the smell of sulfur rising from the ground. Steam escapes from cracks in the earth, gardens grow impossibly green and the entire valley feels shaped by geothermal energy. It’s dramatic, but never loud. The thermal pools here are not polished spa experiences. The water is warm, rich in minerals and naturally tinted by iron. At Terra Nostra Garden, surrounded by dense botanical vegetation, swimming almost feels prehistoric, like stepping into a landscape untouched by time.
Outside the pools, Furnas moves slowly. One of the best things to do in São Miguel Azores is simply allowing yourself time here without rushing between viewpoints or activities. Furnas is not about checking places off a list. It’s about atmosphere, texture and stillness.
Most people visit Sete Cidades, stop at Vista do Rei for a few minutes, take a photo of the twin lakes and leave.
But the real experience begins once you slow down and explore the area on foot. Sete Cidades is one of the largest volcanic calderas in the Azores, and standing above it at dusk feels difficult to describe until you experience it yourself. The scale of the landscape, the silence and the changing light create something far more powerful than a simple viewpoint.
Walking the trails around Vista do Rei allows you to experience the scenery gradually instead of arriving only for a quick stop. As you move through the green volcanic landscape, the lakes begin to reveal themselves from different angles, while the Atlantic appears in the distance beyond the crater. By the end of the day, everything becomes quieter. The wind slows down, the light softens and the entire landscape feels almost unreal.
There are few meals in the world connected so directly to the landscape around them as Cozido das Furnas.
This traditional Azorean stew is cooked underground using geothermal heat from the volcanic soil itself. Large metal pots filled with meats, vegetables and local sausages are lowered into the earth and left to cook slowly for several hours beneath the surface. Watching the process in Furnas gives the dish a completely different meaning. Steam rises from the ground around the cooking holes, the smell of sulfur fills the air and locals move calmly through a ritual that has existed here for generations.
The meal itself is rich, comforting and deeply tied to the island’s identity. Cabbage, sweet potato, carrots, pork, beef and local chouriço absorb the slow volcanic cooking process in a way that cannot really be replicated anywhere else. What makes this experience special is not just the food. It’s understanding how connected life in the Azores remains to the natural forces of the islands. In a world where so many travel experiences feel designed purely for tourists, this still feels genuinely local.
The Azores constantly blur the line between land and water.
One of the best examples is swimming in the islands’ volcanic thermal pools and natural ocean formations, where hot geothermal water mixes directly with the Atlantic Ocean. At places like Ferraria, the experience feels wonderfully strange. Black volcanic rocks surround the coastline, waves crash against solidified lava and warm water moves unpredictably with the tides. Depending on the ocean conditions, you can feel pockets of warm geothermal water drifting around you while the Atlantic cools everything else.
There is nothing polished or overly curated about it. No large resorts, no artificial tropical atmosphere, just raw and unforgettable geology shaping the experience naturally.
Where you stay in the Azores changes the entire rhythm of the trip.
Large resorts exist, of course, but the islands feel far more meaningful when experienced through smaller places connected to the landscape and local culture around them. Across São Miguel, you’ll find restored farmhouses, traditional manor houses, volcanic stone cottages and boutique stays surrounded by nature. Many of them are family-owned, deeply rooted in the island and designed around simplicity rather than excess.
You wake up to mist rolling through the hills, breakfasts made with local cheese and fruit, and silence broken only by birds or distant ocean sounds. The experience feels personal instead of transactional. This is where the Azores become much more than a destination. They begin to feel lived-in.
For travelers coming from the US or Canada, especially those searching for off the tourist trail Azores experiences, choosing the right place to stay often defines the entire journey. The islands reward slower travel, flexible itineraries and spaces that allow you to connect with the environment around you. At We Love Small Hotels, this is exactly the kind of travel experience we focus on, helping travelers discover the Azores through places that genuinely belong there.
There are direct flights to the Azores from cities like Boston and New York, mainly operated by Azores Airlines (SATA) and seasonally by Delta. Flight times from the East Coast are usually around five hours, making the Azores much closer than many travelers expect.
São Miguel is usually the best island to visit first. It offers a mix of volcanic lakes, thermal springs, hiking trails, local gastronomy and easy infrastructure, making it an excellent introduction to the Azores.
The best time to visit is generally between May and October, when temperatures are milder and conditions are better for hiking and outdoor activities. However, the Azores have microclimates year-round, and changing weather is part of the experience.
Absolutely. The Azores are one of the best destinations for tailor-made travel, especially for travelers looking to combine nature, gastronomy, boutique stays and slower experiences. At We Love Small Hotels, we help design personalized itineraries across the islands based on your travel style and pace.
The Azores are the kind of place that rewards those who take their time.
Not because there is too little to do, but because the experience becomes infinitely richer once you stop trying to rush through it. If you’re thinking about visiting the Azores, and doing it properly, we’d be glad to help you plan something that actually fits.
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