I’m dusting off the old blog today to share with you some beautiful memories of our amazing day on Sao Miguel Island in The Azores. This incredible island, off the coast of Portugal, is the largest island of the archipelago. These amazing islands were formed from volcanic eruptions and have become one of the most incredibly, beautiful, unspoiled spots I’ve ever visited!

The Azores, Portugal

Sao Miguel home to Ponta Delgado, the capital of this amazing group of islands.  My husband and I were on our first Transatlantic cruise and had spent five full days crossing the Atlantic from San Juan, Puerto Rico. We were more than thrilled to be approaching land …..and what a delight this spot turned out to be!  

Ponta Delgado, Azores

We awoke before dawn to get our first breathtaking view of the magnificent Azores and the port of Ponta Delgado.  The city stretches along the beautiful bay, with numerous churches and houses sprawling on the gently sloping hills.  The black and white color scheme of the buildings adds a relaxing harmony.

Sao Miguel Island, Azores

As we stepped off the ship to explore the city, we discovered the air felt fresh and cool, and absolutely devine! The first thing we did was to hop on an open air double decker bus to take a quick tour of Ponto Delgado. I was captivated by the lush, green foliage and colorful flowers. No wonder this island is known as the “Green Island.”

Sao Miguel Island, Azores

After our quick tour of the city, we took a bus tour up the mountain to Sete Cidades and the two crater lakes.  It was as if we were headed into the clouds surrounded by a tropical paradise. 

Sao Nicolau Church, Cete Cidadas, Azores

Our first stop was to view the charming Sao Nicolau Church built of white stone with black trim in Neoclassical style and featuring Gothic windows.  The cobblestone path that leads to the entrance of the cathedral is lined with tall pines that creates a very picturesque welcoming.  The church was built in 1758 after an older medieval church had been destroyed by fire.

Lagoa das Sete Cidades, Azores

After a quick stop at the church, we continued on our journey to the twin crater lakes.  The folklore is that two star-crossed lovers could not be together and each lake was formed from their tears, one being green and one blue.  Of course, the reality of this is that one lake is deeper than the other.  The day we were there was quite overcast, so both lakes appeared a greenish tone. However, it was still an amazing and incredible site to behold.  

Lagoa das Cete Cidades, Azores

If we had a bit more time, I would have loved to spend the day kayaking or hiking around the lakes. The twin lakes is definitely a great place to linger and take in the beauty of the island!

Sao Miguel Island, Azores

 The fresh, unspoiled beauty of Sao Miguel Island left me longing to spend more time exploring the wonders of this incredible place.  There is so much to see and experience on this tranquil island of vibrant colors.  It is definitely a nature lovers paradise!