We awoke to a warm and sunny last full day in the Azores. Russell, Roza, Mike & Flo set off at 8.30 am to climb Pico da Vara, the highest peak of Sao Miguel island. At 1,105 meters it wasn’t quite on the scale of Pico but by all accounts this still involved a steep uphill climb.
Chris and I were on our own and decided to spend our day with an island road trip to explore some of the nearby towns and villages along the south coast of Sao Miguel.
We began again in nearby Almas Bakery with the idea of planning our route over a hot drink. Luckily our arrival coincided with the tray of cinnamon buns just about to come out of the oven.
These warm sweet pastries were made with sour dough which had previously been fermented for 3 days and were delicious with the organic coffee’s.
Vila Franca do Campo
Our first stop was Vila Franca do Campo which is a popular town on the south coast of the island, particularly for activities such as whale and dolphin tours.
Chris parked the hire car at the end of this quiet town and we walked the cobbled streets to the sea front where we could see the small Vila Franca do Campo islet on the horizon. Boat trips across to the islet are usually available even if the sea did look a bit choppy on this day!
There is a rich pottery history in Vila Franca do Campo and you can see demonstrations and participate in pottery classes if you wish. Chris and I came across one such workshop.
In the middle of the historic centre of Vila Franca do Campo we came across the Parish Church of São Miguel Arcanjo, one of the oldest temples of the Azores. It was partially buried in the 1522 earthquake.
Next we returned to the car and drove for 3 km or so through Vila Franca and up a steep winding road to the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Paz.
Perched on a hill overlooking Vila Franca do Campo, the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Paz has an impressive set of steps together with splendid views.
Built in 1764 this church was much smaller than the previous church (as above).
We walked around the small chapel which backs onto rolling hills and green countryside.
It was well worth the drive up to the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Paz to see the striking architectural design especially of the steps. From there we set off in search of a lake!
We had decided to drive to Lagoa do Congro but Google maps led us to a very bumpy and muddy farm track. Having seen amazing lake views during the last couple of days we didn’t think it was worth wrecking the hire car or raising our stress levels just to see another one. Chris was able to make a 3-point turn and we continued towards Furnas.
Having already visited Furnas two days before, we bypassed this geothermal town and drove along a spectacular stretch of road climbing high above the Furnas valley and into the mountains towards Povoacao, described as a ‘quaint’ fishing village.
Provocao
We found a large free car park along the sea front, near the marina and walked towards the town centre in search of a light lunch. The village may have been quiet and quaint but the Atlantic Ocean here was pretty wild.
We checked Google reviews and had lunch sitting outside the recommended Sabores da terra which overlooked a pretty and colourful square. After the cinnamon buns earlier we decided balance in our diet was needed so we shared a fresh and tasty prawn caeser salad… oh and some fries…
Drink driving regulations are stricter in Portugal than the UK so we agreed we would both enjoy a refreshing glass of sangria and then go for a short walk around the town before driving again.
It was so pleasant sitting outside the restaurant that we finished off with a double espresso each. I also had a Fofas de Povocao, a pastry speciality of the town filled with vanilla cream.
We were almost the last to leave Sabores da terra restaurant which had been busy when we first arrived.
We came across the Parish Church of Our Lady Mother of God and as it was open, we thought we would have a look inside.
Tile panels are a feature of the interior of this decorative church.
We walked through Provocao looking for a waterfall located at the back of the town. We found the waterfall but it wasn’t too picture-worthy.
On the way back from Povoacao we stopped at Miradouro de Santa Iria which is on the north of the island, close to Ribeira Grande.
The views in both directions at Miradouro de Santa Iria were magnificent. This was our final stop of the day before we drove back to the holiday house at Livramento.
Later that evening, the 6 of us enjoyed a fabulous dinner in Alma Latina in Lagoa, a few minutes drive along the coast from our villa. This was the last evening meal together of the trip. At around £57 for two this was a little bit more expensive than any of the other meals throughout the week. And a coincidence (I think) that this restaurant and the bakery are both called ‘Alma’.
Going home
The following morning, having packed and checked out from our holiday house we had 3-4 hours before we needed to return to the airport.
Other than driving past a brightly lit up church and surrounding streets we hadn’t seen much of Lagoa the previous evening so, following a third visit to Alma bakery the 6 of us drove to Lagoa again.
This morning wasn’t quite as sunny as the previous day but it didn’t rain and remained warm at around 22 degrees.
We went to have a look at the church and the street decorations but the church was closed.
We ended with a final drink in beach bar overlooking the sea before making our way the short distance to Ponta Delgada airport to return the hire cars and check in for our flights back to Heathrow.
Summary
This is the final post of our Azores trip at the end of another amazing week of wonderful memories with our lovely friends.
Budget
Generally the Azores is a low cost destination when compared with others in Europe and particularly Norway where we spent a week with the same group of friends in July last year.
Here is a run-down:
- Return British Airways flights £0 including 23 kg baggage allowance each (I used Avios points for Chris and I)
- Return Sata Azores flights from Ponta Delgada to Pico £155.84 each, also including 23 kg
- 1 night Hotel Antillia £88 per room (£44 each)
- 3 nights Pico house £76.90 (one sixth)
- 3 nights Sao Miguel house £50.98 (one sixth)
- Both hire cars, insurance and fuel £150 (one sixth)
- Pre-flight Heathrow meal, hotel and car parking £84.26 (each)
- All other expenditure: food, meals out, snacks, drinks, entry fee to hot springs etc £328.02
Total £890 per person
Not bad for a week. All costs, for example, hire cars and meals, were about 50% of those we paid in Norway last year. With average costs for dinner including drinks, at around £40 for two, it was a treat to enjoy meals out every night without being too concerned about the expenditure.
frombluetogreen.com 
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