Today we set foot on the island of Terceira, where a group of active hikers walked a beautiful trail along the coast, the Baías da Agualva. It was a beautifully sunny day with blue skies, green surroundings, and many singing birds. Graciosa, the last island we visited, has many invasive trees, so it was interesting to see the endemic trees here in Terceira, including the Juniperus brevifolia, Erica azorica, and the Morella faya. In the meantime, others were headed for a scenic tour to experience the beautiful vistas the island has to offer. The afternoon highlighted different walks throughout the region: a photo tour, a nature hike, or free roaming through the city of Angra do Heroísmo, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
4/9/2025
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São Miguel, Açores
Our last full day exploring the Açores took place on São Miguel, where we began our journey seven days ago. Having already visited six of the nine islands that make up the archipelago, we had the chance to make the most of the last day of our expedition with a couple of options. Each island has its own character, tastes, and history. We experienced as much as we could in our time here, from the delicious local Queijadas (small pastries), Açorean tea, and local culinary delicacy, cozido das furnas, which is a stew cooked in a geothermal bath. All groups visited Lagoa das Furnas (Furnace Lake), where our meals were cooked for seven hours. One group spent a good part of the day walking along a scenic and leisurely path around the lake. Another highlight was visiting the geothermally active site of Caldieras in the village of Furnas. Here, several active pools constantly spew steam and boil mud, as well as providing fourteen different types of mineral water…a constant reminder of this island’s fiery volcanic past.
