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We Travel With Loveletters to the places we love
Letter No. 29Written in August 2026

The Azores, Portugal

Dear the Azores, Islands That Ask You to Slow Down

Reading time
3 minutes
Sete Cidades Azores
Photo: Walmaul, CC BY-SA 4.0

Dear Azores,

You are nine volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic, part of Portugal but far from it. Green pastures, crater lakes, hot springs and hedges of blue hydrangea.

Your weather is famously changeable. A viewpoint can be in sunshine one minute and cloud the next.

This letter is about slowing down, being flexible and treating islands with care.

Furnas Azores
Furnas Azores. Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What we love

  • ♥Sete Cidades

    Twin crater lakes on São Miguel, one green and one blue. Visit the viewpoint and be prepared for cloud.

  • ♥Furnas

    Hot springs, steaming fumaroles and cozido, a stew cooked underground by volcanic heat.

  • ♥Pico's mountain

    Portugal's highest peak, a volcanic cone climbable with a permit and good weather.

  • ♥Hydrangea hedges

    In summer, roadsides are lined with hydrangeas.

Pico island Azores
Pico island Azores. Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What we'd tell a friend

Getting there
Flights from mainland Portugal and some international routes. Inter-island flights and ferries connect the islands.
Getting around
A hire car is useful on most islands; public transport is limited.
Weather
Bring layers and rain gear. Flexibility is essential, as flights can be delayed by weather.

This is general guidance. Prices, timetables, opening hours and entry rules change, so please check the official sources below before you travel.

Handle with care

Whale watching is popular; choose operators who follow responsible guidelines. Stay on trails, close farm gates behind you, and respect grazing cattle.

Azores hydrangeas
Azores hydrangeas. Photo: P. Hughes, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Before you go

Open Sete Cidades, São Miguel, Azores in Google Maps ↗

Azores, you asked us to slow down and wait for the clouds to lift. We will.

With love,

The WTWL Team

Written August 2026

Spotted something out of date? Send us a correction.

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