HIGHWAYS
We have no highways and the best we can offer are two SCUTs (fast lanes without costs for the user) in São Miguel. In the Azores we do not pay tolls to move around.
TRAFFIC JAMS
If we are more than 10m in traffic we don’t like it. In the Azores there are no traffic jams, which can stress the visitor a little, because of the facilities they find. 🙂
BEACHES AT 2H TRIP
This information is not accurate, if you drive slow, it takes longer than 2h! And if you want a better reason, visit the fantastic viewpoints that the islands offer. And you can jump from beach to beach and enjoy the different conditions that each one offers.
WARNING: In the Azores, there are not those beaches of white sand of the leaflets. It’s more like the Santa Bárbara beach (photo above).
TALL BUILDINGS AND LARGE AVENUES
The “cities” of the Azores were not designed for high traffic. The tallest building in the Azores can be seen on the right side of the photo above, wich contrast with the rest of the visible architecture.
CITIES
Actually we have cities but only by name, our cities are more villages. The photo above is the beautiful city of Ribeira Grande, by the camera of Paulino Pavão.
NIGHT LIFE
We are sorry, but we are not in competition with southern Spain. In the Azores you don’t find crazy nights, but in summer there are lots of festivals.
LOW TEMPERATURES AT SEA
No ice baths here, Arctic divings and blue-cold bodies. The sea temperature is mild, attracting large marine mammals to true sanctuaries in the Azores. And the Azores are a migratory route of several species.
RIVERS
In the Azores there are no boats to cross rivers, here you sail in open sea during hours.
In the so-called Triangle (the islands of São Jorge, Faial and Pico) the boats sail all year round, being an important contribution to the mobility between the islands. It’s a kind of “I’m going to take the boat to work and I’ll be right back” but in the open sea. Or “ today I had to wander off a whale ”! The Azoreans of the Triangle are hard people!
GRANITE
The islands are of volcanic origin and basalt is our favorite stone. With basalt we do everything we need: walls, houses, decoration, art and even a huge vineyard at Pico, considered a UNESCO heritage site. Except for the beautiful Santa Maria’s beaches with its white sands, the sand of the beaches is black because the basalt is mostly black.
AMUSEMENT PARKS
Image Sailzen
In the Azores Disney would be hurt! Fun for the Azoreans is linked to nature, barbecues and friends. Also surfing, paragliding, whale watching, diving with sharks and horse riding.
STABLE WHEATHER
Wheather in the Azores changes four times a day, just like the four seasons. Which is a big advantage when going to the beach. On a rainy day go to the beach and the good weather will come.
Since this is not guaranteed to happen, we leave you three alternatives in São Miguel: Poça da Dona Beija, Caldeira Velha and the Terra Nostra Garden, all with natural warm waters directly from the interior of the earth. Or read a book.
TRAINS
Neither trains nor subway! It was once an option thought for São Miguel, but the idea was abandoned.
ZOOS
Image Centro Ambiental do Priolo
We have no zoos. We have no zoos !!!! But our concern with wildlife is daily.
In the Azores there are wild species, a native donkey in Graciosa and a few gram-weight bird called “priolo” in the forests of northeastern Sao Miguel. This species is endangered worldwide and is protected by law.
In the Azores we like to protect what is ours. So if you are going to make a trail in Nosdeste, São Miguel island, visit the Centro Ambiental do Prioloand help protect this beautiful bird.