The Azores: Where the Oceans Are Wild, the Stew Is Cooked Underground, and Nobody Remembers to Pack an Umbrella

Welcome to the Azores, a tiny archipelago of nine volcanic islands stranded in the middle of the North Atlantic, where Portugal’s laid-back island vibes meet a landscape that looks suspiciously like Jurassic Park.

It’s a place where nature is completely in charge and weather forecasts are essentially a hilarious joke. You can literally experience all four seasons in twenty minutes: blinding sunshine, thick mountain fog, a torrential downpour, and a vibrant rainbow before you’ve even finished your morning coffee.

On land, the volcanic energy isn't just scenic—it's your chef. At Furnas, locals dig holes straight into the steaming, geothermally heated earth to slow-cook Cozido das Furnas, a rich meat stew baked by the volcano itself. Afterwards, you can float in natural hot springs surrounded by giant ferns, or hike along dramatic volcanic crater lakes that look like they were custom-built for a fantasy movie set.

Then you strap on a wet suit and hit the ocean. The Azores are a world-class hotspot for marine life, sitting right on the migratory highway for blue whales, sperm whales, and pods of playful dolphins. Below the surface, offshore sea mounts like Princess Alice Bank offer legendary diving, where you can hang out in crystal-clear blue water surrounded by dozens of massive, curious mobula rays and oceanic sharks.

Between dodging cows on single-lane mountain roads, drinking tea grown on Europe’s only tea plantations, and diving into the wild blue Atlantic, the Azores are breathtaking, adventurous, and delightfully remote. Just pack layers for every weather scenario imaginable, and always respect the power of a volcano that cooks your dinner!

April, 2014