What can you expect from this diary ?
This travel diary is for curious adventurers who love raw, day‑by‑day stories from real trips, with honest recaps of what happened, good and unexpected. Over 14 days, I traveled to 4 Azores islands (Flores, Corvo, São Jorge, São Miguel) plus an unplanned Faial island extension thanks to Hurricane Gabrielle. You can expect stunning hikes, plans rescheduling, crater walks, cheese factories and surf lessons, and more, all with photos taken by my boyfriend Tobi, or me, Sel. So grab a tea and enjoy your reading!
Quick trip overview:
- Flores (4 days): Hikes, waterfalls and hydrangeas
- Corvo (1 day): Caldeirão Corvo Hike (crater)
- Faial (2 days): An unexpected stop due to Hurricane Gabrielle
- São Jorge (2 days): Cliffs, fajãs and cheese tasting
- São Miguel (5 days): Crater lakes, tea plantatio, beaches and surfing lesson
Table of content
Day 1 – Arrival in Flores Island
Arriving in Flores, via Ponta Delgada
Day 2 – Hiking PR03 FLO
The Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro waterfalls
Day 3 – Rainy Day and Waterfalls of Flores
Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro and Cascata da Ribeira Grande
Day 4 – Day Trip to Corvo Island
Santa Cruz natural swimming pools
Day 1 Arrival in Flores Island
Day 1 - Arrival in Flores Island
Arriving in Flores, via Ponta Delgada
On September 18th 2025, our journey to the Azores starts. Tobi (my boyfriend) and I got ready at 2am to drive to Frankfurt Airport. After a first flight landing in Ponta Delgada, in Sao Miguel, around 9am. We had booked the international flights (Frankfurt – Ponta Delgada) first, as we did not know yet what would be our exact itinerary in the Azores. While planning, after booking the flights, we found out that it was better to visit the island of Flores firts, as this is one of the western island, and flights tend to get cancelled quite often. It would therefore be better to be stuck on Flores because of cancelled flights in the beginning of our travel, rather than on our last day, making us miss our international flight back to Germany. We therefore had to wait until 12:30 PM for our connecting flight to Flores Island on the same day.
The flight to Flores went smoothly. We booked the flights with the company SATA Azores Airline. This is the only company linking all islands by air. There are quite some connections during the day, from Sao Miguel to Flores for example, there are usually 3-4 flights per day. It is important to know that the only way to go to Flores is by plane. A ferry would have taken way too long (and I am not even sure it would be possible). The flight lasted 1h30, and the plane was this small …. You will fly by the “middle triangle” of the azores, with Pico and Faial on the left of the plane, and São Jorge on the right side. Flores airport is located in the town of Santa Cruz. It is extremely small, which immediately gives you the feeling of being somewhere remote.
Rental Car pick up and Airbnb
We immediately got our rental car that we had booked for the 5 days we would spend on Flores. we had booked the car through a German price comparison website, called Check 24, but the car was in the end booked through Ilha Verde, which is basically the go to car booker in the Azores. It is present in most of (if not all) of the Islands. Getting the car was quite straightforward, but my advice would be if you are at least two people: one should get the bags while the other goes straight to the Ilha Verde counter. Why you might ask ? Well everyone arriving to Flores from your plane is going to want to pick up their rental car, so a long queue will form very quickly, and with only 2 people at the counter, you might have to wait quite some time there. There is a small supermarket nearby, not very well stocked, but enough to buy basics for breakfast and simple meals.
We then drove to Lajes da Flores, where our Airbnb was located (link to our Airbnb, this is not an affiliate link, just a spotaneus share). The place was very charming, with three or four rooms in total. We stayed in the largest room called Taranja, which had a private bathroom. The shared kitchen was spacious and well equipped, perfect for cooking. We paid 500€ for 4 nights, and this was the most expensive accomodation we had to pay for during our hole trip. It is important to note that Flores is a very small island, and the accomodation can get booked out a long time in advance, especially if you are travelling to the Azores in July or August. Just remember to book your accomodation at least 2-3 months in avance to have a bit more choice and price categories. You can basically stay anywhere on Flores as long as you have a car as the island is quite small, and you can easily reach your destination within 20-30 minutes. So if you do not mind driving a bit, I would suggest that you book your appartment anywhere, especially in the east, south or west of the island.
Evening Visits
In the late afternoon, we decided to explore a few viewpoints on Flores Island. We stopped at Fajã do Lopo Vaz, Costa do Lajedo, and Miradouro do Cartário to watch the sunset. It is possible to hike down to the beach at Lopo Vaz (around 2h hike down and back up, through the PR…) but we were too tired after such a long day.
We returned to the Airbnb, cooked dinner, and went to bed early.
Day 2 - Hiking PR03 FLO
Getting to Faja Grande
On the second day, after a good night of sleep, we woke up around 8am, had breakfast in our Airbnb, and prepared sandwiches for a full day of hiking. We had bought these “Bolo Lêvedo” breads, and I can tell you this is what we ate for almost all of our lunches. First it saves some money, as you are preparing the sandwiches in advance, second because these breads are just so good, we never had enough of them. It is a sort of english muffin, except better.
The hike planned for the day was the PR03 FLO hike, one of the most popular hiking trails on Flores Island. All of the hiking trails are marked and numbered, PR means “Pequena Rota”, which means small/short route and FLO is because we are on Flores Island, All of the official hiking trails of the Azores are called in a similar way. The PR03 FLO trail starts near the town of Fajã Grande, in the west of the island and leads toward the center of the island. We took our rental car and drove for around 25minutes. we also heard from some people in our Airbnb that the “best coffee they have ever tasted” was served near a hostel in Fajã Grande. We tried getting there on multiple occasions, but the coffee place (which was basically a small caravan) was closed each time so I cannot say for sure that this coffee was the best, but it might be worth trying it there: Best coffee ever (apparently).
The PR03 FLO Hike
- 7km one way, 700 meters of elevation
- Around 3h30 one way
- Officially marked as a hard hike, and quite demanding
- Skip in case of heavy rain
The PR03 FLO hike, as well as all of the other Flores hikes actually, is not circular, which means you need to return the same way unless you organise transportation in advance. The total distance is about 7 kilometers one way with roughly 700 meters of elevation gain in total. The steepest section is around 450 meters of elevation over 3 kilometers only, making it quite demanding. In rainy conditions, the trail can become slippery and potentially unsafe, so please be aware of the conditions of the paths and do not risk a hike if it has been heavily raining in the day(s) prior.
We followed the hike with AllTrails (here is the link), but as it is an official route, it is quite well marked. It took us approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes to reach the two lakes, including several photo breaks. The trail is beautiful, with stunning views over Fajã Grande, neighbouring villages, and green agricultural terraces. We walked through large hydrangea bushes, which were mostly pink by the end of September, but still very impressive. I am not going to lie, I was TIRED after the first 4-5 kilometers, as we had walked up most of the elevation. The last 2 kilometers were ok as we were walking along a dirt road, where cars are also driving past, but they were not the most interesting kilometers to be honest. At some point, we had to walk through some very muddy paths, which made our shoes super dirty, but well, that’s what it is with hiking ! Even though the last two kilometers where not the most thriling, it was still nice to walk among the vegetation.
At the end of the hike, we reached the two central lakes of Flores: the Lagoa Negra and the Lagoa Comprida. The lakes are striking, especially because they have different colors despite being right next to each other. The green lake is called Lagoa Negra, and I am still wondering why it is not the black one called Lagoa Negra… The two lakes are also accessible by car, and there is a parking right next to the lakes, so you can also reach them simply by car , and it is way less tiring than hiking there: here is the Google maps point for the parking.
Returning from the Hike
After the hike we stayed for a bit at the Miradouro (view point) overlooking the two lakes to eat our sandwiches. We started to get a bit cold and also we started to be extremely to get back through the same path. As I mentioned, the hike is not circular, so whatever you are seeing on the way to the lakes, you will see the same on the way back, and to be honest, we really did not feel like walking 7 kilometers again and walking back. We therefore started to ask around, to the people who came by car if they were by any chance driving back to Faja Grande and hop in their car. We didn’t have so much luck, either the tourists were not driving back to Faja Grande, or they just did not feel like driving us back.
We then had no other choice but to start walking back. I have to say, the mood was not at the highest. Luckily, as we were already walking on the road, a German couple, who we had talked to before, stoped again to offer us a ride. As they were not driving all the way to Faja Grande, we did not want them to drive too much of a detour, so they dropped us wherever it was not too far away from their original path. They ended up dropping us at the Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro, which was another spot we wanted to visit anyway at some point during the trip so we thought that it was now a good moment to walk towards the waterfalls.
The Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro Waterfalls
The Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro waterfalls are the most famous waterfalls of Flores. These are the ones you see on any pictures whenever you google about what to do in Flores. From the waterfalls parking, it is only a short 20 minutes walk, a bit uphill to reach the waterfalls. Once you have walked through a forest, you are suddenly facing impressive waterfalls. A full green wall, covered with dozens of waterfalls, reaching 150m height. You can stay for quite some time in front of the waterfalls, just taking pictures or simply observing the falls.
After taking some photos and resting a bit, we were still not very close to our car, so we had to continue walking in driection of Faja Grande.
We ended up taking a part of this hiking trail back to our car (we stayed on the part with only a little elevation). This hike took about 1 hour and 15 minutes and we walked through the same terraces we had admired from above a few hours earlier.
In the end this was a very tiring day. One downside of hiking on Flores Island is that many trails are not circular, which makes logistics more complicated unless you arrange a taxi or decide to go back by walking the same path. With a rental car, it is also difficult to do short hikes, as most PR trails are long and require returning the same way.
Day 3 - Rainy Day and Waterfalls of Flores
A Rainy Morning
On day 3, we woke up during the night to water dripping on our heads. It had been raining heavily all night, and our Airbnb had some leaks. The weather was terrible, with constant rain that soaked you instantly.
According to the forecast, conditions were supposed to improve around 2pm, so we decided to stay in our Airbnb and go grocery shopping instead. We went to the Hélio’s supermarket, which was thankfully fully stocked. We had been warned that supermarkets on Flores receive deliveries only every two weeks, but during our visit, shelves were full.
We used the morning to cook most of our food for the coming days. Around 2pm we decided to go out by car and explore viewpoints near the PR02 hike, which we had to skip due to the weather. When you are travelling to the Azores, especially any time besides July or august, the weather can be quite unpredicatable, It is said that you can experience all 4 seasons in one day. And that is quite true, no matter how well prepared your plan is, you will need to be able to adjust it in case of bad weather.
The PR02 FLO Hike, by Car
However, do not be discouraged, even if it is gloomy and grey, the Azores still have a lot to offer. When we got out of the Airbnb, visibility was very limited, and the sea was hidden behind thick clouds. We wondered if going out was even worth it. However, we quickly fell under the charm of Flores under the clouds. While we went along the road following the PR02 hike, and stoped at the main viewpoints (Miradouros), we stopped at the Cascata da Ribeira do Fundão, where the atmosphere was surreal. Low clouds, roaring water, and dramatic scenery made the experience unforgettable. The mist and fog gave the island a mysterious feeling that we absolutely loved.
We continued driving toward Mosteiro, stopping whenever possible to admire the views. At Miradouro do Portal, visibility was limited, but we could see the Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro and Cascata da Ribeira Grande (which is the waterfall located next to the Ferreiro waterfalls, and that we had not visited the day before) from afar and appreciate their strength. By the time we arrived on the road in front of the Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro waterfalls, we were even more impressed. After more than 12 hours of rain, the waterfalls were incredibly powerful. We took a moment to enjoy the view, very much impressed of the power of nature.
Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro and Cascata da Ribeira Grande
We drove closer to the waterfalls and decided to revisit the Ferreiro Waterfalls. After the short hike, done for a second time, the view was spectacular, even more impressive than the previous day. We loved this moment, the waterfalls were sometimes hidden by low clouds, but by waiting 10 minutes, the sky became blue again. It was quite surreal. it is quite something to have been able to compare the waterfalls prior to a heavy rainfall and on the day right after.
We also attempted to reach the Cascata da Ribeira Grande, but the river crossing was far too dangerous due to strong currents, so we turned back.
In the late afternoon, we headed to Fajã Grande, stopped at the Maresia restaurant for drinks and local cheese, and took photos at the “Zona Balnear” before returning to our accommodation.
Day 4 - Day Trip to Corvo Island
Booking a Trip to Corvo
Day 4 was forecasted to be the sunniest day of our stay, making it the perfect opportunity to visit Corvo Island, the westernmost island of the Azores. Corvo is a very small island, populated by only … people, and at least 3x more cows. The main activity there is to go see the Caldeira do Corvo which is this huge crated, formed by ….This is an island that you will definetlely want to visit, but be aware: choose the day of your visit wisely. Many clouds are getting stuck at the top of the crater, and can completely block the view. I have a friend who went to Corvo 2 weeks prior, and despite a good weather in Flores, the weather on Corvo was terrible. They were not able to do see anything from the crater. So ask for recommendation or check the weather forecast beforehand.
You can reach Corvo either by ferry, which only runs on tuesdays and thursdays, or with private boat operators.
We booked our trip with Filho do Mar Tours after calling them two days prior to book our trip. No prepayment was required, but payment must be made in cash to the boat driver directly. The price was 35 euros per person for a return ticket to Corvo Island.
A Bumpy Ride
Most operators depart from Santa Cruz, so depending on where you stay on Flores, you should plan 30 to 45 minutes of driving to reach the harbour. The meeting point was at 8:45am, at the harbour, and the return was planned around 4:30pm. We were given rain ponchos and boarded a 20 person speedboat. The seating feels like riding a saddle, and the 50 minute boat ride can be very rough depending on weather conditions.
Thankfully, a woman staying in our Airbnb gave Tobi some sea sickness medication, without this, I am not sure in what state I would have found him after the 50 minutes of boat ride. I would highly recommend to have your own sea sickness medication if you have any sensitivity with boat travel, and sitting towards the back of the boat helps reduce the impact of the waves. We were stitting on the third row and the ride was quite intense.
Visiting the Crater
- Take a van until the crater parking lot (10 euros)
- 5km loop inside the crater, 440 meters of elevation
- Around 2h30
- Only visit during sunny days
There are two options to reach the top of Corvo crater: hiking or going by car. If you are not spending the night on Corvo, I would not recommend hiking up, as this would take quite some time and leave you with limited time at the crater, which would be a shame. The other fairly easy option is to take a minivan to the top. Many of them were just waiting at the harbour, offering round-trip transport to the Crater to anyone getting off the boats for 10 euros. These vans run continuously, so you can return whenever you are done hiking.
With this round trip, you have about 4h30 on Corvo, as the boat departs at 2:45pm.
At the crater, you can either walk along the rim or hike down into the crater itself. Hiking down to the bottom of the crater and completing the full loop takes around two and a half hours.
Once the minivan dropped us at the crater parking lot, we were immediately amazed by the view. The crater is massive, all green, and I can imagine it even more beautiful in the summer months, with many hydrangeas are blooming.
As we first wanted to enjoy the view from the top of the crater, we started by walking along the rim, stopping for a lunch of of favourite sandwiches. Watching the clouds cast moving shadows inside the crater was mesmerizing.
One of, I guess, the most photographed rock of the crater is located approximately 15 minutes from the parking along the rim. Many people are stopping there (sometimes queuing) to take some pictures. I have to say, I also wanted a picture on that famous rock, and how great does it look !
Later, we decided to hike down into the crater, but due to time constraints, we only descended to the first lake, and did not complete the full circular hike in the bottom of the crater. The descent took about 15 minutes, while the climb back up was more challenging and took around 25 minutes.
After returning to the top, we took the van back down, had drinks near the windmills, near the harbour and waited for our return boat.
At first, we felt that paying a total of 35 euros for a Corvo Island day trip was quite expensive, especially since the main attraction is the volcanic crater. Do not get me wrong, visiting Corvo was still worth it, but for the price we paid, it felt a bit limited in terms of activities. The price of the ferry on tuesdays and thursdays is also around 32 euros per person.
Returning from Corvo
Little did we know that the return journey would change our perspective. We knew that some cave visits and maybe marine animal encounter would be possible on the way back, but we were not expecting something crazy. On the way back, the boat stopped in the middle of the ocean and we were suddenly surrounded by dozens of dolphins swimming alongside the boat, playing and jumping in the water. The boat driver slowed down and allowed everyone to take photos and simply enjoy the moment. This dolphin encounter alone made the trip unforgettable.
The journey continued along the northeast coast of Flores Island. The boat took us close to impressive sea caves and waterfalls. As the sea conditions were still a bit harsh, we could not enter the caves, but it is sometimes possible on calmer days. The crew explained which waterfalls we were seeing, and at times we got so close that water droplets landed on our faces. There was nothing to worry about, but it made the experience even more fun.
We ended the boat tour passing by the largest so called “fake waterfall” on Flores Island. This waterfall is created by the hydroelectric power plant releasing excess water. Because of the heavy rainfall the previous day, the waterfall was extremely powerful and remained open longer than usual. Actually, Flores is one of the only places on earth having an excess of water ! They use it for power plants, but the inhabitants also are not paying as much as we are for their own water consumption.
While the ferry ride is cheaper, I would definetely advise to book a private tour as you have more chances to see some marine wildlife, visit some of the caves, which I think makes the trip even more special.
Santa Cruz Piscinas Naturais (natural swimming pools)
Once we arrived safely on land, we decided to go to Santa Cruz and to end the day with a swim in Piscinas naturais, the natural swimming pools. There are two or three natural pools in Flores, with the oldest ones originally built for women around eighty years ago. The swimming pools are places where you can easily access the water through infrastructures, although it is important to be careful as some bigger waves can make the current quite intense. There are many fish in the pools, so you can bring your snorkeling equipment is if you want to observe marine life.
We then headed back to our Airbnb, memories full in our heads.
Day 5 - Hiking PR01 FLO on Flores Island
The weather forecast announced sunshine, making it the perfect day for another hike. We chose the PR01 FLO trail, which goes from Ponta or Fajã Grande to the lighthouse of Ponta Delgada on Flores Island.
The hike has approximately 600 meters of elevation gain and is estimated to take about seven and a half hours round trip. Like many hikes on Flores, it is not circular, meaning you must return via the same path. We knew from the start that we did not want to complete the entire hike, so we agreed on a turnaround point.
The trail quickly leads into extremely dense vegetation, dominated by invasive ginger plants. The first three kilometers include about 400 meters of elevation gain, making the hike physically demanding. In some sections, we had to push our way through vegetation, and the path became slippery. I would strongly advise against doing this hike after heavy rain.
At certain points, the trail runs along steep slopes. We even passed a hiker who decided to turn back because of fear of heights. Thankfully, the most exposed sections are short.
After about one and a half hours, we reached the ridge and continued toward the lighthouse, with ocean views on our left. We arrived at our chosen stopping point after approximately two to two and a half hours. We ate lunch there, the usual bolo sandwiches we had prepared earlier, took photos and drone shots, and then started our descent.
The hike back down took around one and a half hours. Interestingly, the dense vegetation that had been difficult on the way up became very useful on the descent, as we could hold onto the plants for support. Without them, we would likely have slipped several times.
Total hiking time was about five hours.
Waterfall Swim and Evening on Flores
After the hike, we stopped at Pico do Bacalhau waterfall, where swimming is possible. This was the perfect reward after such a long hike. The cold water felt refreshing, and the view was absolutely stunning. Standing beneath the waterfall, you can feel the power of the water and the wind pushing it in different directions. A few other people were there, but the place remained calm and peaceful.
In the evening, we returned to the Maresia restaurant for drinks and decided to stay for dinner. They serve a unique menu, and that night we had duck with sweet potato purée. The food was very good, and they also offer a small but nice wine selection.
Hurricane Alert and Unexpected Change of Plans
That evening, the stress started to build. We had been informed that a hurricane with winds reaching up to two hundred kilometers per hour was heading toward the Azores. The next day was supposed to be our travel day to São Jorge, involving one flight and one ferry.
We noticed shops closing, cafes shutting their doors, and people preparing for the storm. I started to panic. Experiencing a hurricane on a remote island was not part of my plans. At that point, it was still unclear how strong the hurricane would be, although forecasts suggested it would weaken before reaching the islands.
The cyclone was expected to hit the central islands around eleven in the evening, exactly where we were supposed to go.
Back at our accommodation, we checked our flight and ferry status. The flight was still operating, but the ferry was canceled. Ferries after four in the afternoon were suspended due to the storm, which meant we would have to spend at least one night on Faial Island, in Horta, where the hurricane was expected to hit hardest.
We booked a last minute accommodation in Horta with free cancellation and no prepayment. Unfortunately, our accommodation in São Jorge did not offer free cancellation, and we initially lost those nights. This is a strong reminder to always book accommodation with flexible cancellation policies, especially when traveling in regions with unpredictable weather.
The ferry company rebooked us on the next available ferry for the following day.
Day 6 Departure from Flores and Arrival in Horta
We packed our bags early and stopped at the supermarket to buy food in case of power outages. At this point, we still did not know how strong the hurricane would be.
We then headed to Flores airport to return our rental car. The airport is very small, so I thought arriving one and a half hours before departure would be enough. I was wrong. Refueling the car turned into a nightmare, as the gas station near the airport was overcrowded and payment machines were not working properly. After wasting time there, we drove to another gas station farther away, where everything went smoothly.
Returning the car was also slow, as only two staff members handle all rentals. We barely made it to security before boarding was called.
The flight to Horta took thirty five minutes. At Horta airport, luggage arrived quickly, but it is important to note that the airport is not located in the city. A taxi is required. We had booked one in advance, which was a great decision.
Our accommodation had a beautiful view of Mount Pico, the highest mountain in the Azores. We decided not to climb Pico this time due to weather concerns, but it is something we would love to do in the future. Pico Island is also famous for its volcanic wines, which have strong mineral and citrus notes.
That evening, we walked around Horta harbor and visited Peter Café Sport, a famous bar known for its gin and sailor history. The atmosphere was friendly, and the walls are covered with flags left by sailors from all over the world.
Day 7 Waiting Out the Storm in Horta
After the storm passed, the sun returned, although strong winds remained. Our ferry was canceled again due to high waves, so we booked a second night in Horta.
Without a car, we explored the town on foot. Many places were still closed after the storm. We visited parks, churches, and cafes, and walked along the harbor to admire the painted murals left by sailors.
In the afternoon, rain returned, and we ended the day once again at Peter Café Sport before heading back to our accommodation.
Day 8 Ferry to São Jorge and Late Arrival
Finally, the day came to leave Faial Island. The ferry ticket cost twenty five euros per person, and the company did not charge extra fees for the cancellations. They even offered refunds, which is good to know if plans change completely.
The ferry departed at nine in the morning, with a short stop on Pico Island. After a storm, the sea can still be rough, so if you are prone to seasickness, sitting on the upper deck is highly recommended. Despite the cold wind, this was the most stable place.
After two hours, we arrived in São Jorge. What followed was a series of small logistical issues, including finding a taxi and picking up our rental car at the airport. These delays cost us valuable time, but eventually we were able to start exploring.
Café Nunes Visit and Sunset in São Jorge
With limited time left, we decided to drive directly to Fajã dos Vimes, stopping at viewpoints along the way. Our main destination was Café Nunes, a family run coffee plantation and café. They grow their own coffee, which is only served on site.
We were given a short tour of the plantation and saw traditional weaving looms used by family members. We then sat on the terrace and tried the coffee. Tobi enjoyed it, describing it as subtle and smooth. Even as a non coffee drinker, I found it less bitter than expected.
On the way back, we stopped at Piscinas Naturais da Fajã Grande for sunset. Fishermen were working nearby, and Mount Pico stood directly in front of us. The scene was peaceful and magical, and it was the perfect ending to an intense and emotional day.