Adventures in Lisbon & the Azores!
ILHa TerceirA
Right before the new year, we finally visited Terceira, the small island in the Azores where Derek’s paternal lineage is from. The view from the plane was exactly as I imagined: a beautiful green island contrasted by the deep blue ocean and adorable orange rooftop houses. After we landed, we picked up our rental car. Despite the long travel day, we were SO excited for our adventure ahead and to drive around the whole island, explore nature, and meet the family.
Angra do Heroísmo
We stayed in Angra, which was one of the cutest towns I have ever been to. It was colorful, full of history, and so charming. The ocean views were a breath of fresh air, and we found a little healthy cafe that we ended up going to twice because we loved it so much. Their soup was delicious! I was so happy to have found vegan soup on the island!
Algar do Carvão & Gruta do Natal
On the day we landed, we went to see UNESCO caves in the center of the island. They were ancient lava tunnels that eventually fed into one of the volcanos on the island that erupted millions of years ago. The caves were breathtaking and the water dripping from the top was so neat! It felt like we were in a fairytale.
família
The highlight of the trip was being so warmly welcomed by all of Derek’s relatives and getting to spend quality time with them and learn about the family history. They kindly showed us around the island - to see family homes on the Pires and Duarte sides, check out sightseeing locations, and try their delicious homemade food. On New Year’s Day, we had a traditional Portuguese meal with family and it was fun to listen to so much Portuguese! Their energy was contagious and I learned so much about the Portuguese culture and the history of Terceira. One of our favorite moments was seeing Serra do Cume overlook at sunset - it was so windy and cold but well worth the view!
Praia da Vitória
It was very important that we visit Praia and get a picture overlooking Praia from the Gazebo Torch. Derek’s grandma has a picture of it in her living room so we wanted to go to that exact location to get the same picture. We were so excited to climb up there and see the same view. A true bucket list “pinch me” moment.
Rocha do Chambre Trail
On our last morning, we did the most insane 12k hike. We were literally the only ones on the entire trail, and it was so muddy that we both had to buy new shoes in town after because they were COMPLETELY destroyed! But it was worth it because we got to venture through magical forests and jungles to get to the top. At moments it felt like we were in Jurassic Park or even in Africa. It took us close to 3 hours to hike the whole thing and it was the perfect way to spend the morning in the stunning Terceira nature.
Monte Brasil Hike
We loved the Monte Brasil hike, which was near our hotel and provided more beautiful views of the island. Our favorite part was being chased by 3 chickens. I was actually terrified (too terrified to snap a picture of them running after us) but these chickens were ruthless. They were sprinting at us like none other and after we finally broke away from them, we could not stop laughing! Who knew 3 chickens could be so scary…
Miradouros
On our last day, we spent a few hours driving in a complete circle around the island. We saw full rainbows, miles and miles of ocean, natural swimming pools, cows in the roads and fields, and smaller islands split in half (so cool). I will never in my life forget this drive because it was so peaceful and relaxing. I loved being surrounded by ocean everywhere we went.
Lisboa
After spending New Year’s on the island, we stopped for a few nights in Lisbon. It was my first time there and in contrast to Terceira, it was totally busy, crowded, and full of city life! I have never in my life seen so many pastelerias and pastel de nada and cafes. The streets were totally non-linear and the buildings were all very colorful, vibrant and old - all at the same time. We took the historic Lisbon tram (it was so adorable) and just explored the city by foot. I loved the promenade area, visiting the cafe where Fernando Pessoa used to write, and just being around all of the great energy and bustle of the city.
Castelo de Sao Jorge & Arco da rua agusta
We visited the old castle that was built in the 1st century BC, as well as the famous arch. The views of Lisbon took my breath away yet again! It was so nice to spend the morning looking at old ruins and museum artifacts of how the people lived millions of years ago!
Belém Tower & Jeronimos Monastery
We walked from downtown Lisbon to Belém, a different area that has a lot of cool historical sites and monuments. My favorite was Jeronimos Monastery, an old Portugese Catholic monastery where we got to go in old confessional rooms and see the tombs of Vasco da Gama and Fernando Pessoa. The detailed architecture and stone carvings within the monastery were unbelievable. We also visited the Belém Tower and a few other statues and monuments. It was such a memorable trip that I will never forget!
