Lagoa, the best destination in the Azores

If somebody were to ask me about a place to spend a quiet and beautiful moment of respite in the sunny idyllic Azores Islands, I’d pick Lagoa, the best destination in the Azores.

Sao Miguel is not only the largest of all of the nine islands in the archipelago, but also the most remarkable. It is certainly transited by an awful lot of tourist, but their tastes are different. For those who admire the authentic air of the place and love nature, Lagoa is the place.

The area was populated by the Portuguese colonists shortly after the discovery of the islands. The geography of the place is dominated by volcanic landscapes and lush pastures.

Lagoa is the seat and main city of the smallest of all San Miguel municipalities. But don’t let size trick you: it’s completely irrelevant in this context, since there is so much to do and to explore. For starters, you can tour the ceramics factory in time and learn about how the traditional “louca da Lagoa” pottery is produced.

The winding streets will remind you of Europe and the language you hear will make it clear that, in spite of the distance, the island was widely influenced by the Portuguese culture. The architecture, for instance, is European in style and you can prove this if you take a look at the Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosario, the beautiful local church, and the Ermida de Nossa Senhora dos Remedios. The latter is a chapel built in the 18th century in the baroque style and used to belong to the Franciscan Convent it was adjacent to.

Hiking is the best possible option in Lagoa, so I encourage that full-heartedly. But if you are less adventurous or “outdoorsy”, you can always enjoy an Azores tour, especially since the price is fixed, low and the service can easily be booked online!