Originally Posted by
WhiskeyBravo
For those familiar with the Azores - what is the draw for that locale vs. carribean? What are the best/worst times for visiting with regards to weather/seasonality?
We have family in Europe and i've always wondered if meeting in the Azores would be a little more 'in the middle'. But is it worth it?
Sao Miguel (the island where PDL is located) is gorgeous. It's definitely a destination that is better suited for people who are into nature, like hiking, kayaking, etc. The weather is pretty consistent year round with lows in the 60s at night and highs between 70 and 80.
The Ocean is quite cold there and there aren't large sand beaches. There are no large all inclusive resorts. It reminded me in a lot of ways of Hawaii but it was certainly still Portuguese in character.
We stayed at the Nostra Terra hotel, which is located in the town of Furnas on the eastern side of the island. It offers 24 hour access to volcanic hot springs in the botanical garden adjacent to the property. It was so nice to soak in these pools late at night after a great dinner, with a bottle of Portuguese wine, enjoying the cool temps.