In Tavira, it is as though time stops completely. When you fall asleep on the beach it seems like it´s been hours, when it´s only been 20 minutes. It is a unique place, generally hidden and overpopulated with mosquitoes. Peace and tranquility overcome anyone traveling here.
We vacationed in the island of Sao Miguel, part of the Azores. We wanted to spend time on the beach but, when we got there, we had other ideas. It was a 4 hour flight from Barcelona, with beautiful landscapes. If you like the mountains, you will love this island. It has a spring-like climate. The days begin foggy but little by little, clear. The beaches, uncrowded, sandy and black, are bathed in cold sea. The lakes (lake green, blue lake, lake do Fogo, Furnas lake) are spectacular. The northeast area is spectacular! The food is not bad and the restaurants provide very good service. I would recommend hiring a car to enjoy the island at your own pace (the deals at the hotels are somewhat expensive).
We left the car in a car park in front of the harbor. It was very good, 5 euros for a day and protected from all dangers. We enjoyed a very good experience, we loved the island, it is very quiet, with some restaurants on the port and several houses on the small island, we stayed at the bungalows that are there, and we were on the beach all day, and in the evening we went for dinner and drinks.
Come here if you enjoy wild landscape and volcanoes, there are fantastic excursions around the lavadas (Madeiran irrigation channels), with panoramic views like something out of a film and a pleasant climate. There is also little beach shore.
The island is beautiful and has a nature reserve with an old volcanic crater which is now a natural pool full of fish. I recommend going any day except on Sundays because it is full of picnicking families. The maximum capacity of the island is 300 people, but I got the feeling that they do not control it much because when we arrived there were no tickets. The last boats back from the island are very overcrowded and we were queuing at the pier for an hour, so get there early in the morning or go on weekdays. It is about 30 km from Ponta Delgada.
If one thing Porto Santo is is a very popular holiday destination in Portugal, but in Spain it is quite unknown. Perhaps it is because this is primarily a destination of sun and sand and in Spain it is not that we have scarce places. This is probably because there are not many connections but they pass through at least one stop in Portugal. Porto Santo has one of the very best beaches of the Atlantic Ocean. It's not crowded in the summer months, so it is a very good place to visit, especially if combined with the nearby island Madeira. Madeira come precisely from the bulk of visitors to Porto Santo, many of them in packages that offer full-day visits to the island. Aside from the fantastic beach, perhaps the other noteworthy point is that Porto Santo was home to Christopher Columbus, before the launch of the adventure of the Americas. The house of Christopher Columbus is actually there in the city and is now a restored museum that you can visit. You can get to Porto Santo either by plane (20 minutes from Madeira) or boat. One or two boats leave every day, and take 2.5 hours to arrive.
Punta Delgada is the capital of the island and although you see many people in the streets, it's not so heavily populated in reality. People were at parties which had brought them together from across the island. A good place to eat in a charming corner - but the real attraction is the island itself.
The Monasteries Islands (Ilhéu dos Mosteiros) are west of Sao Miguel Island. The town of Mosteiros is the namesake of these islands and is about 800 meters from the coast. Bathed by the Atlantic Ocean, the islands were originally part of a volcanic cone, but today, thanks to erosion from the sea, they present different forms with shear walls. In some places, this set of reddish black stone islands of volcanic origin reach an altitude of 72 meters above sea level. They are home to many migratory birds that rest before embarking on new routes.
This island is the most hidden paradise of Portugal (and I truly hope it remains that way after this blog). It is situated opposite Olhao, and you can take a ferry that takes you there in about 15 minutes. Do not expect sophistication and glamour. This island is quiet, a place where you can enjoy nature, sea and sun. The food is excellent and the bars serve typical local fish (sea bass, sole, cuttlefish) and clams freshly picked on the island. Feijoada is the specialty on Sundays with many Portuguese reveling in it. The beach at the back of the island is untouched.