Hiking???

by Julie
(New Hampshire, USA)

Hi Rob! First of all, thanks for the really great info on your website. I have never been to the Azores, but loved Portugal and can't wait to try her mid-Atlantic sister Islands!!! You probably talk about hiking in the Azores, but I haven't had a chance to read all your E-zines. Can you please let us readers know about your favorite Azores hikes? I am particularly interested in 1-6 hour hikes off the beaten track but close to a village / town where I can eat / spend the night afterwards. Thanks again for everything that you share!
~Julie

Rob's Reply
Hi Julie
Thanks for asking about hiking in the Azores.

There are a lot of good trails in the Azores. But each year the quality changes. Some are in great condition one year, and then they are closed due to wash outs or other factors. Unfortunatly most of them are not near accomodation, with the exception of a couple hikes in the Furnas area of Sao Miguel, where there are a couple of hotels.

Many tourists hire Ricardo Amorim of Amazing Tours to pick them up from their accommodation and drive them to the trail. He knows the trails quite well and will meet you at the end or even do the trail with you. I have a link to his page in my Sao Miguel Azores Directory.

I recommend checking out Azores hiking at www.trails-azores.com. You'll see that there are many trails and that some are closed at the moment.

Sorry to be vague, but the best trails are a moving target at times. But it's a wonderful place to hike.

Regards
Rob Belchior
PS I put a few pictures from hikes on this page for you...