São Jorge, in the central group of the Azores, is a perfect island for (like us) lovers of nature and a quieter type of tourism.
Despite being one of the least talked about islands, São Jorge has won our hearts. In this itinerary, we try to show you what you can do on this green jewel in the middle of the ocean. Although the island is small, we always recommend a minimum of three days to get to know it.
Fajãs of São Jorge
When you hear about fajãs, you automatically associate the word with the island of São Jorge, and now we understand why: the vast majority of the land on this island is actually called fajãs. Fajã means an area of flat land, situated by the sea and which is the result of cliffs and is therefore surrounded by them. And this is exactly the scenario we find on this island.
As you drive along the main road, you feel like you're going up to a considerable altitude and, when you leave in the direction of one of the many seaside villages, you always end up on huge descents, which constantly test the car's brakes. These are the famous Fajãs of the Azores!
Some of the ones we visited were Fajã dos Vimes (where there is a café/craft store), Fajã de São João, Fajã Grande, Fajã do Ouvidor and, of course, Fajã dos Cubres. One of the most notable is Fajã dos Vimes, where there is a café, Café Nunes, which serves coffee produced by his family and which is said to be incredible - unfortunately it was closed on the day we visited, so we couldn't have this experience. Also noteworthy is Fajã dos Cubres, a marvelous village, which we'll talk about in the next section.
Fajã dos Cubres - 7 Wonder Village
Fajã dos Cubres became one of São Jorge's most famous fajãs when it won the Wonder Village of Portugal award in the Sea Villages category (an award it won in the final against Azenhas do Mar, near Sintra).
When we arrive at this Fajã, we immediately get to know the scenery to be expected from the Fajã dos Cubres viewpoint, which shows us the balance between the houses that exist here and the grandiose lagoon system, which allows for a strong presence of fishing.
The village that stands here was the result of a great demonstration of strength on the part of the population: the village was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1757, and was rebuilt and destroyed again in the earthquake of 1980.
Of all the wonder villages we've visited so far (we've already visited five of the seven), Fajã dos Cubres is undoubtedly the one most closely linked to nature. Its title is due to its landscape and lagoon system and that's exactly what you see, there's no big business in this Fajã.
From here there is also a well-known trail that connects to another Fajã but, due to the rain and intense wind of the day, we were unable to make the journey.
Velas
Velas is one of the main areas of the island and is also the most developed. Entering Velas, you realize exactly how big it is, being full of houses and people in the streets, contrasting with the rest of the island.
Some of the highlights include the Church of São Jorge, the Fort of Nossa Senhora da Conceição das Velas and, our favorite, the garden of Praça da República.
This garden, which occupies a central place in Velas, consists of a landscaped area with a prominent red and white bandstand, as well as a large cage where various birds can be found.
Velas was also the only souvenir store we could find open, so if you like to take back a souvenir from your travels, we recommend you look for one in this town.
Ponta do Topo Lighthouse & Topo Islet
East Island
At the easternmost tip of the island, we find the Ponta do Topo Lighthouse and the Topo Islet.
The lighthouse, built in the 1920s in the area known as Ponta do Topo, began operating in 1927, with a tower 16 meters high and 58 meters above sea level, with a range of 20 miles / 37 kilometers.
The lighthouse seems to be looking directly at Topo Islet (or Ponta do Topo Islet): a flat area of land about 400 meters from the coast, at an altitude of 19 meters and occupying an area of about 12 hectares. This area was once part of the island, but was separated by erosion.
The island is currently home to a large number of seabirds. In addition, there are cows grazing there, and the most curious thing about this is that they swim to the islet. There are also various activities here, such as scuba diving.
Pico da Esperança: São Jorge's Highest Point
(Center of the Island)
Pico da Esperança is the highest mountain on the island of São Jorge in the Azores, rising to an altitude of 1053 meters. From here, you can enjoy an incredible view over the island of São Jorge itself, the ocean and the islands of Faial and Pico. On days with good visibility, you can also see Graciosa and Terceira in the opposite direction.
Access to Pico da Esperança is via a wide dirt track leading from the main road that divides the island from north to south.
To reach this point you can take the PR 04 SJO - Pico do Pedro - Pico da Esperança - Fajã do Ouvidor (16.9km linear), which passes (about 30% of the way) through Pico da Esperança, via a small marked detour. Another option is to go by car, but be aware that the terrain is very uneven at times.
You can find out more about this point, and how to visit it, here..
Rosais Lighthouse & Whale Watch Viewpoint
(West Island)
The Rosais Lighthouse is perhaps one of our favorite places on the whole island - not only because of the place itself, shrouded in mystery, but also because of the incredible road we took to get there.
Located on the northwestern tip of the island, more than 200 meters above sea level, the Rosais Lighthouse rises above the cliffs and is currently completely abandoned.
From here you can enjoy the view over the islet of Rosais and the islands of Faial and Pico, which characterize much of the landscape visible from the southern part of the island of São Jorge.
You can find out more about this place and how to get there here..
7 Fountains Forest Park
On your way back from the Rosais Lighthouse, don't forget to stop by the 7 Fontes Forest Park, a 12-hectare park.
Here you'll find the perfect place to take a stroll and get to know the great diversity of flora that this area offers. There are also several lakes and an area with animals. Inside the park there is also a chapel, the Chapel of St. John the Baptist, and two viewpoints that allow you to see the neighboring islands.
Union of Agricultural Dairy Cooperatives of São Jorge
São Jorge is, of course, known for its cheeses.
Currently, artisanal cheese production on the island is carried out by the São Jorge Agricultural Dairy Cooperative Union (Uniqueijo), which resulted from the aggregation of a group of local cooperatives on an island that once had 84 cheese factories.
We recommend (even for people like me who don't like cheese) that you visit their premises where you will find various locally produced cheeses sold by extremely friendly people who are ready to answer any questions you may have - a very interesting experience.
Natural pools
São Jorge is full of natural pools. Some that we ended up visiting, although we didn't get in the water because of the weather, were: the Fajã Grande Natural Pools, the Topo Natural Pools and the Natural Pools in Velas.
In addition to these, there is one that is extremely famous: the Simão Dias Natural Pool, due to its clear-colored waters. This is the largest natural pool on the island, located in Fajã do Ouvidor.
That said, what we recommend is that you check out the area of the island you want to visit and, based on that choice, check out the natural pools nearby. There will probably always be one to choose from!
Trails in São Jorge
As is common in nature destinations (such as this island), there are several trails. In total, São Jorge has seven small routes and two large ones, which you can find out about in more detail at Azores trails website where you can find more information about each of the trails and the map.
In our case, as we had a bad weather day and were heading for the island of Pico, where we were scheduled to climb the highest point in Portugal, we had to give up the trails on this beautiful island.
Viewpoints, Mills, Waterfalls and Other Treasures in São Jorge
As you walk around São Jorge, you'll quickly realize that there are viewpoints quite often, so it's really just a matter of stopping at the ones that catch your eye. Two viewpoints that we liked were the Miradouro do Canavial (for those going to Velas) and, our favorite, the Miradouro da Canada do Pessegueiro (Calhetas) - the one we think best represents what São Jorge Island is all about.
In addition to the viewpoints (and beautiful landscapes that often aren't even marked) there are two other points worth visiting: the Cruzal Waterfall, further away from the main road and surrounded by vegetation, and the Ribeira Funda Water Mills. São Jorge is also known for the dozens of small mills scattered around the island.
On this wonderful island of São Jorge, what we really recommend is that you highlight the main points you want to visit and, when you go there, pay attention to the landscape - you'll quickly realize that there aren't many roads on São Jorge and you'll end up passing by these (and many other) little treasures.
Where to sleep in São Jorge
At the time of our trip (2022), accommodation in São Jorge was more limited and there were almost no offers on Booking. Since then, the offer has increased on various platforms, so you can find something you like without too much difficulty.
We only recommend that you check the location of the accommodation and the access, as there are areas of the island where access is more complicated and even blocked to cars.
In our case, we stayed at Cantinho do Mar, a local accommodation in the pretty village of Urzelina, in the south of the island and facing Pico Island. We really liked the place and would recommend it for a couple. On the main street you'll find a mini market, an ATM and in front of the accommodation you'll find a very nice café / bar.
Where to eat in São Jorge
The same goes for food - when we visited the island (2022), places to eat were a problem. They did exist in the main part of the island (Velas), but the rest of the island was more complicated.
When we went to Ponta Islet, for example, there was only one restaurant which, unfortunately, closed on that day of the week. This should no longer be a problem now that new businesses have opened.
However, as São Jorge is less dedicated to tourism, we always suggest that you stock up on snacks and take advantage of the quick meals on offer in the cafés.
Ultimately, of course, and as the island is small, you can always go back to the lodge to cook - in our case that's what got us through at times.
Costs (2022)
In total we spent around 250€ / person for 4 days on the island (three nights). Of this amount, 90.77€ / person corresponded to the one-way flight. We didn't buy a return flight as we went to Madalena, in Pico, by boat, which cost 5€ / person.
Another considerable cost was, of course, the car. The car cost 132€ with full insurance (split between two people) for four days, and we picked up the car at 3pm on the first day and dropped it off at 10am on the last day. In the next section we'll talk about some important points to bear in mind when renting a car on the islands! In addition to this amount, we also spent €31.45 on fuel as we had to deliver the tank full. So the average cost per person with car + fuel was 82€.
At the accommodation where we stayed, Cantinho do Mar, we paid 105.63€ for the two of us (52.82€ / person) for three nights. We spent almost 30€ (15€ / person) on food for these days, but we took some things that were left over and didn't spoil to the next island. Apart from that, we spent the usual things: some money on coffee, some on souvenirs and, of course, some on cheese from the União de Cooperativas Agrícolas de Lacticínios de São Jorge.
As we mentioned above, there were no big restaurants on the island at the time, so we didn't incur these kinds of costs. Also bear in mind that these costs were in January, the lowest tourist season and, consequently, the cheapest.
Travel and Car Rental
Getting around the islands: a topic that gave us such a headache before our trip. When traveling between islands, the answer was simple: Atlântico Line, the ferry company that operates between the islands. But the problem was within the island. To visit a destination like São Jorge, you must have a car or you won't be able to enjoy your trip! Also be aware that rented cars are not normally allowed to travel between the islands.
But even when renting a car, you need to pay close attention to detail. This is because many car rental companies require you to block a deposit on your card - so far so good. But we were going to three different islands and sometimes it can take several days for credit card deposits to be unblocked. With amounts ranging from €1,200 to €2,000 per car, and for three different islands, this was a problem.
In our case, the solution was to rent the car directly from the company Ilha Verde, which, by purchasing full coverage insurance, didn't require a deposit. Another company we saw (which brings together several car rental companies on the same island) required the security deposit to be blocked even with full coverage insurance.
We highlight this event for a simple reason: few banks accept credit card deposits of more than €3,000 and, for those visiting the Azores Triangle, São Jorge, Faial and Pico, this can be a problem. So we really recommend that you always confirm the existence of a deposit and opt for full cover - the roads in São Jorge often have small loose stones that jump out and can damage the car - it's not worth the risk.
Also pay attention to the minimum age that the driver has to be and the minimum length of license required. Take every precaution to avoid being barred when the time comes to pick up the car.
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