A Magical Stop in Ponta Delgada, Azores
- andreagarveyart
- Apr 23
- 3 min read
What a fabulous adventure on the sea, and after 7 days of sailing, we reached our first port stop—Ponta Delgada, in the Azores—and spent two unforgettable days soaking up the island’s beauty. I mean this place has to be in the Top 10 of most scenic!
We were there for two days, and on our first day, the weather wasn’t exactly cooperating (think: pea soup fog), but we had our hearts set on seeing the "crown jewel" of the Azores—the Sete Cidades on the island’s west side—so we headed out anyway. And yes… we couldn’t see a thing. But we still had the best time hiking with a couple other people from the ship.
Thick fog, lots of laughs as we got lost down a trail marked with an X on it! We never saw it when we started...
Afterward, we wandered around the small village, which was in full flower mode, celebrating Easter. Everyone was decorating their streets in the middle, so we couldn't drive down them, but it was fun to see. I loved all the white houses and gardens too. Beautiful in the fog.
This small church with a long pathway was decorated for Easter (when we went back the next day, all the decorations were gone and cleaned up!) I was hoping to get more photos.
Then, later in the afternoon, Mark found this super cool place: a Gin Library housed in a 19th-century mansion with the largest collection of gin in Europe. They have over 1900 bottles. If you bring a bottle of gin they don't have, then they give you one of theirs. Learn more about the Gin Library here.
Thankfully, the next day looked like better weather!
We got up early, the sun was out, and we were determined to finally see the famous green and blue lakes and get in a little more exploring before returning the rental car by noon.
I get a little nervous—and also love—traveling with Mark because he’s so much more adventurous than I am. He’ll rent a car in any country and drive with zero hesitation, and sometimes no map, just because! This time, before we even got to the lakes, he found what was probably a tractor-only road and decided to follow it for a few bumpy miles along the cliffs and past farmland. OMG. Not smooth for the passenger...
I just kept thinking in my head... “Will the ship wait if we get stuck?”
“How much insurance did we get again?”
“What if a tractor comes down this road and we need to reverse?”
We ended up at a trailhead used by locals who walk or ride mules down a long, winding path to a small cliffside town. It was stunning. We watched people load sacks of grain onto mules and donkeys, then ride them side-saddle down the path. (Poor animals—but what a view.)
And then, finally, we made it to Sete Cidades.
The skies had cleared, and the view was SPECTACULAR—truly one of the most breathtaking sights I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait to paint it. The lakes sit inside a massive volcanic crater, one shimmering blue, the other a lush green.
"According to legend, the lakes were formed from the tears of a princess and a shepherd, forbidden lovers who cried so much when they were forced to part that their tears filled the crater—one lake blue like his eyes, and the other green like hers. These are the famous Lagoa Azul (Blue Lake) and Lagoa Verde (Green Lake)."
Here's a little history I found: The Azores - an autonomous region of Portugal- are made up of nine volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atlantic, about 870 miles west of Lisbon. The landscape is incredibly lush—rolling green pastures, charming fishing villages, and whole hillsides bursting with wild hydrangeas.
The climate here feels a lot like home, and we left feeling inspired to plant hydrangeas and azaleas in our garden.
After we dropped off the rental car, we walked over 10k steps in town by the port - Porto Delgado. The sidewalks and pathways throughout the island are made of gorgeous hand-crafted stone mosaics, known as calçada portuguesa. These intricate black-and-white designs, made from basalt and limestone, are beautiful and really smooth to walk on.
Our home-away-from-home awaits us!
Travel always fills my creative soul—and experiences like this one in the Azores remind me how deeply inspiring it is to explore new places, soak up color and culture, and capture those moments in a sketchbook or painting. If this kind of adventure speaks to you too, I’d love to invite you to join me on one of my upcoming art retreats. Whether we're sketching seaside towns, layering color in cozy studios, or simply gathering with kindred spirits, it's all about creativity, connection, and joy.
Thank you for sharing your travels! It looks so amazing :)