![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sailingsymi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Azorenmap.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![\"FaialAirport\"](\"https:\/\/sailingsymi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/FaialAirport-scaled.jpeg\")
FaialAirport<\/span><\/a><\/div>Horta<\/span><\/a><\/div>Seenomaden<\/span><\/a><\/div>Screenshot<\/span><\/a><\/div>PetersSportCafe<\/span><\/a><\/div>ImFiat<\/span><\/a><\/div>Caldeira<\/span><\/a><\/div>Pico<\/span><\/a><\/div>Probably the most famous spot in the harbor is the \u201cPeters Sport Caf\u00e9,\u201d a sailors\u2019 pub that\u2019s been around since 1918\u2014a place where new arrivals treat themselves to their first beer and share their experiences. In front of the caf\u00e9, we ran into our friends Evelin and Michi, along with their crew member Andreas from the \u201cOcean Fantasy,\u201d who had left Bermuda five days after us and were also overjoyed to have arrived. It was a wonderful reunion and picked right up where our shared Caribbean adventures in 2024 had left off. We decided to spend the next few days together and explore the island in our rented Fiat 500.\nAlso just arriving were our French friends from Bermuda with their dog Roxy\u2014who had more or less survived the 16-day trip\u2014and our Swedish friend David, whom we\u2019d met the previous year in Savanna. So even after traveling thousands of kilometers, you always end up running into old acquaintances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Faial, like all the other Azores islands, is of volcanic origin and rose from the ocean about 300 million years ago. They belong to Portugal and the EU, and to me they seem to be the last enclave in the EU where life hasn\u2019t had to follow the path we\u2019ve been familiar with throughout the rest of the EU since 2015.\nThe people are extremely friendly. The typical Azorean is rather small and wiry in build. Many work in agriculture, and so the main export products are cheese, dairy products, meat, and fish. The islands are self-sufficient, and I find it fascinating that only locals work in the fields and markets\u2014you won\u2019t find any refugees here. In the restaurants and the tourism industry, the staff consists of locals and, strangely enough, Asians as well. The Azores are a peaceful place. The tranquility is also fascinating. Butterflies flutter, birds sing, and plump cows graze on lush green meadows. A thoroughly healthy natural environment. Another striking feature here is the low cost of living. A large beer costs 3.5\u20134 \u20ac, and a good dinner for two costs between 40 and 60 \u20ac. Compared to the United States or Bermuda (and even Austria), it\u2019s a paradise.\nThanks to the volcanic fertility of the soil, all the islands are covered in lush green meadows and an incredible variety of flowers. Hydrangeas, in particular, grow everywhere here like dandelions do back home.\nClimatically, the Azores are influenced by the Gulf Stream and therefore have an oceanic-subtropical climate that remains mild year-round. Temperatures are balanced, with mild winters (11 to 17 \u00b0C) and pleasantly warm summers (19 to 26 \u00b0C). Due to their volcanic origin, each island is crowned by its own volcano.
The highest (2,000 m) is located on the island of Pico, bears the same name, and is usually shrouded in thick clouds. For sailors, the nine islands are not necessarily the ideal sailing area, as their steep cliffs\u2014rising from a depth of 2,000 m\u2014do not offer safe anchorages. There are marinas on four of the islands, but they are usually very crowded.
The five of us drove around Faial in our Fiat 500. At the summit of the 800-meter-high volcano, we wanted to catch a glimpse of the vegetation-covered caldera, but unfortunately the entire summit was shrouded in fog, and it felt like being at the top station of a ski lift. I couldn\u2019t go on a hike around the crater because of my injury, so instead we visited the small peninsula west of Faial\u2014formed by a volcanic eruption in 1958\u2014and its interesting museum.\nAs the grand finale, the five of us booked a whale-watching tour, during which we spent more than an hour traveling by speedboat to the coast of Pico Island. In addition to seeing many dolphins, we were treated to the sight of a young female humpback whale at the end of the tour. From a distance of 100 meters, she was doing somersaults and slapping her fin against the water. It was an unforgettable experience.<\/p>\n\n\n
Waltruppe<\/span><\/a><\/div>Pottwal<\/span><\/a><\/div>Screenshot<\/span><\/a><\/div>After four days, we flew back to Symi on the main island of S\u00e3o Miguel. This is the main island of the Azores. It measures 65\u00d716 km. In terms of infrastructure, the city has everything you need. A modern airport is just 4 km from the center, and the industrial port not only accommodates large cargo ships but also smaller cruise ships a few times a month. \nLike Faial, S\u00e3o Miguel is a lush, green island offering countless hiking trails and a diverse landscape. We\u2019ve only seen a small part of it so far, but we\u2019re looking forward to exploring more.
Our friends will also be sailing here on their boat in a few days.\nSince the condition of my shoulder is improving but professional help would be beneficial, I looked for a physical therapist in town. I found Louis, a young sports physical therapist who is also the president of the Azorean Therapists\u2019 Association. He\u2019s a man who inspires confidence. During the first session, after an examination, he helped me move around and confirmed my suspicion that nothing serious had happened, but that my tendons and muscles had been strained. I was sent home with a home exercise program, but I have another appointment scheduled for Friday.\nThe costs are out-of-pocket and amounted to 40 euros\u2014prices like those from the 1980s in Vienna. I\u2019m optimistic that I\u2019ll be halfway back in shape by the time I leave in 2.5 weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We then rented a car for 14 days and can conveniently park it right near our pier. Today we waited out a heavy rain shower and then set off for the volcanic spa 40 km east of San Miguel. There, we found 39-degree-Celsius sulfur- and iron-rich volcanic springs flowing into small pools. Just like in a bathtub, we sat in the warm thermal water with 20 other guests and enjoyed it.\nThe road up this ancient volcano is lined on both sides with man-high blue and white blooming hydrangeas and dense jungle, which was very reminiscent of the island of Dominica in the Antilles.<\/p>\n\n\n