Terceira – A Beautiful Island in the Azores

Terceira is one of the islands in the Azores, a Portuguese territory in the Atlantic Ocean and perhaps the best deal from mainland Europe at the moment. I paid only 14.99 Euros from Lisbon and another 14.99 Euros for the flight back but to Portugal’s second city of Porto. Low-cost airlines make a difference for people travelling on a budget, including myself, and it’s part of the reason why I have been able to visit every country in the world. It takes time to find cheap flights, and I have said a number of times that if you don’t have the money, you have to pay with your time.

Back in Terceira, In 2013, I visited the Azores for the first time, but only the largest of the islands, Sao Miguel Island, and had a great time. Like on Sao Miguel Island, I had three nights on the Azores, starting with a night at Azoris Angra Garden Hotel. A good value hotel with friendly staff and comfortable rooms, comparable to a Holiday Inn, Best Western or similar. It was a good place to start my trip to the island as Angra is a UNESCO World Heritage Centre and one of the main sights of the island. I drove to Angra from the airport and was surprised to see an excellent infrastructure with highways. I had a car from Autatlantis, which is one of the best rental car companies I have experienced. Professional and kind service and a very clean car. You can put your trust in this company not only by my recommendation but also by the fact that it’s a partner of the Visit Azores Tourist Board. I explored Angra by foot the following day before continuing to the port city of Praia da Vitoria, where I stayed for two nights at the highly-ranked Hotel Praia Marina, which I have written about in a separate article.

I really enjoyed exploring Terceira by car, and besides what I have already written, the famous ancient lava tube of Algar do Carvão and the viewpoints at  Monte Brasil and Miradouro da Serra do Cume stood out as great experiences. Finally, I would say one of the main reasons to visit the Azores is the people. Fantastic hospitality, friendly and warm people. Some of the best I have experienced in Europe if we count the Azores within Europe despite its remote location in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s an exotic destination that should cost a lot to experience, but instead, you can have fabulous experiences on a low budget, and I can’t recommend it enough. Terceira is perhaps the single best deal from Europe at the moment!