Levadas, Veradas, and Picos: Hiking around Madeira and The Azores.
Pico Areerio on Madeira, at sunrise
Madeira is known to some as the Hawaii of Europe, with it’s breathtaking cliffs and full of adventure activities. There’s incredible hiking, canyoning, trail running, scuba diving, freediving, surfing, and more. The Azores are a Portuguese archipelago, and both of these places provide an incredible opportunity to indulge in nature, delicious food, and friendly locals. SATA Azores Airlines offers a free (up to 7 days) stopover program for flights from Boston/NewYork to Madeira. It was only a 5 hour flight, which is faster than going to California just FYI.
Spending a week in the Azores wasn’t originally planned, but it turned into a weeklong solo trip exploring the island, indulging in new foods, and making new friends. The worst part of this trip however, was that I unfortunately did drop my camera into a waterfall on day three. It was quite the experience removing it, trying to dry it, rushing to buy rice, and well let’s just say it was the saddest day I’ve had in such a long time. 😭 I tried finding a camera repair shop but it would have to be shipped to Lisbon. I hoped that Madeira would be some help since I would be spending the next three weeks there. Despite the unfortunate event, I still look back on my week there as one filled with many happy memories.
Gorreana Tea Factory on Sao Miguel, Azores
This solo trip involved staying in a hostel again (it was a “luxury” hostel with each bed having it’s own tv and blackout curtains), but honestly I made some friends to experience the island with so I was glad for it. I visited Europe’s only tea factory, which is where my favorite shots came from. As a photographer you learn to embrace early morning to beat the crowds, and this place was no exception to the contrast of people there. It was a night and day difference from when I first started wandering the fields to when I finished a couple hours later.
São Miguel is known for their dairy farms, and the primary producer of Portugal’s cheeses. Many places will have them on the menu to try, and they aren’t to be missed. However, one of my favorite memories included a small little almond egg tart. Some friends and I stopped for a snack one day at this little cart selling mostly snacks and drinks. The vendor suggested this local treat that comes only from one place on the island. It was honestly delicious and I couldn’t wait to find it again. The following day I went on a solo adventure and wanted to walk around a town and grab a coffee to go as I had some time to kill before heading back to work. I quickly searched my maps for the closet coffee shop and chose one called Queijadas de Vila. Unbeknownst to me I coincidentally chose the exact shop that created the recipe and has been making them for the entire island. They were actually originally created by the nuns who lived in the Santo Andre Convent located in the same village. It was a pleasant surprise and reminded me that some of the best moments when traveling are the ones that happen by chance. Don’t forget to try the Queijadas de Vila Franca do Campo if you visit.
Madeira was a month of hikes, from the Levadas, referred to as the trails following the irrigation canals. Many will wind you around bends and through tunnels requiring a flashlight, one of which took a solid fifteen minutes to walk through. Tall folks beware, wear a hat or be prepared to work your quads, because the ceiling is full of sharp rocks. Two of my friends bumped their heads and resulted in some blood spilled. They were okay, I can reassure you. There’s also the Veradas, which have some of the most stunning coastline you’ll see. Don’t forget about the infamous Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo hike, in which seeing sunrise from is a right of passage as a tourist. The tropical island may fool you, but come prepare with pants and a jacket, as the wind and the dark are no joke.
I promise there is more to just hiking on this stunning island, and surprisingly I met more people than I expected that were visiting but had no interest in hiking. You can relax in one of the many natural springs or indulge in some local cuisine, such as lapas, polvos, espetadas, or bolo de caco. Don’t forget to wash it down with some poncha either. Friday nights can be spent at the infamous Purple Fridays in Ponta do Sol. Whatever your vibe, you’ll have a wonderful time.
One of the best parts of Madeira are the locals and how friendly they are. A memory that comes to mind is when I was living in Ponta Do Sol and some friends and I headed over to the Estalagem hotel for a sunset drink. Out of nowhere, we looked out to sea to find a local man had rowed out to sea and to stand atop this rock that is only visible at low tide. He was out there to play his bagpipes into the sunset for everyone. Locals mentioned that he does this a few times a year, so it was quite the treat for us to experience it.
Another story is of the local gentleman that waits along the road on the way to Pico do Areeiro, which is quite steep, like most of the roads across the island. It’s pretty often that tourists can’t make it up the hill in their rental cars. This local man, on multiple occasions has “saved” the tourists when they get stuck. He politely asks everyone to get out of the car, and then he drives it up the hill, leaving them to catch up on foot. I promise I was not one of those locals, but I love hearing about the generousness and kindness of locals.
