We have seen glimpses of São Jorge from a distance for the last few days, first from Faial and then from Pico.
The three islands make up the 'triangle' or 'central' group of The Azores and are easily commutable using the local ferries. So today, after two days on the unique volcanic island of Pico, we boarded the boat for the 80 minute journey to Velas, the oldest village on São Jorge and a pretty port town, still reliant on fishing and agriculture, but just awakening to the idea of tourism.
If Faial is rolling pastureland and Pico is dominated by a single, unapologetic, looming volcano, then São Jorge can only be described as a narrow mountain ridge rising from the Atlantic Ocean, it's 139 kilometers of coastline dominated by sheer cliffs rising high above the fajas - small plains at the foot of the cliffs formed by ancient lava flows.
Determined to explore at least some of this imposing island, we hired a car for the day and set off without any real agenda, just aiming to stay as close to the coast as possible and enjoy whatever we came across.
Our first stop was the Farol dos Rosais at the western-most tip of the island, although we parked the car and walked the last couple of miles to get a flavour of the landscape.
The views were quite magnificent and we could see over to both Faial and Graciosa. The top of São Jorge is flat pastureland, enjoyed by cows, and very green.
In contrast, the lighthouse was a disappointment, being an ugly concrete structure - derelict and overgrown, and all the views were fenced off. There was, however, an old whale-watching lookout post doubling up as a viewpoint which more than compensated, with almost 360° views over the ocean to Pico, Faial, Graciosa and Terceira, and of fishing boats looking like toys, below.
After walking back to the car, and driving a few kilometres further, we stopped at the Park Florestal das Sete Fontes, a recreation area with woodlands, play areas, barbecues and a few animals - a lovely shady retreat for families on a hot day.
Heading east, we continued to Norte Grande, winding down the steep road to the faja below, only to enjoy the feeling of being very small when looking back up where we had come from. Many people we have spoken to don't like the 'fajas' saying that they make them feel trapped or claustrophobic, but I found the experience quite awe-inspiring.
From the miradoura on the drive back up, we had a spectacular view of the coastline, showcasing the fajas the island is famous for, including the most famous, Faja dos Cubres in the distance.
Running out of time, we headed back south, having covered most of the western half of the island, dropping down into Calheta for a drink before returning to Velas and enjoying an evening swim in the amazing natural pools.
We were glad we had brought snorkels with us as the water was teeming with fish (the best we have seen in the Azores) and the submarinal landscape was just as impressive as what we had seen above the water.
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