Tag Archives: Visit Portugal

Azores: Santa Maria Island

Our Starting Point

Woke Up At Dawn

We take the 6:30 am flight to Santa Maria, the smallest island of the Azores archipelago (16.6 km long by 9.1 km wide), located 81 km from São Miguel.

It is also the oldest island of the archipelago: its formation dates back to about ten million years. And the first discovered and populated island of the Azores.

It’s a too early for me (lol!). I’m absolutely not a morning person! Thirty minutes later, we landed. Waiting for the heavy rain to stop, Henrique, our tour guide drives us to the only one opened café in Vila do Porto (the main city). 

Then we head in 4X4 to the Fort Sao Bras (video below). The landscape and wind make me think of Ireland (picture above).

 

If you have trouble watching the videos, refresh the page and move the cursor a bit forwad on the timeline. And if it doesn’t work, do not hesitate to leave me a comment.. 

Crossing fields

Movie Set

We take a path in the fields to cross the center of the island. Awesome landscape! My first favorite scenery in Santa Maria! 

 

The Red Desert

  

Barreiro da Faneca

Totally unexpected! After the fields and sheeps, the Red Desert. This arid zone of clay is unique in the Azores archipelago. Leaving Bareiro da Faneca, we find very green landscapes with here and there lovely traditional houses (photos below).

 

Poço da Pedreira

  

North Of The Island

An impressive landscape shaped by man: Poço da Pedreira is an ancient quarry located in Santa Barbara. The stone was used to built the traditional houses and parish of Santa Barbara.

Then we head towards São Lourenço (pictured below). Superb view of the bay and the village from the Mirador of Espigão!

 

The Lunch

  

Happiness!

Finally, I can see the ocean up close. The sound and power of the waves! The black sand beach that contrasts with the foam of the waves under a strong light. The color of the water changes from ultramarine blue to emerald. Magic! And the grilled fish is delicious.

 

Cascata do Aveiro

  

110 mètres de haut!

Look at the height of the woman in the right edge of the picture above : so tiny! Then we drive along the coast. The ocean…

 

Ribeira do Maloás

Spectacular!

Wow! The only place I saw this kind of volcanic roc was in Porto Santo (small island off Madeira). We walked on a narrow footpath along the cliff (first picture below).

What a surprise by discovering the wide verdant plateau split in two parts with this huge wall! Outstanding!

Back to the 4X4 to go to Pico Alto, the highest point of the island at 586.64 meters above sea level (second photo below). Great a panoramic view.   

 

Back To São Miguel

In the early evening, we flight back to São Miguel. We are exhausted! I think the dinner will be pretty funny (lol). 

I will go back to Santa Maria!

Photos & vidéos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations  

Visit AzoresVisit PortugalTAPBootlá

Related posts : HOTEL REVIEWS & DESTINATIONS

Many thanks to Visit Azores, Visit Portugal and TAP for this superb invitation. Thanks also to our great guide in Santa Maria, Henrique Simões. As always, these are my opinions.

Santa Maria, Açores: la nature

Notre point de départ

Levés aux aurores

Nous prenons le vol de 6h30 pour Santa Maria, la plus petite île des Açores (16,6 km de long par 9,1 km de large et une superficie de 97 km2), se trouvant à 81 km de São Miguel.

C’est aussi la plus ancienne de l’archipel : sa formation remonte à environ dix millions d’années. Et la première île découverte et peuplée des Açores. 

C’est un peu (trop) tôt pour moi (lol!). Trente minutes plus tard, nous atterrissons. Le temps que les trombes d’eau s’arrêtent, Henrique, notre guide sur l’île, nous emmène dans l’unique (et très authentique) café d’ouvert à Vila do Porto, la principale ville. 

Puis nous reprenons le 4X4 pour le fort Sao Bras (vidéo ci-dessous). Le paysage et le vent me font penser à l’Irlande (photo ci-dessus). 

 

Si vous avez du mal à visionner les vidéos, rafraîchissez la page et avancez un peu le curseur sur la timeline. Et si ça ne fonctionne pas, n’hésitez pas à me laisser un commentaire. 

En traversant les champs

Décor de cinéma

Nous empruntons un chemin dans les champs (pour traverser le centre de l’île) et le paysage est sublimissime. Mon premier coup de coeur pour Santa Maria!

 

Le Désert Rouge

  

Barreiro da Faneca

Absolument inattendu! Incongru même! Après les champs et les moutons : le Désert rouge. Cette zone aride composée d’argile est unique aux Açores. En quittant Bareiro da Faneca, nous retrouvons des paysages très verdoyants avec de-ci de-là des maisons traditionnelles (photos ci-dessous). 

 

Poço da Pedreira

  

Au nord de l’île

Un paysage impressionnant façonné par l’homme : Poço da Pedreira est une ancienne carrière située à Santa Barbara. La pierre de taille extraite, servait pour la construction des maisons traditionnelles  et la paroisse de Santa Barbara.

Puis nous nous dirigeons vers São Lourenço (photo ci-dessous). Superbe vue de la baie et du village depuis le mirador d’Espigão!

 

Le déjeuner

  

L’euphorie!

Enfin, je vois l’Océan de près. Le bruit et la la force des vagues! Le sable noir de la plage qui contraste avec l’écume des vagues, sous une lumière forte. La couleur de l’eau qui se décline d’émeraude au bleu outremer. C’est magique! Et le poisson grillé est délicieux.

 

Cascata do Aveiro

  

110 mètres de haut!

Regardez bien dans le bord droit de la photo (de droite ci-dessus), la taille de l’humain : insignifiante! A nouveau, nous reprenons le 4X4 pour longer la côte. L’Océan…

 

Ribeira do Maloás

Juste spectaculaire!

Wow! L’unique endroit où j’avais vu ce type de formation volcanique était à Porto Santo (petite île au large de Madère). Nous sommes arrivés à pied en empruntant un petit sentier à flanc de falaise (première photo çi-dessous).

Le choc en découvrant le large plateau verdoyant scindé en deux, avec cet immense mur de « bourdons de lave »! Exceptionnel!

Retour au 4X4 pour une vue panoramique au Pico Alto, le point culminant de l’île à 586,64 mètres d’altitude (seconde photo ci-dessous).  

 

Retour vers São Miguel

En début de soirée, le vol retour vers São Miguel. Autant dire que nous sommes tous crevés. Je pense que le dîner sera folklo (lol). 

Je reviendrai à Santa Maria!

Photos & vidéos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations  

Visit AzoresVisit Portugal, TAPBootlá

Autres articles : HOTEL REVIEWS & DESTINATIONS

Un grand merci à Visit Azores, à Visit Portugal et à la TAP pour cette superbe invitation. Merci aussi à notre guide Henrique Simões. Comme toujours, ce sont mes opinions.

Portugal, Madeira: 24 Hours in Funchal

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Funchal Express 

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Dinner at the Design Center Nini Andrade Silva  

Arrival in Funchal: just down from the Ferry (from Porto Santo), I am facing the entrance of the Design Centre Nini Andrade Silva, located at the end of the dock (photo 1 of the photo-montage above). I’d visited the building with the interior designer Nini Andrade Silva, during the work. What a surprise to now discover the different spaces with her iconic design furnitures and items! Awesome!

I really like the outdoor café (first photo of the post and photo below) and the black and white graphic restaurant with a 360 degree view, of the ocean and Funchal (photo-montage above). The atmosphere is really nice with a tasty cuisine and friendly team. My only downside: I look like a scarecrow after my long outdoors day in Porto Santo, plus the ferry over for more than two hours (lol)!

And my camera has no more battery, bad! Fortunately I Bob (Marley) saved me! There is live music in one of the spaces (videos below) and I feel more relaxed. An island without Bob is no longer an island, right?

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Breakfast at the Meliá

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Oops, It’s Public Holiday!

Slow wake-up and breakfast at the Meliá Madeira Mare. I planned checking out cool shops of local designers for you (and me!). But everything is closed. So I comfortably lay near the swimming pool facing the ocean. Then I will have a lunch at The Vine and a guided tour of the historical center of Funchal.

Lunch at the Uva Restaurant

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The Return

I go to The Vine, another hotel designed by Nini Andrade Silva. I’ll end up to know all of them at least in Portugal (lol)! During the Festival do Atlantico, I had dinner at the excellent Uva Restaurant & Wine Bar (with a French chef) and then we watched the beautiful fireworks on the terrace.

Once more, the restaurant kept its promises. Great lunch! The food looks like paintings! Everything is delicious and the service is impeccable. I really enjoy the soothing views of the city and harbor. It feels good. The Vine and the Design Centre Nini Andrade Silva, are my two favorite places in Funchal!

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The Walk in the Historical Center

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More and Less Two Hours

before leaving the city to the Cristiano Ronaldo airport. So I joined one of the guides of History Tellers (an initiative of the University of Madeira Students’ Union (AAUMa). They offer circuits through the history of Madeira”. In addition to learn about Madeira, you will help students struggling financially.

I’ve already visited the historical center. But I have fun to rediscover it with a “documented eye”. Last time, I didn’t notice some doors and facades cafés in (or near) Santa Maria street, like the ones below. Pictured right: the famous Rainha do Fado,Amália Rodrigues. To read my previous articles on Funchal and Madeira, click HERE. 

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Photos: © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations 

Visit Madeira, Visit PortugalDesign Centre Nini AndradeThe VineMeliá Madeira Mare & History Tellers 

Related posts: HOTEL REVIEWS  &  DESTINATIONS

Many thanks to Visit Madeira and Visit Portugal for this beautiful invitation. Thanks also to the teams of the Design Centre Nini Andrade Silva, The Vine Hotel and Meliá Madeira Mare. As always these are my opinions.