Portugal's Azores bring Europe closer to home

My first day in the Azores, I went up to the breakfast room in my hotel, where several breads, an enormous cheese wheel, and a plate of farmer's queijo fresco were laid out on a large, heirloom table. But there was only one place setting, and I wondered where all the other guests were.

The owner, who spoke perfect English, explained that even though many historic manor houses in the Azores are private homes, the government requires proprietors to house guests on occasion. I, apparently, was the quota. For proof, he asked me to sign the guest book, where the last name dated September 2005. It had been almost a year. Most of the names were from European countries, with a few from Canada. "I think you're my first American," said my host.

I then realized the uniqueness of my situation, and the thrill of being a pioneer of sorts (combined with the thought of all that cheese just for me) chased away any apprehension I had. I knew my visit to the Azores was going to be extraordinary. What I didn't anticipate was the formation of a personal transatlantic connection that promises to be long-term.

The islands

Located at the intersection of three tectonic plates, the archipelago of nine islands that makes up the Azores is actually a series of volcanic peaks of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a submerged mountain range running north to south through the Atlantic Ocean. Only four hours by plane from New England and two hours from mainland Portugal, the Azores is the closest point in Europe to the U.S.

A far cry from the Caribbean or even Bermuda, these subtropical islands are virtually unheard of in the U.S. But thanks to a charter company with flights from cities like Boston (my home base) and Oakland—used mainly by Azorean-American immigrants to visit family—travelers like you and me now have the opportunity to explore this emerging destination conveniently and affordably.

Although each of the nine islands—São Miguel, Santa Maria, Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico, Faial, Corvo, and Flores—has its own personality and unique characteristics, all embrace an agrarian lifestyle made evident by endless cow pastures, farmhouses, and hedges of cobalt and magenta hydrangeas. The islands have a rugged topography made up of volcanoes, many of which are capped with fallen craters that have filled with water and turned into lakes. Geothermal springs and geysers are a common sight, while small towns rest inside valleys or tower on cliffs along the coast. The landscape is unlike anything I'd ever seen.

Although you can get around by bus in many places, it's best to rent a car so you can roll along slowly, exploring all the nooks as you go.

The trip there

I spent a week touring the two islands that have direct flights from the U.S.: São Miguel, the largest island, and Terceira. Both have strong ties to Azorean communities in the U.S. such as those in New Bedford and Gloucester, Massachusetts, as well as pocket neighborhoods around Boston and in California.

Although from Boston, I initially felt like an outsider. I had never been on an outbound flight where English was immediately the second language. And when the plane landed safely in São Miguel, everyone clapped wholeheartedly in unison, except me. "Who does this?" I thought.

Weary from an "overnight" flight, I staggered into my accommodations, a centuries-old manor house, which seemed cold and solitary. It had vaulted ceilings, and a booming echo followed every little sound. My room had twin antique four-poster beds and a few religious relics on the wall, plus there was a large bulldog scowling at me through French doors leading out to the garden. I thought about trying a relaxing shower, but the water was frigid, as if the pipes hadn't been used in ages. Instead, I just fell onto the bed closest to the wall and pulled the quilt up close. It was only a week, I told myself.

However, with breakfast that first morning, things began looking up.

São Miguel

Formed over time by a series of volcanic eruptions from 4.2 million to 290,000 years ago, São Miguel, the "Green Island," was first discovered in the 15th century, and is now the thriving capital of the Azores. The age of eruptions has long gone, leaving behind a carpet of verdant foliage across the entire island.