Island escapes

The Azores

This dramatic mid-Atlantic archipelago is one of cycling’s rarely-ridden gems. Just keep it to yourself…

Images Joby Sessions

Located some 900 miles from the Portuguese mainland and closer to Boston than to Belgrade, the Azores feel like a far-flung cycling destination, at once recalling the lush emerald green scenery of Hawaii, New Zealand or Central Africa, the misty crags of Dartmoor or the volcanic craters of the Canaries. And, judging by the Cycling Plus team’s previous visits, you’ll have the roads all to yourself, partly due to the lack of direct flights to the island chain.

Where to go

We based ourselves on the Azores’ largest island of São Miguel, home to the famous Sete Cidades lakes. If you can get away for longer, there are also another eight even more undeveloped and off-the-radar main islands of the Azores to explore, with highlights including the huge 2,350m-high Fuji-like mountain on Pico and the Cascata do Poço do Bacalhau waterfall on the isolated western isle of Flores.

The route

You’re not allowed to leave the Azores without seeing Sete Cidades, but riding to Lagoa do Fogo in the centre of São Miguel is possibly just as good, with the countless hairpins from Ribeira Grande in the north that lead to the crater one of cycling’s great under-the-radar climbs. Cycling further east is another lake at Furnas, where you can sample a meat stew that’s cooked in the ground using geothermal heat.

How to get there

Ryanair flies between Ponta Delgada and London Stansted every Saturday and can be had for as little as £60 return in off-season. TAP Air Portugal flies from London Gatwick via Lisbon or Porto six days a week, and specialises in stopovers in the vibrant Portuguese cities (we’ve seen return fares around the £100 mark).

When to go

The best time to visit the Azores is from April to October, when the air and sea temperatures are highest and the sea is calmer for inter-island hopping. The winters are still mild – the temperature was in the high teens when we went one January – but prepare for wetter weather in the hills especially. The locals are happy to tell you that you’ll see four seasons in a day here and we won’t argue with that.

Where to stay

We once stayed at the modern Lince Azores Great Hotel (rooms from £80) in Ponta Delgada, but there are a number of independent guesthouses with plenty of character and some great-looking Airbnb options too. Out-of-season rates are especially low. Bike rentals are available from Bicicletaria Azores (bicicletariaazores.com) from €35 euros a day.