James and Jane Tullett's Holiday to the Azores

“Our Play & Explore holiday to the Azores in April totally exceeded our expectations. If I was to imagine paradise or the Garden of Eden, it would be the island of Sao Miguel. Its natural beauty shines due to the area not being over developed, yet it has good road systems. Across the island, hydrangeas, azaleas, camellias and calla lilies grow wild along the verges.

The holiday included three excursions, giving us the opportunity to explore the island and experience its traditional hospitality. We watched traditional Queijada da Vila cakes, rich with egg yolks, being expertly made. It would’ve been rude not to sample a few, so many boxes of cakes were seen leaving the shop before we headed off to the botanical gardens. The gardens were beautifully landscaped, and our guides explained their history as we stopped to admire the thermal lake, coloured brown by the high iron content of the rocks – but this didn’t put locals off from bathing in the warm water.

The volcanic properties of the island were evident when we stopped at Furnas Valley, where our lunch was gently cooking in a bubbling hole. The resultant mixed meat and vegetable stew was delicious and widely enjoyed by the group. And the generously flowing drinks added to the convivial ambiance.

We continued along the coast, stopping at a tea plantation to watch the leaves being processed, and then enjoy a cuppa at the end of our visit. We also visited the oldest pineapple plantation on the island. The fruit were grown in white-painted glasshouses to stop the sun from scorching the developing fruit. An interesting fact was the use of smoke to stress the plant, which speeds up the ripening process.

Exploring the island over the three excursions felt like a tour of paradise, with so many beautiful viewpoints looking out to sea or down onto the many extinct volcanoes.

We appreciated the generous hospitality of our lunch hosts on the second full-day excursion where we were treated to a traditional Azorean Sunday feast. It was so lovely to hear the guests all enjoying each other’s company and new friendships being formed. All our tour guides were very knowledgeable, sharing their passion for their island with us.

Within the town of Ponta Delgada, there were three botanical gardens within easy walking distance of our hotel, one of which did not charge entrance fee. It was Palm Sunday during our visit, and it was interesting to see pilgrims walk the length of the island and pray through the town.

Having flown out to the Azores not knowing much about this group of nice islands, I have returned with an appreciation of its natural beauty and its inhabitants’ pride in their homeland as custodians of this unspoilt destination.”

Feeling inspired? You too can Play Bridge & Explore in the Azores with James and Jane Tullet, departing in April 2026. We look forward to welcoming you in the not-too-distant future!