An Unplanned Day on Terceira
Pastures and Lava Fences, West Coast of Terceira, Azores.
In late 2021, we booked a flight on SATA airlines from Ponta Delgada, Azores (PDL) to Pico Island (PIX), which included a flight connection in Terceira (TER). Having spent two weeks fast-traveling in Belgium and Germany, we planned a month of downtime and exploring Pico Island.
However, our flight on 8 March 2022 from TER to PIX was canceled due to high winds and storms. This is not an uncommon occurrence for small inter-island flights. We would need to stay overnight in Terceira and continue on the next day.
A little about us, we are full-time home-free travelers. In our mid-40s we sold our suburban home, quit our corporate careers before it was called the Great Resignation, sold almost all of our belongings, and hit the road to slow-travel the world. Some links in this article are affiliate links, meaning if you click through I may earn a small commission to help cover hosting fees and software at no extra cost to you.
A Pleasant Surprise with SATA Airlines
We were pleasantly surprised to learn within 15 minutes of the cancellation that SATA airlines would provide lodging, meals, and transportation at no cost to us. In the United States, typically one is on their own when flights are canceled due to weather - meaning that when flights are canceled due to weather, parties need to find and pay for their own accommodation, transportation, and meals until the rebooked departure.
While we were navigating to the luggage carousel to get our checked bags, we decided instead of taking the provided bus, that we would rent a car and explore the island of Terceira for the day. We confirmed with the SATA representative that we would have the free hotel room and meals even if we opted out of the bus transportation option. She let us know that would be fine and at what the bus would return to the airport so that we could time our check-in arrival before the bus arrived.
Seven (7) Things to do When Delayed a Day on Terceira
Rent a Car
While most travelers are conditioned to take whatever free transportation option is provided, we wanted to take advantage of the unplanned opportunity to visit this “bonus” island.
We headed straight to the Hertz rental counter (as our month-long car rental on Pico was with Hertz) to inquire about an available car. The Hertz rental counter staff first helped us update Hertz on Pico of our delay. Unfortunately, Hertz didn't have any rental cars available on Terceira for that day, however, the employee kindly helped us find another counter with an available car for €40. One could probably get a better rate with more advanced notice, but we were turning lemons (canceled flight) into lemonade (unplanned island visit)!
The Hertz employee provided us with a tourist map of Terceira, some recommendations, and local driving tips/tricks, and we were off!
We went directly to the hotel to drop our stuff off. However, the check-in queue was quite long since the hotel was accommodating passengers from two full flights that day. We decided rather than waiting in line to go have a late lunch then check in later.
Lunch at Oficina da Esquina
We found Oficina da Esquina via Google Maps. It met our criteria of being open until 15:00 on a Tuesday, having seafood on the menu, and good reviews.
The restaurant was established in 2021 by prize-winning Chef Vitor Sobral, who specializes in quality cuisine at affordable prices and restaurants with a laid-back atmosphere.
Oficina de Esquina translates to “Corner Workshop” in English. The establishment looked very new, with a modern dining room and warm, friendly staff. The restaurant featured various cookbooks by the chef and tasteful decor similar to what one might find in a corner automotive workshop.
When we arrived there were a few tables occupied, by local businessmen and women, couples, and friends catching up. The staff were warm, friendly and explained each dish in Portuguese and English. We ordered the lunch menu of the day having carrot soup, pork belly, and pudding/custard. The menu of the day was €14 each and was excellent!
Drive Around and Through Terceira Island
Terceira has over 50,000 inhabitants, measures a little over 150 square miles, is an active volcanic island, and is also home to the 65th US Air Force Wing as well as a Portuguese Air Force base. Much of the center of the island is a nature preserve, and the main economic driver is livestock and dairy foods.
On several occasions, we passed processions of dairy cows moving from one lush green paddock to another. The fencing of the paddocks is distinct. The walls are built of volcanic rock stacked by farmers and rural peoples over the centuries.
If you want to circumnavigate the island, the distance is about 37 miles. Plan for four hours for a combination of driving, stopping for a snack, stopping for photos, and a short walk. The website and application Rome2Rio is our favorite app for estimating time and distance, as well as transportation options and costs.
If you don’t have a car but want to go see some of the island, you can also take the bus. Additionally, there are other transport services on the island if you are interested in hitting a few of the highlights without the hassle of renting a car.
Visit the Ferol da Serreta - Lighthouse on the West Coast of Terceira
We stopped at a beautiful lighthouse, Ferol da Serreta to stretch our legs and have a snack break at the picnic area. The lighthouse appears to be quite modern, replacing one or more previous lighthouses that were at this location.
In addition to the nice facilities (washroom, picnic tables, BBQ area), there are trails nearby as well as an additional parking area below. From the lower parking zone, you can watch the ocean, fish, or just admire the rocks and geological features. In the winter and shoulder seasons (spring and autumn) you may find that you have the place all to yourself.
Ferol da Serreta, Terceira, Azores.
Visit the Dairy Cows and Taste the Local Cheese
The oceanic subtropical climate and lush vegetation with few temperature extremes (15 C to 25 C) make it a less-capital intensive place to raise cattle. One does not need a large investment in buildings to warehouse cattle to protect them from extremes in weather. The mild climate and pasture living are conducive to a longer lifespan of cattle and fewer diseases than lot-raised cattle.
The majority of cattle we observed on our drive were Holstein-Friesian breeds though we observed a few Jersey and Brown Swiss cows as well. The majority of the milk is sold as fresh milk, followed by cheese and butter.
The cheese made from the milk of these cows looked to be mostly high-quality Edam-type cheese and could be purchased on the island as well as neighboring Azores islands. Dairy products are exported from the island, mainly to the mainland of Portugal. This transportation cost of getting this high-quality cheese to population centers is likely one of the highest costs facing this industry.
Go Hiking on Terceira Island
The island, like the other islands making up the archipelago of the Azores, has quite a few well-marked hiking trails. We walked a small portion of the trails on the western edge of the island near the Ferol da Serreta lighthouse. We were rewarded with excellent views of the bucolic pastures, grazing cattle, dramatic waves, and cliffs up to 500 meters in height.
After walking a short distance, we understood quickly why the Azores is visited by about 3 million visitors per year (prior to the pandemic).
Cliffs north of Serreta in Reserva Florestal de Recreio da Serreta, Terceira Island, Azores.
Stay at the Hotel Do Caracol
We stayed at Hotel Do Caracol free of charge on behalf of SATA. Hotel Do Caracol is located on the west side of Angra do Heroísmo - the central zone of this city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. We would select this hotel again the next time we are in Terceira. The views were great. Depending upon which room you get, you may have ocean views, a city view, a view of the pool and snorkeling area, or a view of a 16th-century fortress called Fortress of São João Baptista.
The staff were warm and friendly, the beds were comfortable with nice linens, and the rooms were very quiet in March. The rooms were modern, very clean, and had ample outlets for charging. The underground parking was easy to navigate for our small rental car. If you arrive in a large vehicle, this would however be a tight fit. The WiFi was very slow, but we were able to get by with our travel SIM cards.
The dinner provided was average with few options, however, the buffet breakfast was quite good. Check-in and check-out were seamless as SATA had provided a list of guests to the hotel and all we needed to do was confirm our name and show our IDs.
Snorkel (or Watch the Giant Waves) at Zona Balnear da Silveira
There is a nice snorkeling and swimming area just outside the Hotel Do Caracol in Angra do Heroismo. However the day we were there, large waves from the intense spring storm were pounding the shore so definitely no swimming or diving on that day. There is a dive center at the hotel as well.
Our Summary of Terceira Island
We enjoyed our 18-hour stay on Ihla Terceira. Most memorable were the helpful SATA and Hertz airport staff, the views near Santa Barbara, and the lunch at Oficina da Esquina.
What was nice about the island was that one does not stick out so much in hiking gear or casual clothes as a majority of the people on the island are engaged in agriculture, so we never felt underdressed.
The rental car drop-off was very easy. We were able to check-in before the bus arrived with the other delayed passengers, enjoy a coffee inside the airport, and finish our travel to Pico Island where we arrived before noon on a beautiful sunny day.
Additional Resources For Your Trip to Terceira Island
For hiking trails, check out this book by Cicerone on Azores hiking. The book has seven hikes on the island of Terceira.
The Cicerone organization from the UK has been publishing hiking guidebooks for over 50 years. In addition to hiking and cycling books, Cicerone has a podcast called Footnotes and also hosts monthly live events on YouTube.
These guidebooks include color photographs from along the trails, detailed maps, anticipated hike times, distance, total ascent/descent, terrain to expect, refreshment options, transport and waymarks. For each island, there is an overview of how to get to the trailheads, how to get around the island, where to find tourist information, and information on area parks is included.
These guidebooks are also small and made to fit easily in a daypack. They are also available to purchase as a Kindle book for those wanting an electronic version.
The only downside is that the font is a little small, so bring your reading glasses, if necessary :)
Another item that can come in handy is a 1:50,000 map of the Azores.
These maps are of high quality and are great for preplanning any trip to the Azores.
For additional information on Terceira Island, an overview of the history, activities, culture, foods, festivals, and scenery, check out this video by VITEC.
