Editor’s note: another Azorean island look from Morgan, our resident geology buff. Sao Jorge does indeed seem beautiful, remote, and a great way to get off the beaten path, if you’re into that sort of thing. For more of Morgan’s writing, be sure to click here to visit her index page.
When Azoreans heard me ask where to find the best local hiking spots, every tour guide without fail recommended the island of São Jorge. One of Portugal’s 9 Açores Islands, Sao Jorge might be best known for three items: its distinctive geological formations (called “fajãs”), its delicious cheese, and the breathtaking landscape that allows for unique secluded hikes. Luckily, those attractions were more than enough to entertain us for a few extra days after being stuck on the island longer
than expected!
One of the three aptly named triangular islands in the Açores (or Azores, spelled the anglicized way), São Jorge is named after (and is the Portuguese spelling of) Saint George. Not to be confused with Pico, where the dragon trees are located, São Jorge is called the Dragon Island, both because it supposedly looks like a dragon from above, and because of its namesake Saint George, the mythical dragon slayer.
The Distinctive Fajãs of São Jorge
Part of the reason for the island’s unusual shape is its signature geology. It’s long and thin because it was formed by a linear volcanic fissure. The coastline is varied with distinctive patterns of piled volcanic debris and sediment, called fajãs. These stunning, Jurassic-Park-like features are formed when cliffs collapse from erosion or from volcanic eruptions when lava spreads out in the sea at the bottom of the flow. Like the other Açores Islands, São Jorge was formed by fairly recent volcanism (in terms of geologic timescales). São Jorge’s fajãs are unique enough to be listed as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Each fajã is unique and most are separated from each other, with few roads along those areas, so the path to each involves driving along the top of the island, then driving or hiking down winding, dead-end paths to sea level, not knowing what the reward might be at the bottom. They can contain rich soil, advantageous for farming, as well as lagoons and ideal living spaces for shellfish, which contribute to Azorean cuisine.
Famous Sǎo Jorge Cheese
Speaking of Azorean cuisine, São Jorge’s cheese is famous throughout the islands and is exported to the mainland as well. The cheese distinctive to São Jorge is a semi-hard cheese with a strong scent that both ages and travels well. While these qualities initially made it a great product for sailors traveling through the islands, they also mean that you can bring some home in your suitcase and have tasty memories of your trip for long after you return from the Açores! Pair it with some volcanic Pico wine (click here to read about Pico) and you’ll have a truly delectable snack.
The cheese is so successful on São Jorge because of its unique combination of rich soil and weather that the cows live in; despite some of the Açores being so close to each other, every island truly does have its own weather patterns.
Traveling to and Around São Jorge
São Jorge’s weather can be unpredictable, to say the least. I’d even say it’s dramatic. It was the final Açores stop I visited on a recent trip, with a perfectly planned itinerary home. The plan involved utilizing multiple long layovers to maximize the trip home while minimizing airport fatigue: a short ferry trip to Pico, a day-long layover in Terceira to explore that island further, a day-long layover in Boston to meet with some colleagues, and finally a flight to California. Little did I know that unexpected eight-foot waves at São Jorge would lead to a ferry cancellation that sent the entire plan spinning!
Further complicating the travel issues was the fact that the trip happened during the islands’ off-season (March; the two Azores off-seasons are typically January through April and October through December). While on some of the other islands, like São Miguel, the off-season timing worked out well for being able to easily rent cars, book same-day activities, and smoothly travel without crowds of tourists, it complicated the São Jorge experience. Because its population is only around 8000 people and it’s less visited than islands like São Miguel, São Jorge’s businesses tend to have extremely limited hours or even close altogether during the off-season, which means everything from car rentals to dinner plans can be unpredictable. However, that off-season shift allows for completely empty hiking trails, offering full enjoyment of the scenery.
Hiking Sǎo Jorge
The volatile, constantly-shifting weather led to some scarce hiking hours on this trip, but each hike was extremely worth it. One led down a series of switchbacks to a tranquil path through historic homes along fajãs that created natural lagoons. Others contained rewards like waterfalls, volcanic black sand beaches, areas of endemic plant preservation, sea arches, lighthouses, and more. I’d recommend going on a hike even if the weather seems unpleasant, because drizzle often fades in and out throughout the day. While we didn’t attempt the island’s lengthiest hike, which follows the “spine of the dragon” across most of the island, it comes highly recommended by locals and travelers alike.
Other beautiful areas of the island contain stunning examples of geology; Morro Grande de Velas, for example, is a cone that was formed by underwater eruptions. Its circular landscape has a cone inside, which can be seen from above on a hike. Many of the nearby hills, formed in the same way, are in different stages of erosion from the ocean’s powerful waves.
While admittedly I wouldn’t make a trip to the Açores just to see São Jorge, especially in the off-season, I would certainly recommend visiting it while you’re seeing the other Açores islands! Just be sure to have some loose, flexible travel and activity plans in case the local weather has other ideas for you.
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