Editor’s note: reading all of Morgan’s descriptions of the Azores has been a surprising experience for me. They all seem so different, and all seem so cool! To read about these, and all of her adventures, make sure to click here to visit her index page.

I’ve visited 5 out of the 9 Açores (Anglicized Azores) islands in Portugal as of the date of publication of this article, and Terceira is the final installment of the current series on The Royal Tour.

Terceira’s massive volcanic caves are a must-see for any geology enthusiast, and the island’s inhabitants do a fantastic job balancing conservation and education with exploration. 22 percent of the island is protected, with 20 protected areas and multiple UNESCO recognitions for both heritage and geological significance.

Terceira ends up easy to see because so many flights to the Açores have layovers at Lajes Airport, which feels similar to many tropical island airports.

Losing My Marbles

One thing I experienced in flying to Terceira that I’ve never run into anywhere else in the world: having my rocks confiscated as potential weapons! I was sure that I must’ve misunderstood, or that the security officers were stopping me from bringing them because of some concern of cross contamination or removal of material, or that they thought my finds were fossils or organic in nature. However, after I explained that the rocks were from the mainland, and brought out my phone to show some documentation, they explained (including expressive, full-body gestures and tossing the rocks hand to hand) that I could hit the pilot of the small plane with one of my rocks. I smartly didn’t counter with the fact that I could also attack the pilot with my metal water bottle, which would likely do more damage than one of my finds. Instead I documented detailed pictures of the stones before sadly shuffling away from the security belt.

Slightly lighter pack in hand, I left wondering whether a seasonal ferry from another island might have been a better play – though when I consider having been stranded on Sao Jorge due to weather, that may not have been the preferred option after all.

Historical Structures

Terceira’s main city, Angra do Heroísmo, dates back to 1479 as the oldest on the islands, and serves as a UNESCO world heritage site because of its preserved architecture, which utilizes stunning black volcanic stone as a striking contrasting color.

This same city contains a fortress dating from 1580, Forte de São Sebastião, which maintains its striking original structure while now including a contemporary hotel and restaurant. Like other Açores islands, visiting in the off-season or shoulder season means lots of restaurant and hotel availability, even last-minute!

While not historical, it’s worth mentioning an easily-missed humble door that leads into a small but well-organized volcanospeleological museum, perfect for folks who’d like to know a bit more about the formation of the Açores without overwhelm.

Island Sights

Terceira’s landscape offers even more engaging experiences. Hiking trails wind through miles of endemic Azores juniper forests along rocky coasts, or along rushing rivers and hidden waterfalls to emerge in small charming towns. Near-empty roads climb to viewpoints showing verdant agriculture sweeping along all sides of the island, clearly outlining the caldera and scoria cones, then drop to tempting natural volcanic stone pools with waves crashing loudly all around.

Beneath the Surface of Terceira

The most stunning part of Terceira’s landscape isn’t on the surface, though. It’s below, in the famous caves, including Algar do Carvão and Gruta do Natal. When planning trips through these caves, be sure to purchase tickets in advance, as opening hours and days are limited by conservation measures to protect local bat colonies. One ticket will get you into both stunning attractions, and you’ll want to wear hiking boots to avoid slipping on the wet lava rock, as well as a waterproof jacket to prevent dripping cold water from shocking your skin.

The Gruta do Natal ticket includes a hard hat, which seems silly at first but proves especially handy if anyone in your party is on the taller side. No matter your height, you’re likely to knock your head at least once as you navigate the naturally formed lava folds and undulations throughout the cave. It’s named because the Montanheiros, the group of conservation-minded cave explorers who first descended into the Gruta, celebrated Christmas (Natal in Portuguese) inside the cave starting in 1969.

Entering the Algar do Carvao, a walk through enormous lava tubes inside a volcano, feels like descending into another world – and it really is, considering the volcanic pit also houses diverse flora and fauna. The deeper part of the cave, which contains an ethereal underground lake and mesmerizing silica stalactite formations, is home to a beetle only found on Terceira, as well as many species endemic to the Açores. Stand near the lagoon and listen to the drops of water echo from the surface, or listen to nearby educated guides as they share factoids.

Nearby you’ll encounter the Furnas do Enxofre trail, a fumarole area that emits volcanic steam and pungent sulfuric gases (enxofre is Portuguese for sulfur) all year. The area creates a unique ecosystem for extremophiles, which are organisms that live in extreme conditions (in this case, extreme heat), as well as protected endemic plants. The elevated trails in this area allow visitors to observe these unique phenomena while remaining safe from the superheated ground and maintaining the safety of these delicate species.

Terceira Island is a must-visit, especially if you have the opportunity for a long layover between Azores Islands. Just be sure you only bring small, non-threatening rocks.

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