São Jorge is an island known for its striking cliffs, crags, and fajãs, making it one of the most verdant destinations in the Azores archipelago for a nature and sea-oriented holiday. The island is 33.6 miles long and 4.3 miles at its widest point, forming part of the Central Group and one of the vertices of the “triangle islands” along with Faial and Pico, situated 11.5 miles away from Pico.
The island’s central mountain range runs for almost the entire length of the island, providing a sharp contrast to the rugged and jagged coastline dotted with typical fajãs extending into the sea. São Jorge has more than 40 fajãs in total, small plains that were originally created by lava or landslides, earning it the moniker “island of fajãs.” Some of these areas can only be accessed on foot, making it an ideal location for nature hikes and tours led by specialists, with trails suitable for different physical conditions.
A tour of São Jorge will take you through many fajãs, such as Fajã da Caldeira do Santo Cristo, famous for its delicious clams, Fajã dos Cubres, featuring a crystal-clear lagoon, and Fajã do Ouvidor, where natural pools can be found. The island is home to subsistence farming, with plots of land divided by stone houses with three-pane sash windows, waterfalls, and steel cables used to transport wood to the coastal plains, making it a fascinating cultural and historical experience.
