This place was not on my Azores to-do list, so for this one I just tagged along, leaving the helm to my newfound friend. My plan was to go to Vila Franca do Campo. She was doing the same, but wanted to stop in Água de Pau as well. Not having too many plans this day, why not. We got off the bus from Ponta Delgada, outside the village centre, and headed for the harbour, through a somewhat sparsely populated residential area. After a 20 minute walk we reached the waterfront, to discover a small harbour with a pool, modest lighthouse, and adjacent restaurant. I think the lighthouse might have been hyped up in the visitor guides, because this is not what we expected 😀 The restaurant looked closed, so we decided to look for refreshments in the centre of town. Another 20 minutes, and we found ourselves at a curbside table with a bottle of Kima in hand. The heart of Água de Pau is not big. We did a lap, and spotted an Olympic Stadium :D, and Roberto, our tour guide from earlier in the week. Apparently the island of Sao Miguel isn’t as big as one might think 🙂 To round our visit off, we begun the steep climb up the hill, to the chapel and the viewpoint. Adorable, little chapel. Great views. And a small platform for coastal vistas.
We reached Agua de Pau by bus. Buses on Sao Miguel were not the easiest to figure out. There are 3 bus companies that run the different routes. First you need to decipher the routes and schedules, find the correct bus stop, and spot the correct bus to wave at. The buses don’t leave often, so make sure you are on top of it. Don’t necessarily leave on time either, making you questioning whether or not you’re at the right stop. Note that I visited off season, and at a time still affected by COVID. Paid ticket by cash when boarding. A good thing my travel mate had done a lot more research than me 🙂
The harbour
The village
On top of the hill
