The São Jorge traverse: trekking between fajãs and craters in the Azores
In the Azores, the ridge-island of São Jorge stays off to one side even within this Atlantic archipelago. A spine of craters crossed by trails that drop down to the coastal fajãs, terraces born of lava and landslides: volcanic nature and few, very few people.
José Luís Ávila Silveira/Pedro Noronha e Costa, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Azores are slowly appearing on travellers' radars, but even within the archipelago there are islands that stay off to one side. São Jorge is one of them: a long, narrow volcanic spine, almost a ridge risen from the Atlantic, where the tourists who crowd São Miguel arrive only in a trickle. It's precisely this elongated shape, made of a central plateau and steep escarpments down to the sea, that makes it a paradise for those who walk and seek isolation.
The fajãs
São Jorge's distinctive feature are the fajãs: flat terraces formed at the base of the cliffs by ancient lava flows or landslides, today cultivated, inhabited or gone wild again. The finest trails link the plateau to the fajãs, descending along the walls, and each descent is a small journey through the island's microclimate, from the windswept pasture up top to the almost tropical vegetation below. The most famous route leads to the Fajã dos Cubres and the Fajã da Caldeira de Santo Cristo, reachable only on foot, with its lagoon where clams are farmed and where surfers arrive walking with their boards under their arms. It's a place that earns its worth precisely because it takes effort.
The plateau and the views
Other itineraries run along the plateau among the volcanic cones and the pastures where the cows that give the famous São Jorge cheese graze. From many points on the ridge, on clear days, you can see the neighbouring islands: the perfect cone of Pico rising from the sea, Faial, Graciosa on the horizon. These are views that repay the climb on their own. The towns of Velas and Calheta, on the coast, make comfortable bases and keep the slow, unaffected rhythm of island life.
How demanding the trails are
As for effort, the traverses down to the fajãs demand fit legs: you descend a lot and then, almost always, have to climb back up, and the elevation changes packed onto the escarpments are considerable even when the distances are short. The official trails are well marked with the distinctive Azorean signs, but the surface can be slippery when it rains, which happens often in these parts. The walks on the plateau, by contrast, are gentler and suited to anyone wanting a less tiring outing. In general you'll need rain gear in every season, because Atlantic weather changes fast.
Getting there
To get there you generally fly to one of the larger islands and then take an inter-island connection: São Jorge has a small airport and a port served by the ferries that shuttle to and from Pico and Faial, the islands of the so-called triangle. This means you can combine São Jorge with its neighbours in a single trip. On the island a rental car is almost indispensable for reaching the various trailheads, given that public transport is minimal.
When to go
The best time runs from early summer to early autumn. June and July offer the longest days and the greatest chance of clear skies over the ridges, while September brings a sea still mild, hydrangeas past their bloom but lush nature and numbers already falling. Even in the busiest months, though, São Jorge never really knows crowds: you only have to set off on the trail towards a fajã to be left alone with the ocean beneath your feet, crossing paths with almost no one for hours. Compared with the archipelago's better-known islands, the numbers here stay small and the pace slow, and you feel it in every corner. It's an island that rewards those who give up comfort and accept walking to earn its most beautiful places.
A practical tip: plan the descents to the fajãs with the weather on your side and factor in the climb back up, which in the humid heat is the hard part. Carry water, something to eat and shoes with a good sole. And treat yourself to a night in one of the accessible fajãs, if you can find a place: falling asleep to the sound of the ocean and waking in an amphitheatre of green rock is the right way to understand why this island stays a secret.
Practical guides for Como
Practical info
When is the best time to visit The São Jorge traverse?
The recommended time is June, July and September, when it is less crowded.
Where is The São Jorge traverse?
The São Jorge traverse is located in Azores, Portugal.
