Blue zones are the places where people live the longest, healthiest lives. São Miguel has every ingredient: a mild climate year-round, a strong sense of community, organic food grown close to home, crystal-clear air & water, and a pace of life built around nature.
Thousands of kilometers of open Atlantic in every direction keep the air fresh, clean and always moving. Respiratory-wise, few places boast such high air quality indexes.
Clear Atlantic water, volcanic coves, thermal pools, and whales & dolphins just offshore. The Azores offer world-class, sustainably harvested seafood and play host to an abundant marine ecosystem.
Grass-fed dairy, fresh-caught fish, pineapples grown in greenhouses and Europe's oldest tea plantations featuring the highest antioxidant count ever found in green tea, all grown in mineral-rich volcanic soil.
Inside a huge volcanic crater lie two lakes, one blue and one green. Legend says they were filled by the tears of a princess and a shepherd. Ridge-top trails circle the rim with views that stop you in your tracks. We're 10 minutes from the viewpoint.
On the northwest coast, dramatic basalt islets rise from the surf in front of a black-sand beach. Natural lava pools make it a favorite place for a swim, and the sunsets here are among the best in the Atlantic. We're 10 minutes to the sunset view rocks, and 15 to the beach.
Steam rises from the ground and iron-rich hot springs fill stone pools at Poça da Dona Beija and Terra Nostra. Lunch is cozido, a stew slow-cooked for hours underground by volcanic heat. Furnas is just an hour and ten minutes away.
The north coast's long Santa Bárbara Beach draws surfers from around the world, and the old town of Ribeira Grande sits close by. Hydrangeas line the roads, and the waterfalls of Caldeira Velha are just inland.
São Miguel has more cows than people, but it doesn't lack anything. Ponta Delgada has world-class internet, an international airport, hospitals, great restaurants, cafés and markets, plus all the modern city comforts you could want. Just 35 min from the villa.
Do yoga in the morning, work remotely in the afternoon and visit the city for some casual nightlife in the eve.
Hundreds of kilometers of marked trails cross the island. They run through cedar forests, past hidden waterfalls, and along crater rims high above the sea.
