If you are looking for a non-touristy island surrounded by luscious greenery and chill local vibes… the Azores is your place! And YES these string of islands belong to Portugal and are a part of Europe. The Azores are on the rise to becoming a popular European vacation destination because you still get a tropical island feel but are only a three hour flight away from most major airports. No wonder most call it the “Hawaii of Europe”.
The first time I was in São Miguel, Azores was in 2023 after I finished my seasonal winter job in Switzerland. It’s kind of funny how this girls trip with one of my childhood friends panned out.
As I was sitting in my apartment in Switzerland, I found out my friend had just broken up with her boyfriend at the time… so I told her “Hey my job ends in 2 months, let’s have our ‘single hot girl summer’ moment and have an amazing girls trip somewhere!” And what better way to escape your problems than going to some islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean away from all the drama?! Umm yes please I’m buying a one-way ticket thanks!
Once we landed in São Miguel we rented a car to explore the whole island. We were blown away at how green and lush the scenery was. Sao Miguel was a combination of the Amazon Rain Forest, mixed with Hawaiian humidity and a sprinkle of Swiss cows in the mix. We were in awe. We visited natural hot springs, went whale watching, saw colorful sunsets on the beach sipping homemade sangria, and visited one of the only tea plantations in Europe!
I am so happy that we decided to take a leap across the Atlantic together and experience a spontaneous, very much needed girls trip together. I will never forget these memories that we created and we will definitely be talking about this trip for years!
Which bestie will you take to europe?
Kristy
