I can’t believe I have never shared pictures of a place that is so special to me! Maybe because I don’t want the secret to get out. People all over the world are missing out on one of the most beautiful places on this planet. 

Every summer, when the planting season is finished, I disappear to a “far away island” as I mentioned in my last post. If you follow me on Instagram then you got to see a glimpse of my favorite place.  

Ok, I guess I’m going to let the cat out of the bag, are you ready?!

The Azores islands, a part of Portugal, consisting of 9 islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The islands are 900 miles west of Portugal and about 2,400 miles east of Boston. 
                                     
                

So you’re probably wondering how in the heck did I come upon this place? My Avô and Avó, (Portuguese for grandfather and grandmother, pronounced a-voo and a-vaw) were born and raised on these spectacular islands, São Jorge to be exact, the island circled below.
                   
São Jorge island is located in the center of the 9 islands. The island is about 4 miles wide and 33 miles long. My mom and aunt spent a lot of their childhood here. The tradition continued with my parents taking my brother and myself when we were young and our love for the place has continued. When my boys were 4 & 5 years old we started taking them in hopes of them loving it too!  They definitely do, as we have been every summer since (the boys are 10&11 now)! 

I took a “few” pictures while I was there this summer and I’m so happy to share them with you. The island is beautiful, pictures don’t do it justice! The terrain is natural, dramatic and so serene! And the most beautiful hydrangeas grow like wildflowers all over the island. I’m not kidding, yes I said hydrangeas.

Ohhh, how I wish I was still there!
Don’t worry, I have more pictures to share of this special place, coming soon!
If you’d like to see more photos or want to learn more about the islands check out this website, www.visitazores.com