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Of all the nine Azorean islands, Sao Jorge has the best hiking. This toblerone shaped island has thick forest with tiny towns dotted in between. It is my definition of paradise.
If you are looking to explore this island on foot, these are the top hikes in Sao Jorge. Keep in mind however, that all of the hikes on this island are moderate to difficult. There are no easy treks due to the extreme elevation changes across the island, so make sure to bring a good pair of hiking poles!
Faja de Alem
This is an interesting hike. The people living in this area are still living in the old ways of the island. There are no cars that can get down to this little village and all their supplies are sent down in a basket on cables.
The hike down is steep, though it is considered a loop. Most people took the opposite direction from us, but honestly, I was happy with the direction we took.
You will park your car at the Chapel of Santo António and walk through the town of Ermida following the blazes. The trail will veer off to the left next to cattle fields before switchbacking steeply down to Fajã de Além.
The switchbacks are a bit unnerving as you are walking down wet, slick mud and rock with the trail dropping off down a cliff into the ocean.
So, if you have difficulties with heights or tend to suffer from vertigo, you may want to consider sitting this one out or going down the other side and back up that same side to avoid the sheer steepness of this portion of the trail.
When you reach the bottom, you will walk through the paths connecting the few houses and can take some time to stop and eat a lunch that you brought with you. Then you will begin the ascent up and out of the Faja on the other side.
Here you get sweeping views of the ocean and the Faja as well as the nearby towns, ending at another farm road where you can see the cable system used to transport goods down into the village.
The whole trek is 5km and is difficult. It can be extremely humid and if it has been raining it can be very treacherous and somewhat dangerous, so plan you hiking day accordingly.
Faja dos Cubres/Caldeira Santo Cristo
Our yurt host said that this hike is considered the most beautiful hike on any of the Azorean hikes. I will let you decide for yourself, but it is pretty beautiful.
This is also the only hike considered moderate in difficulty. You have several options here. Many will park a car at one end and have a taxi drop them off at the other so they can walk the entire 10km linear trail. This will go from Serra do Topo, down through Caldeira Santo Cristo and ending in Faja dos Cubres.
Or, if you do not want to rely on a taxi you can park at Serra do Topo and hike down into Caldeira Santo Cristo and back the way you came. This is what we did.
The hike down was fairly easy hiking, with gently declines and a few switchbacks for the steeper sections. But overall, this part was not overtly challenging.
There are significantly more people hiking this trail than some of the others, due to its popularity. Once you reach the Faja you can check out the lake that abuts the ocean and makes it famous with its clams that are found only in this one lake.
Stop at the first restaurant O Gumes. The other I am told is terrible. This place is the perfect stopping point for a beer and some lunch. The clams are horrendously expensive but if you really want to try them be prepared to get a large amount but you’re going to pay around €50.
My opinion? Get the sausage and a sandwich with your beer instead.
Faja dos Vimes – Lourais – Faja de Sao Joao
I loved this hike, but it was so challenging. In my opinion this was the prettiest hike on the island.
It is linear though, so either drop your car off in Faja de Sao Joao and have a taxi take you back to Faja dos Vimes or be prepared to hike back.
Faja dos Vimes, is where you will get the coffee that is grown on the island so its a good place to start to get that little boost of energy before heading off.
This hike is 9.7km one way. There are significant elevation changes that will challenge your legs. But you will see several waterfalls and cross a suspension bridge. The forest is like disappearing into a jungle. It was spectacular.
It is possible to do this as an out and back. We did it. But make sure you have plenty of water and some food with you. There is a small restaurant in Faja de Sao Joao, but when we arrived it was closed. So maybe call them in advance. When we were there, it was late in the COVID19 pandemic, so it’s possible they were closed due to that.
There is water in Faja de Sao Joao at the church, which is the way it is in most of the towns in the Azores. Where there is a church there is likely to be water. It can get very hot in some of the exposed sections of trail and it’s also very humid when you are enclosed in the forest. So, once again. Bring lots of water.
Other hikes in Sao Jorge
There are several other trails you can check out, but these three are, in my opinion the nicest. You can also continue hiking from Faja de Sao Joao to Serra do Topo, but I will warn you it is pretty much all uphill.
So, if you are looking for a multiday trek, I would recommend starting in Faja dos Vimes and you can hike all the way to Faja dos Cubres.
There are also other trails branching off from Faja de Sao Joao if you want to continue along that root as well. All these options you can always part and call a taxi to take you to your starting point.
Concluding Thoughts
If you travel to locations specifically for the hiking and unique nature, Sao Jorge is the island in the Azores you need to visit.
For more information to help plan your trip, check out my Guide to Sao Jorge.
