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Forbes
12-05-2025
- Forbes
Top Things To Do In The Azores: Discover Portugal's Hidden Island Gem
Sete Citidades, the Azores Roughly half way across the Atlantic Ocean between continental Europe and North America are the Azores, a group of nine Portuguese volcanic islands offering a fantastic blend of natural beauty, rich culture and outdoor adventure. With lush landscapes, dramatic coastlines and beautiful lakes, the Azores are an undiscovered gem for nature lovers, hikers and travelers seeking a peaceful getaway. Whether you're exploring the volcanic craters of São Miguel, taking a dip. in hot springs or attending the annual experimental music festival, Tremor, the island of São Miguel, the largest of the Azorean archipelago, is a truly magical destination. The Zenmenn at Tremor Festival 2025 Tremor, an annual experimental music festival every April, is reason enough to visit the Azores. Portuguese and international artists perform in wonderful indoor settings and spectacular outdoor venues across the island. Tickets for the next festival (24-28 March 2026) are being released in stages and are already available. Sete Cidades lake in The Azores If you visit the Azores for Tremor, you'll have plenty of time to explore Sao Miguel as gigs are mostly in the evenings. Start with a private island tour with Get Your Guide. The company's 4×4 Tour from Ponta Delgada Day Tour with Sete Cidades will take you to view crater lakes, volcanic landscapes, with a stop for a traditional village meal. Within a massive volcanic caldera, the twin lakes of Sete Cidades present one of São Miguel's most incredible landscapes, a must for any visit to Sao Miguel. The derelict Monte Palace, a former French-owned 5-star hotel on the edge of a crater. Another unexpected highlight of the tour is a visit to the ruined Monte Palace, a former French-owned 5-star hotel on the edge of a crater. The hotel opened in 1991 and closed just over a year later. It's been derelict ever since. Visitors are able to explore five floors of ruined corridors, rooms and balconies unrestricted while marvelling at walls covered in colorful paintings and grafitti. A sperm whale off Sao Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal. Situated on a key Atlantic marine migration route, the Azores are a world-renowned whale-watching destination. Futurismo Azores Adventures is a great choice for a whale watching adventure from the harborin Ponta Delgado. With expert biologist guides and spotters working from inland, you'll have an excellent chance of encountering cetaceans, including sperm whales and dolphins, as you embark on an unforgettable boat tour. While it's not guaranteed that you'll see anything (especially whales), if you see nothing, Futurismo allows a second (free) outing. Half day (early morning or afternoon) excursions are 65€. Arquipélago – Contemporary Art Center Indeed, Sao Miguel has a thriving contemporary art scene. Arquipélago – Contemporary Art Center just above the seaside at Ribeira Grande is in a 19th-century alcohol and tobacco factory. The imposing volcanic stone building houses several temporary exhibitions each year in an attempt to combine local heritage with contemporary artistic expression. Vaga, a contemporary art space in Ponta Delgado Vaga, in Ponta Delgado, is a contemporary art space with engaging temporary shows and events that's also the headquarters of a new art biennial, Walk and Talk that will launch 25 September and run until 30 November 2025. For Gestures of Abundance, invited international artists and curators will consider how we can change our perception of scarcity to one of cooperative abundance. MAAT, Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, Building, Belem, Lisbon, Portugal. The Portuguese capital deserves a special mention as you'll likely get your connecting flight to the Azores here. If you fly TAP, you'll have a free stopover to stay a night or two to explore Lisbon. There's plenty to enjoy, and a perfect day could include a visit to the contemporary art museum Maat (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology) on the outskirts of Lisbon in Belem, a stroll along the River Tagus past the 25 de Abril bridge (commemorating the Carnation Revolution that ended the Portuguese dictatorship and established democracy in 1974) and a stop in the famous cafe and bakery Pasteis de Belem to discover and taste the famous custard tarts, pastel de nata. O Americo, the Azores Azorean food is a flavorful fusion of land and sea. From the ocean, you'll find limpets (small shellfish), octopus and tuna on most menus. And from the land, traditional stews like cozido das Furnas, dairy products and pineapples. Baked goods are very particular to the islands, including bolo lêvedo, a soft, muffin-like flatbread from Furnas that's lightly sweet and perfect for breakfast or as a sandwich bun. Many Azorean desserts feature eggs, cinnamon and local cheese, such as queijadas da Vila, a creamy tart from Terceira made with fresh cheese and sugar. Restaurante Monte Verde on the beachfront in Ribeira Grande is a family-run traditional restaurant that's been serving fish since 1986. The grilled tuna served with tomato rice and potatoes is excellent. Grilled octopus at O Americo Grilled Octopus with potatoes is a firm favorite at family-run O Américo de Barbosa in Mosterios: an essential lunch stop when touring the island. In Ponta Delgada, if you'd like a change from fish, Nonnas serves authentic and delicious Neapolitan pizza using Italian and local ingredients. Green love is a calm pitstop for coffee and cake (try the sweet cheese tart, queijada San Jorge), while sightseeing in Sete Citades. Holy Cow guesthouse, Ponta Delagada Neat hotel is a 3 star, well equipped business hotel in an ideal location near the main attractions of Ponta Delgada. For something with lots of character, The Holy Cow is a cute guesthouse with five guestrooms, a comfortable lounge, terrace and an excellent continental breakfast with local products. Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal São Miguel is a two-hour flight from Lisbon and Oporto, and a six-hour flight from Boston. Ponta Delgada's João Paulo II Airport is only ten minutes from downtown and is serviced by several national airlines with both direct and easy connecting flights. With daily flights to the Azores from Lisbon, TAP Air Portugal is a good option. The airline offers flights from London Heathrow and London Gatwick to Ponta Delgada, the Azores, via Lisbon. An optional free stopover in Lisbon on the way there or back is a great way to extend your trip and see more of Portugal. If traveling from North America, TAP flies from Boston, Chicago, Miami, Montreal, New York, San Francisco, Toronto and Washington to the Azores, via Lisbon and offers the same free stopover. While there are local buses on Sao Miguel, they aren't frequent and you'll waste precious hours getting to places. The roads are well maintained so a better option is to rent a car from an agency like the excellent Azores Easy Rent who will pick up and drop off at your hotel or the airport. All cars come with unlimited mileage and their Super Easy Insurance pack is the best option.
Forbes
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Tremor 2025: The Ultimate Insider Music Festival
Asmâa Hamzaoui and Bnat Timbouktou, Tremor Festival 2025 Paul Allen/Andfotography2 Taking place every April on the Azores island of São Miguel, Tremor, a five-day experimental music festival, is an extraordinary, magical event, full of surprises. Situated in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean, the Azores are an autonomous Portuguese archipelago located about 1,400 kilometers from Lisbon and nearly 1,900 kilometers from North America. These isolated, volcanic islands, spread across the ocean, provide a breathtaking and secluded backdrop for an unforgettable musical experience. Why the Eye, Tremor Festival 2025 Paul Allen/Andfotography2 April 2025 was the eleventh year of a festival that features a range of music by Portuguese and international artists, in wonderful indoor settings and spectacular outdoor venues. Each gig is around 45 minutes long and some overlap in different locations so choices have to be made. But that's part of the fun and adds to the sense of discovery and adventure. And another feature of the clever programming that makes this festival really special are hikes in gorgeous natural settings that involve performances en route and daily 'secret gigs' in surprising locations. Audiences don't know where the gigs are until two hours beforehand and the actual gigs are a complete surprise as well. These mysterious gigs are just one reason this festival always sells out months in advance. Fulu Miziki at Tremor 2025 Paul Allen/Andfotography2 Tickets for Tremor 2026 have just been released (booking details below). While the festival has expanded considerably since the first one-day event with 300 tickets sold, current festival ticket sales remain capped at 2,000 attendees. This is a deliberate choice of the four festival directors as they are keen to keep the festival intimate and also to not overwhelm the island's infrastructure and local population. Joseph Keckler at Tremor 2025 Paul Allen/Andfotography2 Among the many highlights this year were gigs featuring women musicians, including a Moroccan band in a botanical garden with hot springs, a Portuguese female guitar virtuoso and a flute solo by a very young member of a youth orchestra, mentored by a famous French jazz saxophonist. There were many more wonderful moments in a festival that fuses sounds and artistic expressions from across the globe, coming together in one of the most stunning and secluded places on Earth. Perhaps the most magical moment of Tremor 2025 was during a walk through a beautiful wood when we encountered Asmâa Hamzaoui and her group Bnat Timbouktou seated beside a tree, performing Gnawa spiritual songs. The group brings a refreshing energy to this ancient art form originating from Morocco. Though women are essential to Gnawa rituals, there have been very few female Gnawa musicians, something Asmâa Hamzaoui aims to change. The guembri, a lute played in a percussive style, the rhythmic percussion of qraqeb (iron castanets) and Asmâa Hamzaoui's expressive voice created a mesmerising soundscape that floated around the idyllic outdoor setting. The Zenmenn, Tremor Festival 2025 Paul Allen/Andfotography2 Held in the mountainous, serene surroundings of the Reserva Florestal, a protected forest area in the hills of the Azores, this intimate show's unconventional location added an air of mystique and exclusivity to the event. A forest trail opened up to a large field with a small stage in the center. Using a synthesizer and blending the old with the new, the organic with the electric, and the harmonic with the rhythmic, the trio created a chilled mix of both traditional Western and Eastern sounds. The Swedish experimental supergroup Fire came together in 2009, led by a core trio of saxophonist Mats Gustafsson, bassist Johan Berthling and drummer Andreas Werliin. Merging elements of free jazz, psychedelic rock, and noise, the group creates a distinctive and adventurous sound. Known for their fearless improvisation and genre-defying performances, the trio's performance in a hall, on the grounds of a former convent, was a 45-minute, intense, non-stop wall of sound. Gustafsson's explosive saxophone lines, Berthling's deep, rhythmic bass and Werliin's commanding percussion blew the crowd away. One of the most fantastical (and entertaining) concerts of the festival was from Why the Eye, a Belgian experimental masked quartet playing on DIY instruments at a remote lakeside location. The group describes their music as "Prehistoric Techno" probably because they perform with homemade instruments and laptops while wearing bizarre furry masks. Their noisy and experimental sound ecouraged listeners to join the lead singer in a wild, energetic dance. Another thrilling surprise for festival goers was Joseph Keckler who, using a laptop, piano and a projector, gave one of the most electrifying performances at Tremor. Celebrated for his operatic vocals and dark humor, the American artist took to the stage where he transformed mundane tales into surreal, poignant experiences. It's no surprise he's received rave reviews including from The New York Times who described him as a "major talent who shatters conventional boundaries." Mr Keckler's theatrical performance included haunting ballads, mesmerising storytelling, eerie grooves and comic autobiographical arias on sex with a ghost and buying too much vinyl clothing. Ranging from baritone to falsetto, Keckler captivated the audience with his powerful voice and unique artistry. The main concert venue at Tremor is on the seafront in a cavernous warehouse space, ideal for the exuberant Afrofuturist Congolese group, Fulu Miziki (music from garbage in Lingala). And in fact, the music ensemble make all their own instruments, costumes and masks from recycled materials. Their music combines raw, percussive energy with elements of traditional Congolese rhythms, noise and avant-garde experimentation. Each performance is a visual spectacle, with members wearing elaborate costumes inspired by African culture and futuristic visions. Their upcycled instruments — fashioned from items like PVC pipes, discarded metal, and plastic — created a distinct, infectious sound that had the entire crowd joyously dancing. In a fishing village once described as the poorest in Portugal traditional Azorean music met contemporary rap. Filmmaker Diogo Lima became DJ Gaivota for the evening. Also on stage was the crew that Resident Advisor dubbed the "Azorean DJ collective Convidados." And on the docks, Som Sim Zero, a group made up of deaf performers and art collective Ondamarela, regaled the crowd with choral singing, psychedelica, traditional songs and spoken word. Their energy was contagious and you didn't have to understand Portuguese to revel in the joyful experience. Eugénia, Auditório Luís de Camões, Tremor Festival 2025 Vera Marmelo Eugénia Contente, a guitarist from Ponta Delgada, wove her Azorean roots with jazz-fusion in a dynamic performance. Born in 1992 in Ponta Delgada, Ms Contente discovered her passion for the guitar at the age of nine and honed her skills at the famous Lisbon jazz venue, Hot Clube de Portugal. Her trio played from her debut album, Duckontente. to an adoring crowd. Fidju Kitxora, Portas do Ma Vera Marmelo The main Tremor dockside hub hosted an artist who divides his time between Lisbon and Cape Verde. Blending field recordings, atmospheric synthesisers, and vocal samples, Fidju Kitxora created a distinctive, memorable soundscape. In a lively collaboration with French saxophonist, Guillaume Perret, the Rabo de Peixe Music School performed a winning combination of jazz, electronic music, rock and funk to an appreciative crowd. A surprise was a beautiful solo by young flautist, Maia. And treating the audience to his own solo at the end, Guillaume Perret showed off his creative use of pedals and effects to expand the saxophone's sonic capabilities. Oko Ebombo at Tremor Festival 2025 Paul Allen/Andfotography2 Parisian multidisciplinary artist Oko Ebombo mixes poetry, hip hop, soul and dance, inspired by his own life and urban experiences. His charismatic movements, combined with hip hop and soul, greatly appealed to an admiring audience at the dockside main venue. Portuguese-born, Cape Verde based Ari experiments with beatbox and percussion. He was accompanied by dynamic French dancer Débora N'Jiokou who specialises in hip hop and house. Tremor was the first time they'd performed together and what a gorgeous, captivating debut it was. Azores Sao Miguel, Miradouro da Vista do Rei, Sete Cidades,, aerial drone view getty São Miguel is a two-hour flight from Lisbon and Oporto and a six-hour flight from Boston or New York. TAP Air Portugal offers daily flights from London Heathrow and London Gatwick to Ponta Delgada, via Lisbon. An optional free stopover in Lisbon on the way there or back is a great way to extend your trip and see more of Portugal. If traveling from North America, TAP flies from Boston, Chicago, Miami, Montreal, New York, San Francisco, Toronto and Washington to the Azores, via Lisbon and offers the same free stopovers. Tremor 2026 will run 24–28 March. Ticket sales, are to be released in tiers at different prices as follows: From Friday, 18 April 2025, the first 400 tickets were released at the €80 early bird rate. Once those are gone, the next 400 tickets will be priced at €90. All remaining tickets will be available at the standard price of €100.
