!!!Sao Miguel Island, Azores

Photos by [Max Guzovsky|https://www.airpano.ru/gallery.php?gallery=280] and Oleg Gaponyuk,
members of the [AirPano Team|Geography/About/Consortium/AirPano,_Team] that is a member of the [global-geography Consortium|Geography/About/Consortium]. \\

22 January 2020

with kind permission of [AirPano|http://www.AirPano.com]

Azores, São Miguel Island, Portugal

The archipelago of the Azores is a part of Portugal. Its name is
considered to be originated from the ancient word "azures" meaning blue,
or azure colour. The legend, although, associates it with the word açor
("goshawk" in Portuguese), as if hawks flying to their nests showed the
sailors the way to the islands. But in fact, this bird has never
inhabited this island, so scientists deny this version.

[{Image src='01_SMI.jpg' caption='Lagoa das Sete Cidades twin lake\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false'}]

"Azure" is an entirely appropriate description of the archipelago.
Endless ocean frames the wonderful landscape of nine islands having
volcanic origins. São Miguel is the largest island of the archipelago
with the total area of 744.55 km2 and a population of around 140
thousand people.

[{Image src='02_SMI.jpg' caption='Azores, São Miguel Island, Portugal\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false'}]

The shape of the island is long and narrow, stretching from west to east
and consisting of two volcanic massifs divided by a mountain range. The
highest elevation on the island is Pico da Vara at 1,103 metres above
sea level lying at the eastern end of the island.

[{Image src='03_SMI.jpg' caption='Lagoa das Sete Cidades twin lake\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false'}]

The largest pool of water is Lagoa das Sete Cidades situated in the
crater of a dormant volcano. The name is the Portuguese for "Lagoon of
the Seven Cities". According to a legend, in the 13th century, seven
expelled bishops being chased by the Arabs found an island in the
Atlantic Ocean and founded seven settlements here.

[{Image src='04_SMI.jpg' caption='Azores, São Miguel Island, Portugal\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false'}]

Lagoa das Sete Cidades is the complex of the two lakes with blue and
green water. Its origin is connected to an ancient tale, too. The story
tells that the princess once lived in this area. Her father, the king,
would not let the princess see the shepherd, and the lovers cried at
their separation and their tears formed two beautiful lakes: one Lagoa
Azul, for the princess's eyes were green, and the other Lagoa Verde, for
the shepherd's eyes were likewise coloured.

In the southern part of São Miguel, there is a charming village of Vila
Franca do Campo founded in the 15th century and preserving its ancient
traditions. Its heritage, Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Paz, for example,
has a very interesting history. This temple was built on a hill where an
image of the Virgin was found in the 16th century. The place for the
temple was chosen to be slightly below the summit of the hill, but every
morning the construction supplies magically returned to the top and it's
where it was built. The modern version is dated 1764, and there is the
staircase leading upwards with each flight decorated by the Biblical
tiles.

[{Image src='05_SMI.jpg' caption='Staircase to Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Paz, Vila Franca do Campo\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false'}]

In the eastern part of São Miguel, there is Vale das Furnas that is
famous for its fumaroles (basins) filled with healing waters, mud and
thermal springs. The western part of two calderas is occupied by a
crater lake, Lagoa das Furnas, at an elevation of 359 metres. There are
dozens of springs, each of differing temperatures and chemical
compositions. The local inhabitants have adapted to cook dishes in the
geysers!

[{Image src='06_SMI.jpg' caption='Azores, São Miguel Island, Portugal\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false'}]

The coast of the island has numerous scenic viewpoints: Ponta da
Madrugada, Ponta Do Sossego, Salto da Farinha in the east, Miradouro de
Santa Iria in the north and many others. They can offer you the beauty
of the landscapes and nature of this "green island", as São Miguel
nicknamed. But even being far away from here, we can enjoy the journey
to this place thanks to AirPano panoramas.

\\ \\
[10 panoramas of Sao Miguel Island, Azores|Geography/Europe/Portugal/Pictures/Azores]

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