Wines and Moonshines of Terceira

I try to write reviews that are helpful to others when visiting unfamiliar destinations because this is what I hope to find when looking for things to do in unfamiliar destinations. If you have already read this intro on my other Terceira reviews, then hit the fast-forward button to jump to the specifics for this particular tour. First let me start by saying Terceira Island is an absolutely beautiful hidden gem in the North Atlantic Ocean, and to get the most of your visit I highly recommend scheduling a full day (7 - 8-hour tour) if time permits. I also highly recommend doing this on one of your first days on the island. This will help familiarize you with the island, the most visited attractions, and help determine sites that are worth another visit for a photo op, further exploration, or to simply return for a relaxing siesta or meditation moment. Terceira is a spot for the conservationist/nature enthusiasts, with 35% of its land being in protected areas where it is not permitted to disturb the land through human habitation. Though not the most populated island in the Azores, there is still plenty to see... from the volcanoes to the oceans, to the patchwork of fields. Terceira's economy is built on farming; cows, milk, and cheese, with tourism becoming increasingly popular. It's history dates back to the 1400's with familiar historical characters popping up like the explorer Vasques de Gamma, Spanish kings and queens, and of course a family feud between brothers who desired to be Portugal rulers, but I'll save the stories for the tour guides to share. Why do I start my reviews with a brief introduction about the island??? Well, it is simple, Terceira is an island that according to the Azores' Nature and Park officials is only 29 km across (east–west) and17.55–18 km at its widest point (north–south). This means that with several of the tours you are likely to visit some of the same places. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because with a good tour guide you will learn something new with each visit. I only share this, so you know what to expect. Also, if you let your tour guide know in advanced some of the places you have already seen, he or she might be able to adjust the tour and show you some of the island's hidden secrets only known to the locals. This is exactly what happened to us. Bernardo was our guide. He is an extremely knowledgeable young man that is native to Terceira. The pride he has for his island stood out in the way he explained each location and its importance. He even took the time at one of the locations to pick up a beer bottle that had been left behind and was intruding on the parks natural beauty. He knew so much about the island and its history, but what really stood out was his knowledge of each village and the way he spoke about the roles locals play in their communities. The tour began at 9AM. In the morning, we visited several sites (Salga, natural pools, a local church, goat islet, the waterfalls, etc.) as we worked our way to the north of the island. Lunch was served at 1 PM at the tour company owner's house. The view from the dining room was simply spectacular. It overlooked the local village and spanned out to the ocean. The meal was made up of traditional Azores’ dishes. The wine and moonshine were homemade, with there being a red and white wine option available and two different moonshines as well. The wines were dry in nature, but there was also sangria and of course the moonshine for those who like something a bit sweeter. I believe there was also beer, though neither of us had any. My husband has some food restrictions, so I recommend you let the company know in advanced. I did not. Because my husband often has to make accommodation to meet his dietary needs, we were prepared for him to only eat the dishes he could, and weren't expecting any special adjustments to the menu. We let Bernardo know of my husband's restrictions when he picked us up. He immediately called his supervisor to let him know of the restrictions. The host was very accommodating and prepared an alternate dish for my husband. The food was great, the company was great, the view was great, IT WAS ALL GREAT! The atmosphere was relaxed and we were given as much time as we needed to enjoy the experience. The afternoon was spent working our way back down to the southern part of the island where our hotel was located. It consisted of some off-roading that allowed us to cut through the central uninhabited part of the island. We stopped by the volcanic fumaroles where we got to stand on the land directly above the active magma river that runs between the two active volcanoes on the island. Bernardo dropped us back off at our hotel a little bit after 5PM. It was a wonderful day! In total, during our seven-day visit to Terceira we took three different excursions and a private photo shoot that visited the same locations. We learned something new each time. I asked my husband if there was one he would rather not do again now knowing what we know, and he and I both felt as though we would do them all again, with this one ranking as #1. I recommend you choose your excursions by those that meet your visit's purpose and personality. If you are looking for history, good food and wine with that local charm then this is your tour! Best wishes for an enjoyable and safe trip!