By Erika Scafuro

Azores immediately recall the powerful nature that characterizes these islands of volcanic origin: the ocean and lush vegetation made up of endless stretches of green and breathtaking landscape. Thanks to their position in the middle of the Atlantic ocean, the Azores islands are a perfect destination to live a surfing experience.
The best period to make a surf trip to Azores is between October to April when the strong swells coming from North Atlantic hit the islands, during Summer tropical storms get arrive too to create the right conditions to surf in all the different islands and spots.





In each Azores islands surf spot are swarming, although the island of São Miguel is the biggest and the most visited thanks to the connections with Ponta Delgada, the capital.
Along the southern coast of São Miguel island, there are beach breaks ideal for becoming familiar with azorian waves: Praia de S.Roque and Milícias and Água d’Alto. Experienced surfers can try the reef break of Corpo Santo- Baixio do Açougue. If you want to try your hand with tubes 3-4 meters high, head east to Fajã Do Araũjo – nordeste: here the waves break on rocks so you must be a very high level surfer.

On the northern coast in the area around the town of Ribeira Grande you can try the beach break of Monte Verde or Santa Bárbara, one of the best known beaches and a suitable spot for all levels of surfing.
Going towards the western part of the island, the fishing village of Mosteiros with its beach is a point break with a rocky seabed, a right wave especially ridden by local surfers.
Pico, Faial and São Jorge are the Azores islands closest to each other. If you are experienced surfers and you are familiar with big waves you can catch the 3 meters high left waves of Santo Amaro – Baia Do Canto, the best spot in Pico island.
Faial island boasts several spots as Fajã do Norte, Ponta da Ribeirinha, Praia do Conceição and Praia do Almoxarife.
In São Jorge intermediate and advanced surfers can concentrate on the east side of the island, especially around Fajã da Caldeira de Santo Cristo, an inlet with many point breaks as Lago do Linho, Esquerdas da Igreja, Direitas do Paço. Pro surfers can venture to the smaller islands of the Azores as Flores, Graciosa, Terceira and Santa Maria where high and fast waves could be ridden in real earthly paradises.
The archipelago of the Azores is undoubtedly to be included in the wishlist of destinations for surfing.