Cliffs and Fajãs
São Jorge is one of the most scenically dramatic and friendly islands in the Azores.  Velas, the picturesque capital, is a sleepy harbour town dating from the mid 1400s and has a delightful traditional Azorean bandstand in the main square.  The majority of the locals live on the coastal plains (fajãs) which lie at the foot of the steep volcanic cliffs and are home to an abundance of bird life including the Cory Shearwater.

Cheese and churches!
While you are on São Jorge, make sure you sample the local delicacies of the famous São Jorge cheese and the clams farmed in the lagoons on a number of Fajãs.  Don’t miss a visit to the church of Santa Barbara at Manadas, one of the finest examples of religious architecture on the Azores, containing glazed tile work, carved ceilings and rich gilded altars.

Focus on Activity Holidays
The walking on São Jorge is just spectacular.  One of the most beautiful paths heads off from the top of the island down to Fajã do Santo Cristo with its pretty church and lagoon.  After a refreshing swim in the ocean, you continue along the coastal path past an abandoned fajã until you reach the stunning Fajã dos Cubres.