Plantações de Chá Gorreana — circular route on the Island of São Miguel (PRC 28 SMI)

A beautiful hike with an unexpected climb through tea plantations and beautiful views of the sea. The descent begins with a path through tropical forest before continuing through the tea plants again.

First it's 2km uphill, quite exhausting in summer with high humidity. But the descent through the tea fields and the subsequent tasting make up for it! 🌞

A short hike through the tea plantations. The tour starts directly at the factory, which can be visited afterwards. Guided tours and tea tastings are available free of charge in English. The parking lot is large and easy to find.

One of three European tea plantations. A nice circular walk through the plantation, you can see the factory and production facilities, equipment from 1920. Compared to the other scenic highlights on the island, it's OK, but somehow not a must. On the other hand, when can you ever walk through a tea plantation?

Our day began with great anticipation. We had planned to explore the famous tea plantations of the Fábrica e Plantação de Chá Gorreana on São Miguel, the largest island in the Azores. The Gorreana plantation is not only the oldest but also the last remaining tea plantation in Europe, having been family-owned since 1883. Tea has been grown and processed here using traditional methods for over 140 years, and the rolling hills of the plantation provide an impressive backdrop for a hike. After touring the small but charming factory, where the tea is still processed using historic machinery, we took a short break and enjoyed a cup of freshly brewed green tea. We bought a few packets to take home and got ready to explore the surrounding tea plantations on foot. The weather was typically Azorean: a fine drizzle hung in the air, the clouds hung low and the fog transformed the landscape into a mystical scene. The narrow hiking trail initially led us through the lush, emerald green tea bushes. The tranquility of the surroundings, broken only by the gentle dripping of rain, reinforced the feeling of being transported to another time. But the further we got away from the factory, the heavier the rain became. What was initially just a gentle drizzle quickly developed into a heavy shower. The rain pelted incessantly and turned the formerly comfortable hiking trails into small, foaming streams. Our waterproof shoes did not hold out against the rain for long. Soon the water was running into our shoes from above. The prospect of continuing the hike seemed increasingly less appealing to us, especially as the visibility was becoming increasingly restricted by the thick fog. With a heavy heart, we decided to abandon the hike and return to the factory. The way back was more like river rafting. The drops ran down our faces, our clothes stuck to us. When we finally reached the factory, we were completely soaked. Despite our mishap, it was a day we won't soon forget. The Fábrica e Plantação de Chá Gorreana is a place of historical importance that impressed us with its natural beauty and traditional tea production. Although the weather spoiled our plans, the memory of the mystical atmosphere and the centuries-old tradition remains alive. In retrospect, even the abrupt termination of our hike was an experience that perfectly reflects the character of the Azores with all its unpredictability. A tip for future visitors: when the sky darkens over São Miguel and the drizzle starts, remember that it can turn into a heavy downpour in no time. So pack not only waterproof shoes, but also waterproof clothing – or, like us, embark on the adventure and take it with humor!

It was a great hike, first through the plantation, then through a forest with many sequoias, ferns, and even some tree ferns. The factory was also very interesting, first we went through alone, at the end with a guided tour - free. Finally, we tasted tea and tea cookies.

Simple loop around the crop. Better to follow it in the opposite direction to what is shown on the sign at the beginning, that is, passing first by the tea plants and then descending along a wide carriageway. No special footwear is required. Upon arrival, try the various infusions directly in the factory

Today we visited one of the island's tourist hotspots, the tea plantation. Today it was again quite busy, at least in stages (when a bus arrived - presumably from a special cruise ship, see one of the next tours). It is often said (including here) that this is the only tea plantation in Europe. That hasn't been true for a long time, now they rightly say: the oldest tea plantation in Europe. Tea has been grown here since the 10th century, and the plants and techniques have not changed much. However, the building has been renovated, and the (free) tour is much shorter. Probably because the packaging is no longer part of it. Since there are now many flavored teas and everything in bags, it seems that they are now working with modern equipment. When we arrived, we were alerted by loud croaking of frogs. The little guys were hopping around happily in a garden pond, too far away for good photos. But the gardener who was there saw us struggling with our cameras and waved us in. So we managed to get some nice photos even with our mobile phones. After the now quite short tour (there are also free tours), there is a tea tasting, and you can also try three green and black teas for free. After that we did a loop through the plantation, which is now a highly official hiking trail with good markings and is very easy to find. Even though the loop is classified as "easy", you are still chased up the mountain (sometimes really steep), and today with a lot of sun it was quite strenuous. When it is even warmer, you shouldn't do this short tour without drinks (and definitely not without sun protection)! It is good that it is much quieter on the loop than directly by the farm buildings. We did see various drones, though, so it is certainly a very good training area.