Silversea Luxury Cruises À Calheta, Sao Jorge, Azores

Dotted at sea level around the island are fajãs, small flatlands formed by lava flows or landslides. No-one lived on the islands until the Portuguese arrived in the 1430s. The Portuguese were joined later by Flemish, Italians, British, and Breton settlers. On São Jorge, the Flemish exported lichen and the plant woad to Europe for dye. Later, food, including oranges was cultivated for export. Yams were so important as a food crop for residents that they are on Calheta’s Coat-of-Arms. Excellent trekking takes you amongst the dramatic volcanic cones, lush valleys ravines and the high plateau of São Jorge. Forests have native plants such as Azorean Candleberry Tree (Morella), Tree Heath, Pau-branco” (White Wood) and Azores Juniper. Alongside walking trails are colourful introduced plants, especially hydrangeas and yellow ginger-lilies. Seabirds, especially Cory's Shearwater, nest on the higher slopes, although these are more easily seen from the ship. Look out for the amazing Azores Noctule, a bat which is the Azores’ only native mammal and one of only a few of the world’s bats that flies by day.