Azores Discovered is a passion project to help travelers prepare to visit the Azores and discover the best the Azores has to offer.
Welcome to Azores Discovered, a passion project by the co-founders of Mind Over Matter Travel, Elaina (me) and Zac (my life and business partner). As full-time travelers, we have traveled to over 50 countries around the world but always find ourselves returning to Azores, Portugal.
The Team
The Azores Discovered team consists of two passionate travelers, Elaina and Zac. While most of the time you’ll find Elaina doing the writing and Zac taking the photos, we like to mix it up every now and then. The most important thing to know about us is that we LOVE the Azores.
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy is that everyone should have the opportunity to experience destinations as special as the Azores. We believe visitors should approach their travels in a sustainable way that supports local economy and embraces local culture. These values help to foster a mutually beneficial relationship between locals and the visitors to their homeland.
Services
If you’re actively planning a trip to the Azores, we offer trip planning services. With our expertise, we can help curate your perfect itinerary. We’ll be sure you experience Azores in a way that’ll make you recognize why we love it so much.
So, why the Azores?
The Azores are special to me, because it was the birthplace and home of my grandparents before they immigrated to California. With my dad’s family from Pico island and my mom’s family from São Jorge island, I’ve spent multiple summers visiting the islands to spend time with family and explore all the hidden gems.
As a second generation Portuguese-American, I’m grateful to still have strong roots to my Portuguese and Azorean heritage. I grew up and still have my home-base in California’s central valley where a large population of Azorean immigrants settled and continue to keep the culture alive.
While Zac doesn’t have ancestral ties to the Azores, he “married” into a large Portuguese family who has accepted him as our own. He has visited the islands almost as much as me and has really embraced the culture (my family even says he speaks better Portuguese than me).
We keep strong ties with the Portuguese culture through our involvement with the largest Portuguese event in the western U.S., the San Joaquin Valley Portuguese Festival. We’re also in the process of getting dual citizenship in Portugal!
With all that said, we felt that this blog is another way to dive even deeper into our beloved Azores. And more importantly, share our discoveries with you so that you can see what makes the Azores so special.
Dedication
This blog is dedicated to my grandparents. Without them, I would have lost touch with my Portuguese culture and never would have discovered my deep-rooted love for the Azores.
To my grandparents: Thank you for being a role model in your strength and courage immigrating to the U.S. Thank you for continuing to share our Portuguese culture and traditions with me. Most importantly, thank you for your continuous love and support.
Pictured: Me (Elaina), my mom, my grandma (mom’s side), and my aunt
My grandma, Lucia, was born and raised on São Jorge island in the Azores. Coming from the village of Beira, she immigrated to the U.S. in 1970.
Pictured: Zac, me (Elaina), my grandma and grandpa (dad’s side)
My grandpa, Manuel, was born and raised on Pico island in the Azores. Coming from the village of Silveira, he immigrated to Brazil in 1963 before immigrating to the U.S. in 1972.
Pictured: Me (Elaina) and my grandma (dad’s side)
My grandma, Laurinda, was born and raised in mainland Portugal. Coming from the village of Bobadela, she immigrated to Brazil in 1958 before immigrating to the U.S. in 1972.