About Us

Welcome to our cozy house “The Furnas Azores House”. The house is located in the parish of Furnas (with approximately 1400 inhabitants), inside a dormant volcano with fumaroles, thermal springs, thermal baths and we also have several walking trails and botanical gardens that you can visit and enjoy.

As our house is in Furnas, it is very close to the Furnas golf course and is also less than 10 minutes by car to the next parish known as Ribeira Quente, where we can enjoy Fogo beach and the fishing area.

The local gastronomy is diverse, with the main dish being “Cozido das Furnas”, which is one of the most emblematic and typical dishes of São Miguel Island, cooked in holes in the geothermal soil for 6 hours. In addition to the stew, other dishes are prepared in these holes, namely the typical feijoadas and bacalhoadas that are served in several local restaurants. Fish, one of the great bases of the gastronomy of the Azores, is also found here, such as roasted octopus, fried chicharros and fresh fish.

The hosts: Flávia & Gary Travassos

Flávia is the main hostess of the house. She was born on the island of São Miguel and lived most of her life in the parish of Furnas, so she knows many details of the region where the house is located.

She is a social action technician, she worked in different places in the parish, such as in a local restaurant for 4 years and in a 4-star hotel for 2 years, thus gaining extensive knowledge and experience in the tourism area. In addition to tourism, he loves working with children, which is why he took the Special Education course, “it’s great to feel like we’re helping someone in one way or another”.

Gary was born in Canada and came to the Azores when he was 10 years old, so he speaks fluent English. He worked for 2 years in a local Pharmacy as an apprentice technical assistant, then with a light passenger transport vehicle in a taxi and since 2000 he has worked in Tourism as a driver and local guide. In 2011, he opened his tourist entertainment company and dedicated himself exclusively to Tourism, where he gained extensive experience in this diverse and rich field. Over the years he has taken various training and courses in the area of ​​Tourism and in 2020 he took the Natural Parks Guide Course and various training courses available at Turismo de Portugal to add more wisdom in the area of ​​Tourism “Knowledge does not take up space”. He is passionate about what he does and where he lives in this little paradise in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

She loves traveling, photographing, sightseeing and sharing experiences with her clients from all over the world either on her tours and experiences or now with her clients in local accommodation.

We love meeting people from all over the world because it allows us to exchange experiences and thus advise them on how to spend an unforgettable vacation on the island.

We also appreciate repeat customers, as it shows how much they like the house and place where they stayed.

Strengths for hosting at home “The Furnas Azores House”:

• Splendid view from the kitchen and balcony of the Furnas valley, mountains, pastures, parish and calderas.
• Wood Stove – Fogo Montanha
• Regional barbecue and patio with garden furniture overlooking the backyard and Furnas
• House “Family & Kid-friendly” ideal for families with children as it is located in a quiet and safe place, a nice sized yard with grass, inside the house safety barriers for stairs are available, bathtub and baby cot and highchair for children.
• Easy access and parking close to the house
• Location of the house is in one of the most sought after places on the island of São Miguel. The house is a 3-minute drive from Caldeiras das Furnas in the parish, 5 minutes by car from the Terra Nostra Botanical Garden, Parque Florestal das Furnas and Dona Beatriz do Canto Park, 13 minutes by car from the Mata Botanical Garden Jardim José do Canto and the Ribeira do Rosal waterfall and Capela da Nossa Senhora das Vitórias (I recommend taking the walking trail to Lagoa das Furnas), 10 minutes by car to Lagoa e Caldeiras da Lagoa das Furnas and Parque da Grená, 7 minutes by car from the thermal pools of Poça da Dona Beija, 7 minutes by car from Queijaria Furnense, 5 minutes by car to the Furnas golf course and Pico do Ferro viewpoint (viewpoint with views of the entire Furnas volcanic caldera, lagoon and village of Furnas), 2 to 5 minutes by car, 10 to 15 minutes on foot to several restaurants, tourist office, ATMs, bakery, 5 supermarkets, pharmacy, butcher’s shop, fruit shop, bars and traditional “Bolo Lêvedo” bakeries, 2 churches (Church of Santana and Church of Nossa Senhora da Alegria), 10 minutes by car to the parish of Ribeira Quente with Fogo beach and the fishing area. Near Furnas there are other walking paths such as “Sanguinho – Salto do Prego”, known as the most popular walking path on the island of São Miguel, “Agrião”, “Vigia da Baleia”, “Quatro Caminhos do Faial da Terra” and “Pico of the Court”. At Lagoa das Furnas you can do canoeing and paddle boarding, mountain biking and recreational fishing. In the area of ​​science and research, the Furnas Monitoring and Research Center and OMIC – Microbial Observatory of the Azores – Furnas.