In Portugal, You Can Hike to an Abandoned Village Full of Cats

YSão Miguel Island, located in Portugal’s Azores archipelago, is located in the Atlantic Ocean between Europe and North America. 

It is known for its beautiful, green volcanic landscape, but did you know that it has an abandoned village full of cats that anyone can hike to?

On the Southeast corner of the island, you will find Sanguinho. The village is a steep but short 2 kilometer hike from the nearest town. Not only does it have beautiful views of the green island and the deep blues of the Atlantic Ocean, it’s also full of friendly cats.

No people currently live in Sanguinho, whose last resident left the town in the second half of the 20th century, but their cats stayed behind. Friendly visitors and workers that have been restoring the village feed these felines, which makes them perfectly content to stay.

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Street of Sanguinho village

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Several former houses made of volcanic rock are these cats’ homes, where they can be sheltered from the rain and from potential predators.

No one knows exactly how many cats live in Sanguinho, but what is for certain is that this is a village whose only inhabitants are these furry cats.

Can you think of anything better than a beautiful view from an abandoned village with a family of friendly cats curled up next to you? I sure can’t!

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If you visit São Miguel and the Azores, be sure to find this group of feline friends in Sanguinho.