How our guide in game form was born.
- Ana Read
- Jun 24
- 2 min read
...and the Misty Islands merchandise line.
After the pandemic, Joana and I went back to doing what we loved most: hiking, and as the world was still a bit "closed", we decided to walk around São Miguel.
We hiked trails, discovered lesser-known places, and each walk was an invitation to rediscover the island — with fresh eyes, feet on the ground and a full heart.
We started sharing these experiences on social media: photos, stories, suggestions. And, spontaneously, requests came from friends, acquaintances and curious travelers — they wanted to know where to go, what to see, how to experience the most authentic Azores.
“ Where is that trail? ”, “ What viewpoint was that? ”, “ Can I do it with children? ”, “ Can you send me a guide? ” — were constant questions.
That's when the idea of creating a different kind of guide was born — one that wasn't just for reference, but for exploring, playing and saving. That's how our Card Game Guide with 54 experiences in São Miguel came about.
An invitation to relax, learn, discover and experience excitement — everything we feel with every step we take through the islands.
To bring the project to life visually, we knew we needed someone who understood the spirit of the island and the sensitivity of the line. That’s when the perfect name came to mind: artist Sérgio Nunes ( @sergionunes.art ). We invited him to join us and he accepted the challenge with enthusiasm, creating unique illustrations that capture the soul of the Azores.
More recently, we decided to create the @280leagues account, a natural extension of the Misty Islands brand, dedicated to our universe of artistic and tourist merchandising .
The name reflects the distance between the mainland, where Joana lives, and São Miguel, where I live. But it also represents our friendship, our passion for the islands and the desire to build bridges through art, memory and nature.
This is how this collection was born — guides, postcards, bookmarks and ideas with soul — which we want to travel through the hands of those who, like us, live with their feet on the ground and their hearts in nature.💚
we are nature 🌿
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