Santa Maria-Azores – Google Maps

GEOGRAPHY

Santa Maria Island, 16.6 km long and with a maximum width of 9.1 km, has an area of 97 km2. 5,552 people live there (data from 2011). Santa Maria, together with São Miguel, which is 81 km away, is part of the Eastern Group of the archipelago.

Its highest point (587 m) is Pico Alto, at 36 ° 58’59 ’’ north latitude and 25 ° 05’26 ’’ west longitude.

HISTORY

Some attribute the discovery of the island to Diogo de Silves, probably in 1427. Others propose the name of Gonçalo Velho Cabral, sailor and friar of the Order of Christ, and the year 1431, but it is almost certain that the initial contact with the Azores Islands happened right in Santa Maria, and that the first experience of population was made here, around 1439, when the capitão-donatário (a kind of governor) Gonçalo Velho and a group of settlers settled in Praia dos Lobos .

The history of the Azores

The arrival of other families from mainland Portugal, and especially from the Algarve and Alentejo regions, contributed to the development of Santa Maria, so much so that the town of Porto was the first to receive the status of vila in the Azores ( small town). The local economy was based on the cultivation of ford, a plant from which the blue dye used in distant Flanders to dye fabrics was extracted, on the production of wheat (the food base of the time) and on the extraction of a used clay for making crockery and tiles.

In 1493, the ships of Christopher Columbus docked in Santa Maria Island, on their return from America’s first voyage of discovery. Landings from other foreign ships were more ferocious: in the 16th and 17th centuries the island was repeatedly stormed and plundered by English, French, Turkish and North African Arab corsairs. In 1616, it was occupied by the Moors for a week. According to legend, a part of the population took refuge in the cave called Furna de Santana to escape looting, fires, torture and kidnappings. In 1675, the Moorish pirates returned to the bay of Anjos, and they left, taking prisoners away to sell with slaves.

After the success of exports for the textile industry, the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries saw the development of the cultivation of vines, wheat, corn, fruit, potatoes and yam, and that of the breeding and production of dairy products . Although the times were calmer, the island’s subsistence economy stimulated the emigration of a part of the population. In the twentieth century, a new development dynamic began, mainly thanks to the construction of the airport. Started in 1944, and entrusted to thousands of American and Azorean arms, the structure proved strategic for the United States, especially in the anti-submarine struggle, during the Second World War. At the end of the conflict, the airport became civilian and was transformed into a stopover for planes crossing the Atlantic. Towards the end of the 1960s, the new jets, with greater flight autonomy, stopped landing in Santa Maria, but its important role as an air traffic control center on the Atlantic never failed. Currently the base of the island’s economy is the tertiary sector, followed by agricultural activities and fishing.

NATURE:

THE YELLOW ISLAND

Being the Azores island located further south and east, Santa Maria enjoys a rather hot and dry climate, with lower rainfall indices than those of the other islands, thus presenting more arid soils and drier vegetation, which assumes yellow tones. It is also known as the ‘Island of the Sun’.

Santa Maria Island has two sectors with distinct reliefs and characteristics: a flat and low area to the west, where the airport and the urban area of Vila do Porto are located, and a more rugged eastern half, with a more lush vegetation, which includes the Pico Alto massif, from which you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view.

Santa Maria was not only the first island to be discovered and populated: it was also the first Azores island to be formed, having emerged from the ocean floor about 10 million years ago. This venerable age and its eventful geological past explain its extraordinary morphological and landscape characteristics.

VOLCANIC LANDSCAPES

The passage of millennia and the inexorable and persistent action of time determined the alteration of the rocks, forming new types of soil. Modeled in climatic conditions very different from the current ones, on the island, the clay deposits called barreiros stand out, which have an arid appearance and a color that varies from reddish to bright orange. The Barreiro da Faneca, known as the “red desert”, fascinates visitors with its gently undulating surface, whose hue varies according to the hours of the day.In Poço da Pedreira, a cavity excavated on the Pico Vermelho, the chromatism is equally peculiar. In this ancient area of extraction of stone, nature came to the aid of the men of Santa Maria, creating a body of water at the base of the ancient front of the excavations, and a landscape without equal (which moreover testifies to the ability of self-regeneration environment).In the Baía dos Cabrestantes, the small outcrop of volcanic submarine tuffs with yellowish tones does not allow us to imagine the true extent of the phenomenon: it is the oldest geological formation of Santa Maria and the whole archipelago.The oddity of volcanic forms is evident at the Ribeira do Maloás, where visitors can see a prismatic disjunction in a millennial basaltic lava flow. The long and high wall of “lava columns” recalls the Irish Giant’s Causeway, and invites to a contemplative break.In front of the imposing 110-meter Cascade do Aveiro, or in Ponta do Castelo, where the Gonçalo Velho lighthouse stands proudly like a sentry, the feeling you feel is the same: you feel yourself in front of a grandiose landscape.Being the oldest island in the Azores, Santa Maria has recorded various fluctuations in sea level in its volcanic and sedimentary rocks, since the very beginning of the existence of the Atlantic Ocean. We can realize this in Pedreira do Campo, where a basaltic flow formed under water and the limestones that contain countless fossils of marine organisms (shells, corals and algae) attest to the geological reality of the island for about five million years.In various places the sedimentary rocks preserve fossils of the different marine organisms that in other times populated the waters around Santa Maria: at the Dalberto Pombo Environmental Interpretation Center, located in the historic center of Vila do Porto, you can see shark teeth, sponges , sea urchins, various types of shells and even cetacean bones.

COAST

The jagged coast of the island, with its high rocky spikes and large inlets with calm and crystalline waters, is a constant invitation to discover and admire. This is the case of the bays of Cré, Raposo and Tagarete, just to name a few.

In São Lourenço, the beauty of the delicate inlet, with the islet of Romeiro suggestively located at one of its ends, interacts with the harmonious testimony of human presence. The panels of the vineyards that climb the hill, the white of the houses near the sea and the cultivated fields that divide the land form one of the most captivating panoramas of the Azores, which can be appreciated both from near and far (from the panoramic point of Espigão).In Praia Formosa the sun shines intensely on the clear sand, formed by the whitish sedimentary rocks that outline the coast, giving reason to those who define the beaches of Santa Maria as “the clearest of the Azores”. The beach, long and narrow, is dominated by the ruins of the Fort of São João Baptista, located between the blue of the Atlantic and the greenery that embraces the inlet. Less exuberant, the stony beaches of Figueiral and Baia de Lobos, and the beaches of Prainha and Sul, allow those who wish to remain secluded, in total calm.The volcanic nature of the island has also shaped the natural pools of Maia and Anjos, which have been associated with excellent beach infrastructures.

ATTRACTIONS

Thanks to its particular geoclimatic conditions, Santa Maria is the archipelago’s seaside resort par excellence. It has several natural beaches and swimming pools, with excellent infrastructure for summer activities. Praia Formosa, where surfing, windsurfing, water skiing and sailing are practiced, is perhaps its most famous resort.

A boat trip, passing through the grotto of the islet of Romeiro and admiring basins and inlets, is the best way to get to know the magnificent coast. The whole coast is excellent for fishing, diving and underwater hunting. Boat trips are organized for coastal trolling or bottom fishing, traditional methods on the island, but also big game fishing on the high seas.Paragliding is another very heavily practiced activity in the various coves of Santa Maria Island. And, accompanied by a guide and with the appropriate equipment, it is possible to explore different natural cavities, such as the Furna de Santana and the Furna Velha, or caves dug by man, such as the Gruta do Figueiral.

HERITAGE AND TRADITIONS:ARCHITECTURE

Some houses in Vila do Porto keep the memory of the beginning of the population, showing off pointed doors and Manueline-style windows. The building of the church of Nossa Senhora da Assunção, later rebuilt, was probably the first church erected in the Azores.Inside the São Brás Fort, the cannons aimed at the sea recall the times of pirate raids.Anjos is dominated by a statue of Christopher Columbus. The navigator serving the Spanish Crown took part in a mass celebrated in the Chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Anjos. The Genoese thus fulfilled, in the Azorean land, the vow made during a violent storm that had endangered his fleet. The lateral ogival door remains of the original architectural layout of the chapel.The construction is very refined in Santo Espírito, where the church of Nossa Senhora da Purificação reveals a remarkable ensemble of stone carved in curved forms. The baroque façade contrasts with the square geometry of the bell tower, on which the basalt and the lime dialogue until it resolves into a pyramid covered with decorative ceramic tiles called azulejos.These chromatic games are also repeated in the traditional houses of Santa Maria, generally rectangular, from which stands a cylindrical fireplace resting on a pyramid trunk. The different locations on the island have adopted different colors to establish the contrast with the white of the walls. Blue, yellow, green and … almagre (from which the name Almagreira derives), that is the color of the reddish earth that was used to vitrify terracotta objects.In Ribeira Grande and Azenhas de Baixo you can still see the water mills, used to move the millstones, and the windmills, with the typical and powerful wooden structures on which the sails were mounted.

CRAFTS

The tradition of terracotta having practically become extinct, the works on manual looms resisted and promoted by the Santa Maria Craftwork Cooperative. Linen tablecloths and shirts, woolen blankets and jackets are examples of items created by local craftsmen.

FESTIVITIES

As in all other islands, the feasts of the Holy Spirit animate Santa Maria Island from April and throughout the summer. But it is in August that the island acquires even more color and liveliness. The animation begins with the Santa Maria Rally, now essential in the car racing calendar.

The Feast of Nossa Senhora da Assunção, the patron saint of the island, begins in the middle of the month. Vila do Porto centralizes a vast set of activities, with religious ceremonies flanked by popular festive events, concerts, craft fairs and gastronomic events.The beginning of the “Maré de Agosto” constitutes the highest point of this month of entertainment. It is a festival dedicated to world music, which enjoys an international reputation and which attracts visitors from all over the world. You listen to music during the night and rest on the beach during the day.

GASTRONOMY:FOOD AND BEVERAGES

One of the most emblematic dishes of Santa Maria Island comes from the earth: the caldo de nabos, made with a local species of turnip, small and dark.In the water, in addition to this tubercle, various types of pork are cooked, accompanied by a local sausage (chouriço) and sweet potatoes. The broth thus obtained is then poured onto the plate on slices of bread, while the remaining ingredients are served separately.The local pastry shop is abundant and diverse. Tigeladas are found in all restaurants, but even more typical are perhaps biscuits and pastries such as cavacas, suspiros, melindres, encanelados and biscoitos de orelha (ears), so called for their format.

The melon grown on the island has now acquired fame and status as a gourmet product. Among the artisanal sausages, the production of an alheira de Santa Maria is noteworthy.Island of great winemaking tradition, unfortunately mostly abandoned, it still hosts families who dedicate themselves to the production of the typical vinho de cheiro, made from grapes grown in gray stone enclosures, but reserved for essentially domestic consumption. The brandy and fruit liqueurs also enjoy great fame and tradition.

Terceira on Google Maps

GEOGRAPHY

Terceira Island is the second most populous island in the Azores Islands, with 56,437 residents (data from 2011). Located at 38 ° 43’47 ’’ north latitude and 27 ° 19’11 ’’ west longitude, it has an area of 401.9 km2 (30.1 km long by 17.6 km maximum width).

Of the five islands that make up the Central Group of the Azores Islands, Terceira Island is the easternmost one; is 37.9 km from São Jorge. Its highest point is the Serra de Santa Bárbara (1021 m).

HISTORY

It was the third island of the archipelago to be known by Portuguese sailors, probably between the end of 1420 and the beginning of 1430. Its initial designation was ‘Island of Jesus Christ’.

The name that was later attributed to it (Terceira means ‘third’) recalls the order in which the discoveries were made (before it Santa Maria and São Miguel were known). The population, relative to the Eastern Group, was later: only in 1449 the Infante D. Henrique commissioned Jácome de Bruges, a Flemish, to introduce settlers to the island. Despite this, the island began to be actually inhabited only after 1470, around the nuclei of Praia and Angra, which guided the subsequent development of other settlements on the rest of the territory.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the port importance of the Angra inlet was affirming itself, not only as an internal commercial platform, where regional products were sorted, but also as an intercontinental port for ships traveling between Europe, the America and India. The city of Angra, founded in 1534, became the political, economic and religious center of the Azores: precious metals and exotic spices abounded, making the island a sought after prey for English, French, Spanish and Flemish corsairs.

In 1580, on the occasion of the accession to the throne of Portugal by the Spanish king Philip II, the inhabitants of Terceira Island sided in favor of the Portuguese candidate, D. António Prior do Crato. Spain tried to eradicate the revolt, but the first landing of the Castilian troops, in 1581, resulted in a heavy defeat, during the famous battle of Salga. Two years later, the Spaniards returned with a larger contingent, and managed to predominate after violent battles. With the Restoration of 1640, Portugal regained its independence, and Terceira consolidated its position as the center of the archipelago.

The courage of the inhabitants was again put to the test during the Liberal Wars. Having largely embraced the liberal cause, the island’s population rose up against absolutist rule, already fully triumphant in other areas of the country. In 1829, a fierce naval battle ended with the defeat of D. Miguel’s absolutist troops attempting to land on the Praia beach. After this event, the city changed its name to Praia da Vitória (‘victory beach’). During this troubled historical period, Terceira was the base from which D. Pedro IV organized the reconquest of the throne and strengthened the constitutional monarchy. Angra was named capital of the kingdom of Portugal, and “do Heroísmo” (the current name means “inlet of heroism”) was added to its name. In 1832 the naval army and the army left the island, heading for the continent. Their landing on Mindelo beach was decisive for the victory of the liberal ideal.

During the Second World War, the British were allowed to install a military base on the island, near Praia da Vitória, which later passed to the North American Air Force. The well-known and still operational NATO base in Lajes produced its influence on local populations. Proud of its business-rich past, Terceira is still a very dynamic island within the archipelago. In 1983 the historic center of Angra do Heroísmo was recognized by UNESCO as part of the world heritage site.

NATURE

THE LILAC ISLAND

In the central part of the island is the Caldeira de Guilherme Moniz, flooded by lava erupted two thousand years ago by the cone of the Algar do Carvão, where today the largest heather patch in the Azores is found.

An identical scenario occurs in the north, at the Biscoito da Ferraria and Pico Alto, and in the west, on the Serra de Santa Bárbara, where the dense wooded areas of endemic vegetation remind us of the original forest of the archipelago, generally designated as laurisilva cone. Terceira, in fact, is the island that has preserved the largest woodland extension of essences prior to human population.The green that dominates within the island lightens on its periphery, given that human occupation took place along the coasts. And here, among the colored houses, the lilac color used on many facades stands out, especially in the city of Angra do Heroísmo.

VOLCANIC LANDSCAPES

The memories of volcanic activity take on peculiar, spectacular and easily visited forms in Terceira. As for the underground reality, the Algar do Carvão deserves special mention, where you can see the remains of an ancient volcanic pipeline, which is striking for its vastness. From its vault hang the largest silicon stalactites in the world. The Gruta do Natal, a lava tunnel, arouses wonder for the succession of narrow and long corridors and for the different shapes and colors that the walls, the ground and the ceiling assume: the cave really looks like a mystical place. On the surface, the Furnas do Enxofre constitute the eloquent testimony of the strength of the Azorean volcanism: the landscape is dominated by fumaroles surrounded by reddish soils, whose color contrasts with the green of the moss and the remaining vegetation. The atmosphere is warm, and the peculiar smell of sulfur is felt.It is from the heights of the mountains, from the belvederes located in strategic points, that one can best witness the immensity of its volcanoes, and internalize the adventure in which man has tamed them. When you climb Mount Brasil, you don’t notice that you are treading on an ancient volcano emerging from the sea – the largest and best preserved of the Azores -, and you enjoy one of the most beautiful prospects on the city and on the inlet of Angra do Heroísmo. From the top of the Serra do Cume you can grasp the geometry of the countless stone walls and hydrangea hedges that delimit the pastures of Terceira. From Miradouro do Facho, where the imposing monument to the ‘Immaculate Heart of Mary’ is located, you can enjoy an exceptional panoramic view of the beach, the marina and the neighborhoods of Praia da Vitória, surrounded by the Lajes plain whose vastness has motivated the construction of the airport in this location. But the long list of impressive places could continue…

COAST

On the Praia da Vitória beach, the largest on the island, history combines fun, urbanity with isolation and the sun with warm waters. There are many natural pools all over the island, more or less equipped with bathing facilities: Porto Martins, Biscoitos, Negrito and Silveira are just some of them. Spikes, promontories and inlets characterize the entire Terceira Island coast, ensuring scenarios of rare beauty, as in the case of the bays of Quatro Ribeiras, Salga, Mina or Fanal.

The west coast of the island is more linear and characterized by high and dizzying cliffs, which plunge sharply into the ocean, sometimes interrupted by promontories that stretch out over the sea, testifying to the flow of more recent lava flows. The peaks of Raminho or Queimado, with the Serreta Lighthouse acting as a sentinel, are extremely elucidative examples. The Lagoa de Fajãzinha area in Agualva is also a witness of this geological reality, a singular place that seems rigorously designed “with team and ruler” by a wise nature.

ATTRACTIONS

In the bay of Praia da Vitória it is possible to practice surfing, bodyboarding, windsurfing, water skiing, water motorbike, dinghy or skate, sailing or kaiak outings and whale and dolphin watching: in short, a wide offer, at sea, of entertainment and activities. Some of these can also be practiced in Angra, where the Submarine Archaeological Park is also located.

Sea fishing and spearfishing can take advantage of excellent locations close to the coast of the island, and for scuba diving there are professional offers that include ‘baptism’ and course. Various natural pools – Salgueiros, Silveira, Negrito, Quatro Ribeiras, Biscoitos and Porto Martins – are equipped with excellent bathing infrastructure.The list of possible activities to be undertaken in Terceira Island is vast.  Algar do Carvão and Gruta do Natal are two extraordinary caving experiences. And for the more experienced, with the help of a guide, there are other caves and caves to explore all over the island. Sports climbing is also in great development, and there are several perfectly equipped schools, including ‘Chanoca’, ‘Chupa Cabras’ and ‘Grota do Medo’. Paragliding enthusiasts can find various places to practice the mode. The island also invites to stroll on foot, by bicycle, in BTT, on horseback and even on the back of a donkey. There is an Adventure Park in the Quinta do Galo, and it is easy to rent 4 × 4 jeeps and motorbikes4. At the Terceira Golf Club fans of this sport can find their ideal place.

HERITAGE AND TRADITIONS:

ANGRA DO HEROISMO

The title of “Mui Nobre, Leal and Semper Constante” (‘noble, loyal and always faithful’) attributed to the city of Angra do Heroísmo underlines the importance it had in the history of all Portugal and, of course, in that of the Azores .The relief of the bay of Angra, especially in the 15th and 16th centuries, and the importance that the city assumed in the political, economic and religious chessboard of the Azores are evident in its urban order

Observed from the Alto da Memória or from the viewpoint of Monte Brasil, the historic center of Angra do Heroísmo appears as an elaborate embroidery of streets, alleys, churches, palaces, stately homes, monuments, squares and gardens that generations of conscious citizens have been able to preserve and pass down to the present day, even fighting against the telluric forces. This is what UNESCO recognized, placing the historic center of Angra do Heroísmo on the list of places considered world heritage.

ARCHITECTURE

The imposing fortification of São João Baptista, in the city of Angra do Heroísmo, built around 400 years ago, is a unique example of Azorean military architecture, and stands as a defense of urban identity. Palaces, churches, convents and museums are all places open to the public: you can therefore visit the Cathedral, the Palazzo dei Capitani Generali, the Palazzo del Comune, the Church of São Gonçalo and Palazzo Bettencourt (but these are just a few examples among many others possible). Angra seems made to be discovered without following predetermined itineraries: going around without haste allows you to observe facades in carved stone (in trachyte) and bright colored plasters, wrought iron balconies and windows full of ornaments.In the municipality of Praia da Vitória the so-called ‘architecture of Ramo Grande’ or ‘Casa di Ramo Grande’ has developed, which predominates in the field of construction: these are rural houses in which large stone slabs are used, or stone carved with meticulous skill (ignimbrite, a very peculiar volcanic rock widely used in this area, was generally used). Disseminated throughout the Ramo Grande plain, in many cases the houses stand out for their size and for the annexed buildings, which derived from the needs induced by agricultural production: these too were built using coupled slabs of ignimbritic stone.In various places of Terceira there are also the impérios (’empires’, small buildings dedicated to the cult of the Holy Spirit), architecturally bizarre and with brightly colored facades: they have become symbolic images of the island and deserve to be observed with caution. Numerous estates and villas, often adapted to tourist accommodation units, constitute an important complement to the rich secular architecture and aristocratic atmosphere of the island.

CULTURE

The island of Terceira breathes culture from all pores. There are numerous cultural institutions and associations, theater companies and exhibition venues that contribute to its promotion. This is the case of the Museum of Angra do Heroísmo, installed in the Convent of São Francisco, with its remarkable collections of military and transport history of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.In the city of Praia da Vitória, the Casa Vitorino Nemésio occupies the small house where this great figure of Portuguese culture was born. A great poet and writer, Vitorino Nemésio was an extremely multifaceted intellectual: he was a journalist and professor, historian and even presenter of a television program that left traces on an entire generation. The novel Mau Tempo no Canal (‘Maltempo sul Canale’, already translated into French and English, and being translated into other languages, including Italian) is the most complete example of the island spirit that characterizes the work of Nemésio Among other things, he is responsible for the concept of açorianidade, (‘azzorrianità’), introduced in 1932 in the Portuguese cultural vocabulary.

CRAFTS

The white, raw or red linen embroidery bears the registered trademark “Artesanato dos Açores”, which certifies its origin and quality, as well as for the colored wool blankets produced on manual looms. The typical viola da terra, a local barge spread throughout the archipelago, is built in Terceira Island according to two original versions: 15 or 18 strings, instead of the traditional 12! Terracotta and wicker objects are also part of the island’s main artisan products.

FESTIVITIES

The island in celebration: more than a slogan or a way of saying, this is an undeniable reality, which the traditional hospitality of the people of Terceira Island seeks in all ways to preserve and enhance.The Feasts of the Divine Holy Spirit, which take place around the picturesque impérios, are intensely lived during the eight weeks between Easter and Trinity Sunday: animated ceremonies and banquets take place in the various locations on the island.

During the Carnival period, the Danças de Carnaval takes place, a singular popular theater event. For three days, the inhabitants of the island take to the streets or flock to the rooms so as not to miss even an instant of these “danças”, also called “bailinhos”. During the show, the various groups interpret stories in which the satirical component is very important.In June, the Sanjoaninas, festivals dedicated to St. John, invade the streets of Angra do Heroísmo for ten days in a row. Parades, concerts, bullfighting games (in the arena or on the streets), open taverns full of appetizing things, theater performances, fireworks and sporting competitions finally culminate in the great parade of popular marches.In August, Praia da Vitória presents an irresistible program: the Feasts of Praia include bullfighting games, exhibitions, processions, gastronomic fair, concerts and nautical competitions. At the beginning of September, in Biscoitos, a land of great winemaking tradition, the Vine and Wine Festivals take place.Angra do Heroísmo is the stage for two important music festivals: AngraRock, in September, and AngraJazz, in October. These are events that are part of the great musical tradition of the island, which at the popular level is expressed, for example, in the typical hit-and-answer cantari: even today the Tercereinsi festivals are enlivened by singers who improvise verses, amusingly amusing the listeners. The bullfighting tradition is still rooted in Terceira, an island where there are various bull farms. The activity is divided into bullfights made in the arena (or on the beach, as happens during the festivals of Praia), in which the bull is not killed in public, and the typical touradas à corda, events in which the bull runs for vie attached to a long rope held by a group of men. The era of bullfighting games generally runs from May to October, with regular and other spontaneous events.

GASTRONOMY

Terceira Island’s gastronomy is famous for its duck, generally prepared with beef, but also excellent when fish is used instead of meat.It is a dish characterized by slow cooking in a terracotta container, in which a sauce composed of bacon, onion, garlic, bay leaf, pepper and wine thickens and acquires flavor and aroma (but these are just some of the ingredients).

The duck is usually served with bread or sovada mass, slightly sweet. The same cooking method is found in other typical dishes: chicken, beans, rabbit, octopus or broad beans.Among the pastry products, Dona Amélia cakes are very well known, in which sugar cane molasses and cinnamon are combined with raisins and candied cedar. Tradition associates their name with the passage to the island of Queen D. Amélia. Os coscorões (a kind of chatter), cornucopias filled with egg cream or sweet rice are also rightly renowned.The landscape of the Biscoitos area is characterized by vineyards organized in curraletos (i.e. in square enclosures delimited by stone walls). From the grapes of the caste verdelho comes a wine that, since 1993, the Confraternity of Vinho Verdelho dos Biscoitos has been in charge of protecting and spreading. At the ‘Casa Agrícola Brum’ there is a Wine Museum where visitors have the privilege of being able to try the fortified wine called Chico Maria.

Corvo – Azores – on Google Map

GEOGRAPHY

Corvo Island is the smallest island in the Azores at 6.24 km long and a maximum 3.99 km wide

Its oval-shaped surface follows a north-south route, and occupies an area of 17.1 km2, inhabited by 430 residents (data from 2011). Corvo, together with Flores, which is 17.9 kilometers away, is part of the Western Group of the Azores Islands. Its highest point measures 720 m, and is located in the Estreitinho area, at 39 ° 41’58 ’’ north latitude and 31 ° 06’55 ’’ west longitude.

HISTORY

Corvo’s sighting, by the Portuguese navigator Diogo de Teive, must have occurred around 1452, at the same time as the island of Flores was discovered.

Given its size, the small territory did not attract the attention of settlers who came to populate the Azores. Its almost pure natural state only changed in the mid-16th century, when the capitão-donatario (a kind of governor) Gonçalo de Sousa sent a group of slaves to Corvo, probably originating from Cape Verde, with the order to devote himself cultivation of the land and breeding. Around 1580, a contingent of settlers from Flores increased the local population.

Life in Corvo was peaceful, marked by the rhythms of agriculture, fishing and breeding, which guaranteed the existence of the community. But, contrary to what one might suppose, the geographical position of the island allowed it to overcome its imaginable isolation. In fact, Corvo defined the border line for the Portuguese naval armies, which went there to receive ships from the various points of the Portuguese and Spanish empires, and then escorted them safely to continental Europe. So the isolation was broken in the late sixteenth century, and throughout the seventeenth century, often also by pirates and pirates in search of loot and hostages. In Corvo they found a strong resistance, and in fact the defeat suffered in 1632 by Barbary pirates who came from northern Africa remained historic. The population rejected the attack with stones, and the legend tells that in the hard and unbalanced battle the patroness of the places intervened, the Madonna of the Rosary, who “deflected all the shots fired by pirates and returned them, multiplied, towards the ships of the Moors, managing to put them on the run ”. Since then his name became Nossa Senhora dos Milagres (‘Madonna of Miracles’).

The courage of the people of Corvo was again demonstrated in 1832, when a group of ravens went to Terceira to ask for the relief of the heavy taxes paid to the lord of the island and to the Crown. The minister of King D. Pedro IV, Mouzinho da Silveira, who was there to organize the liberal struggle starting from Angra, was impressed by the slavery situation experienced by the inhabitants of the small island. He proposed the cancellation of the cash taxes and the reduction of the wheat tax to half. In that same year the village received the title of citizen, and went on to be called Vila do Corvo.During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, American whalers began to frequent the coasts of the islands of the Western Group. Some ravens were recruited for whaling, and earned their reputation as brave harpoons. In 1864, Corvo had almost 1,100 inhabitants, but since then the population began to decline gradually. Between 1900 and 1980, Corvo went from 808 to 370, mainly due to emigration to the United States and Canada.

The inauguration of the Corvo aerodrome in 1983 was crucial for the modernization of the island’s structures, and in 1991 the establishment of regular routes to Flores, Faial and Terceira decreed the full integration of the island in the dynamics of the archipelago . Agricultural activity, centered on cattle breeding, is currently the cornerstone of the local economy.

NATURE

The whole island of Corvo corresponds to a main volcanic building, with an overlying crater (called Caldeirão) and about twenty secondary cones on the sides and inside the crater. It is therefore a “volcano island”, the only one in the archipelago with these characteristics.

In the landscape, the green of semi-natural pastures predominates, with dark stone walls that segment the properties. Here and there you can see basalt haystacks, also used to store agricultural tools. The landscape has low forest density: you can see some specimens of heather and laurel from the Azores (locally designated as zimbros, that is junipers), and there are various orchards, especially in the eastern part of the island. Cultivated fields are located around Vila do Corvo, the only inhabited center. Trying to support the socio-economic development of the island and its people, centered on the conservation of the environmental and cultural heritage, the Corvo Biosphere Reserve was created in 2007.

ATTRACTIONS

VOLCANIC LANDSCAPES

Caldeirão is the main landscape element of the island, born from the collapse of the top of the central volcano. The crater has an elliptical shape, with a maximum diameter of 2.3 kilometers and a depth of 305 meters. Its interior is occupied by a shallow lake and various small volcanic cones that cut out the body of water (many say that they reproduce the design of the Azorean islands). From the Caldeirão viewpoint you can observe the vast volcanic depression and enjoy the silent calm that characterizes this remote point of Europe.

Vila do Corvo is located in a lava plain which constitutes the main flat surface of the island, and which originated from the basaltic lava emitted by Morro da Fonte, a scoria cone that dominates the inhabited center. The flow that forms this flat area is currently more visible along the coast, especially in the form of coastal lava strings that develop between Portinho da Areia and Ponta Negra, also having a clear underwater expression (the so-called caneiros, the place of choice for divers who frequent the island). The last eruptive episode occurred precisely here, between 80,000 and 100,000 years ago, and originated the basaltic lava flow that develops between the area of Pão de Açucar and Alto dos Moinhos.

COAST

The whole island is surrounded by high and steep cliffs, mainly in the western and northern sectors, due to the strong marine erosion to which the detrital nature of volcanic products is subject. This erosion originates important breakages and landslides, and reveals the basaltic veins that cross the main formations, forming a dense, complex and capricious network of intrusive forms.

A boat ride around the island is an unforgettable experience, revealing the most inaccessible areas and allowing you to observe wonderful landscapes, a large number of sea birds and some marine vertebrates, including dolphins and whales.

EXPERIENCES

An internationally known paradise for ornithological observation, Corvo is the habitat of species such as the sea swallow, the greater berta (Calonectris diomedea borealis) and the pigeon of the Azores. The migratory birds of North America also come to look for food on this dot of land in the middle of the ocean, and here they rest after the long crossing.

Underwater activities are experiencing a great development, given the abundance of excellent spots and thanks to the effort to preserve the diversity of existing fish species. Boat trips around the island are activities available to the visitor. You can swim on the Praia da Areia beach and in Porto da Casa. The island is very suitable for walking or cycling.

CULTURAL HERITAGE

ARCHITECTURE

Vila do Corvo, the only inhabited center of the island, is a knot of narrow streets, which are so narrow to better protect themselves from the strong winds that often make themselves felt on the island.

The dark stone sidewalks are lined with whitewashed houses, but some black basalt houses still survive. Largo do Outeiro functions as the center of the resort, and it is here that ravens and visitors gather around the stone benches to share daily episodes or ancient stories. The main church, dedicated to Nossa Senhora dos Milagres, has the facade facing the ocean. Erected in 1674 and rebuilt in the 18th century, it houses a Flemish statue of the patron saint of the island.

At Alto dos Moinhos, near Ponta Negra, small conical-shaped windmills adorn the shore of the sea, and dot the blue horizon of the coast with white which, at a distance, is interrupted by the outline of the island of Flores. A mechanism rotates the wooden dome, so that the sail can accompany the wind direction. These buildings are still a vivid example of the importance that the production of wheat and corn had on this island.

CULTURE

The Corvo Environmental and Cultural Interpretation Center, recently built occupying some typical houses, is a compulsory stop. In this modern infrastructure, in addition to creating a pleasant and informal conversation, you can learn a lot about the island and its peculiarities, the raven character and the local way of life.

CRAFTS

The wooden locks, still manufactured today by the craftsmen of Corvo, are the symbol of the way of life of a peaceful island, where everyone knows each other. In addition to being useful, they represent the most typical handicraft product of the place. Women engage in work such as lace, embroidery and objects made of shells.

FESTIVITY

Despite the scarcity of population, the feast of the Holy Spirit is still alive, and takes place around the garish império of Vila do Corvo, dated 1871. On August 15 an outdoor party takes place, and some religious ceremonies are dedicated to Nossa Senhora dos Milagres. Integrated into this festival, the Festival dos Moinhos brings together the bands of other islands to the local philharmonic during two very animated days. The closure of the summer holidays is in September: another outdoor party that takes place after the procession in honor of Nossa Senhora do Bom Caminho (‘Madonna of the good way’).

GASTRONOMY

The local gastronomy is mainly based on the freshness of the products extracted from the sea or collected from the land. Especially noteworthy are fish and seafood.

The corn bread produced on the spot accompanies typical dishes such as the “rock grass” tortelli (erva do calhau). It is an alga that is collected precisely from the rocks, and from which salt water is extracted. After being chopped and minced, it is mixed with eggs and flour, forming balls which are then crushed and fried in lard.

Following a recipe called couves da barça, or even couve and marrã, the pork preserved in salt is left to soak from the day before, and is then boiled together with the chopped cabbage, potatoes, onion and garlic. The dish is served with sweet potatoes and corn bread.

The artisanal Corvo cheese is highly appreciated, with a minimum maturation of 60 days. Semi-hard and yellowish in color, it has a persistent flavor and a slight spicy taste.

Flores Island – Azores – on Google Map

GEOGRAPHY

Flores Island, in the Azores is the westernmost point of the European continent. At 16.6 kilometers long and 12.2 kilometers at maximum width, with an area of 141.4 km2, it is the fourth by size amongst the 9 islands that compose the Azores Archipelago

Flores is part of the western group of the Azores Islands, together with the island of Corvo, which is 17.9 kilometers away. Its highest point is located in Morro Alto (911 m.), At 39 ° 27’48 ’’ north latitude and 31 ° 13’13 ’’ west longitude. It is sparsely populated, with only about 4000 people living there permanently.

HISTORY

The Portuguese discovery of the present Western Group must have occurred around 1452. It is believed that Diogo de Teive was the navigator who discovered such a distant territory, and the name Flores is thought to be associated with the abundance of flowers recorded on the island in the decade of 1470

Population was not easy; moreover, the geographical peculiarity of the Western Group is reflected in its political configuration, since, unlike the other islands, Flores and Corvo constituted an individualized lordship that King D. Afonso V offered in 1453 to his uncle D. Afonso, duke of Bragança and count of Barcelos.

Even in Flores Island the first population efforts were Flemish, and in particular by Willem van der Haghen, who after initially settling in São Jorge, around 1480 decided to seek fortune in even more western areas. Either because he was disappointed with Flores’ economic potential, or because he couldn’t stand isolation from the rest of the archipelago, his experience was unsuccessful, and the Flemish returned to São Jorge. Abandoned for years, the territory had to wait until 1508 for a stable population to occur, this time thanks to the commitment of the captains of the Fonseca family. Although late, population growth began to consolidate. Lajes das Flores was declared a citizen in 1515, and Santa Cruz das Flores in 1548. From the end of the 16th century, at the hands of the Mascarenha, the development of Flores was even more incisive.As in most of the archipelago, the cultivation of cereals represented the economic basis for a couple of centuries, assisted by the breeding of sheep, the manufacture of cloth and fishing.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the island lived quiet and isolated, but this condition was brought into question by the frequent and unwanted visits by the corsairs. Flores Island, the most western point in Europe, a highly important tactical position, was the strategic point of support given by the Crown to the ships of the Pacific and Indians. But the island was also guarded by pirates and pirates, who in turn happily awaited the passage of the Spanish galleons loaded with precious metals embarked in America, and Portuguese ships from the East.

The nineteenth-century writing of Lord Alfred Tennyson perpetuated in the poem The Revenge this remote time of adventure and naval boarding. “At Flores in the Azores Sir Richard Grenville lay”: thus begins the story of the heroic defeat of the ship commanded by the English corsair Sir Richard Grenville, beaten by a Spanish fleet. From the mid-eighteenth century, Flores became the port of the English and North American whaling armies, which landed there to supply and hire new members for their crews. This influence led to the organization of sperm whale hunting bases in both Lajes das Flores and Santa Cruz das Flores: the installations then built to proceed with the extraction of whale oil still exist.

The inauguration of the airport in 1972 and the construction of modern port installations have led to a greater integration of the Western Group into the Azores Archipelago. The tertiary sector is currently the engine of the island’s economy, occupying about 60% of the workforce, and tourism is also an increasingly significant field.

NATURE

THE PINK ISLAND

The undulating central volcanic massif conditions the whole landscape. On the plateau, cones with gently sloping slopes rise up or explode craters, with steep walls, which sometimes turned into lakes.

These are the features drawn by a nature that was once violent, but which today welcomes visitors with kindness. From the top of Morro Alto you can see an ocean of intense green, where the original laurisilva forest still lives. Streams flow among the luxuriant vegetation, while the waterfalls help to water a natural garden of colored flowers, in which the pink of azaleas and hydrangeas stands out.

VOLCANIC LANDSCAPES

The Flores Island landscape is characterized by craters, lakes and streams. The water of the streams flows indolently on the surface of the central plateau, but gains speed at the waterfalls or along extensive and deep valleys. Before jumping into the sea, it has enough strength to move the turbines of various hydroelectric plants.

The island contains seven volcanic craters that have turned into beautiful lakes. Caldeira Rasa and Caldeira Funda, those further south, despite being very close to each other, have different altitudes. The luxuriant vegetation and the clusters of flowers that arise on the slopes form the natural scenery that surrounds them. Practically in the center of the island are the craters (called Caldeira Branca, Caldeira Seca, Caldeira Conprida and Caldeira Negra (or Funda), the latter 105 m deep. and with a special blue tone. Isolated from the others, the Caldeira da Lomba crater is surrounded by a small elevation and hydrangea bushes.

One of the most famous natural monuments of the Azores, the Rocha dos Bordões, consists of a set of large basalt columns. The prismatic disjunction resembles a giant pipe organ, and is located on top of an elevation. Coated here and there with moss, lichen and other vegetation, the basaltic stone has colors that vary during the day, seeming to urge a repeated return to these places.

Geological formations with a peculiar format are also found on Morro dos Frades, where some see in the stone silhouettes the figures of a friar and a nun. Even more symbolic, the islet of Monchique is the westernmost piece of land on the European continent: seen from Vigia da Ponta Negra, near the Albarnaz lighthouse, this black rock is the end point of Europe, but it can also be the preface discovering an island and an archipelago.The Fajã Grande – Fajãzinha area has one of the most beautiful Azorean coastal landscapes. Along the extensive green wall that borders it there are twenty imposing waterfalls, including that of Ribeira Grande, whose waters make a jump of 300 meters. At the base of the escarpment there are various permanent bodies of water, such as the Poço do Bacalhau (‘well of cod’) or the Poço da Alagoinha, also known as Lagoa dos Patos (‘lake of the ducks’). A walk to the escarpment allows you to admire closely the waterfalls and the scenery mounted by nature, which is an authentic invitation to contemplation and a refreshing bath. The dark gray of the rock, the lush green of the vegetation, the energetic white of the sea foam and the crystalline blue of the pool come together in a prodigious vision.

COAST

Countless islets, peaks, plains, coastal caves, prismatic disjunctions, waterfalls and valleys are some of the peculiarities of the Flores coast. Between the high cliffs of the southern coast, Fajã Nova, on the Ponta da Rocha Alta, and Fajã de Lopo Vaz can be reached on foot thanks to the path that runs alongside the cliff.

On the northern side of the island, the low and linear coastal cliff between Ponta Delgada and Ponta do Albarnaz allows access to the unthinkable reliefs of the north-east coast of Flores, crossed only by paths, such as the one that starts from the Albarnaz lighthouse and leads up to to Ponta da Fajã, a difficult journey but full of extraordinary panoramas.

The flat areas (fajãs) of Santa Cruz, Lajes and Fajã Grande are instead gently embraced by the sea, which wraps their low points of black lava and, on calm days, allows you to see shimmering and throbbing backdrops of life.

ATTRACTIONS

The grandeur and diversity of the Flores coastline justify a long boat trip. In fact, only from the sea can you see the Arch of Santa Cruz das Flores, or the islet Maria Vaz, or enter the 50-meter-long coastal cave called Gruta dos Enxaréus.

It is also possible to cross a stretch of sea and reach Corvo, using the services of the various operators who offer trips to discover the small island that can be seen on the horizon from the north-east coast of Flores. You can swim in the natural pools of Santa Cruz, on the beaches close to Lajes das Flores, or on the stony one of Fajã Grande, or in the pools of the feet of the waterfalls, as in Poço do Bacalhau and Ribeira Grande.

In Flores Island you can practice scuba diving and the observation of cetaceans, as well as you can fish from the rocks, in the sea or in the streams full of trout. On the ground, those who are licensed can hunt woodcocks and rabbits. The island is one of the best spots in the Azores for observing birds such as the ruler and blackcap, and is an authentic refuge for sedentary and migratory species, especially for those coming from the American continent.

Given the abundance of streams and waterfalls, canyoning is booming. There are dozens of places suitable for the practice of this modality, and there are special courses for those who have never tried this form of alliance between adrenaline and contact with nature.

HERITAGE AND CULTURE

ARCHITECTURE

Across the island, various churches stand out from the rest of the houses due to their size and the white of the walls, framed by the predominantly gray tone of the inevitable carved stone.

The church of Nossa Senhora de Lurdes, in Fazenda, of the twentieth century, is emblematic: built on an elevation, it can be seen from afar and, at the same time, serves as a observation point for the surrounding fields. From the viewpoint that meets on Fajãzinha you can observe the whole town, lost in the middle of a green plain.

In Santa Cruz das Flores, the main church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição stands out for its grandiose facade, and the narrow streets of the town recall atmospheres of the past. The central Piazza Marquês do Pombal has a bright império (chapel dedicated to the cult of the Holy Spirit), and the descent towards the port allows you to discover other colors, thanks to the colors used on fishing boats. From the Monte das Cruzes viewpoint, these and other atmospheres can be captured and admired as a whole.

In Lajes das Flores, the church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário, built in the 18th century, is noteworthy, the facade of which was later covered with azulejos. From the atrium, framed by araucarias, you can see the port and a part of the town: and from here you can start to discover the impérios, the carved basalt stone houses and the bridge dating back to 1743 that crosses the stream called Ribeira dos Morros.

CULTURE

Installed in a part of the ancient Franciscan convent of Santa Cruz, the Flores Museum documents the islanders’ relations with the sea and the land. Particularly important are the collections of agricultural tools, scrimshaw and maritime tools, objects related to carpentry and iron working, as well as to the production of linen and wool fabrics. The collection of artifacts recovered from the Slavonian shipwreck, which sank off the coast of Flores in 1909, is very curious.

CRAFTS

Hydrangea marrow flowers are a delicate work that requires firm hands with great skill. The island’s artisan tradition also passes through fish scale flowers, objects made with shells, embroidery and lace. The wooden miniatures reproduce agricultural tools.

FESTIVITY

The Feast of the Emigrant – Festa Do Imigrante – is the tribute that the inhabitants of Flores pay to those who have left in search of a better life, but who return every year to visit their homeland. This year will take place from July 19th to 22nd.

The popular celebrations, an opportunity to meet again with old friends, mark the calendar of the island during the month of July. Just before, on June 24, San Giovanni is celebrated. The devotion to the patron saint dates back to the colonists who came from Terceira, and has continued over the centuries. As in the rest of the archipelago, the feast of the Holy Spirit runs from May to September, and the worship generates a particularly lively atmosphere in Santa Cruz, where flowery arches decorate the streets.

GASTRONOMY

Over the centuries, the islands of the Western Group have remained quite apart, due to their distance, from the remaining islands of the archipelago, also due to the pitiless weather conditions to which they are sometimes subject. The inhabitants have therefore learned to count on local production as the basis of their food.

In winter, since it was difficult to go out to sea in search of fish, normally abundant, pork was often the main food. The cozinhada de porco is a witness of those times: the pickled pork, after being soaked in water, is cooked and served with potatoes and cabbage. Yam with linguiça (local sausage) and watercress soup are part of the traditional Flores menu. The cheese produced on the island has a soft and consistent texture. The sea is generous, and stimulates the culinary imagination of the inhabitants of Flores Island. In tortas de erva patinha the omelette is flavored with seaweed collected by the sea. The fish, which is part of the traditional gastronomic heritage of the island, is prepared according to various recipes: try the baked albacore (or yellowfin tuna), or conger-flavored warmirada.

The microclimate of certain areas allows the growth of exotic fruits. From the araçã, a plant of the goyaba family, yellow, red or violet fruits are harvested with which a typical aces compote is produced. Flores honey has the aroma of the infinite flowers that embellish the island.

Sao Jorge Azores on Google Map

GEOGRAPHY

With 54 kilometers in length and 6.9 in maximum width, São Jorge looks like a chain of volcanic reliefs stretched from North-east to South-east. Its total area of 243.9 km2 is inhabited by 9,171 people (data from 2011).

São Jorge Island is part of the Central Group of the Azores Islands, and is one of the summits of the so-called “triangle“: the others are Faial and Pico, from which São Jorge is 18.5 km away. Its highest point (1053 m.) Is the Pico da Esperança, at 38 ° 39’02 ’’ north latitude and 28 ° 04’27 ’’ de west longitude.

HISTORY

Given its proximity to Terceira, Portuguese navigators are thought to have known São Jorge Island at the same time as the other surrounding islands. Everything suggests that the population started around 1460, and that this was the second island of the Central Group to be inhabited.

After ten years, various human nuclei were already established on the western and southern coast: among them, that of Velas. The arrival of the Flemish nobleman Wilhelm Van der Haegen in 1480 motivated the foundation of the community of Topo on the eastern end of the island.

In 1483, the rapidly developing island was entrusted to João Vaz Corte Real, at the time captain governor of Angra, in Terceira. At the end of the fifteenth century Velas was granted the status of a town; Mouse obtained it in 1510 and Calheta in 1534. The prosperity of the island was based on the cultivation of wheat, but soon the quality of its pastures became evident.

Voted to a certain isolation for the lack of safe ports, São Jorge Island never reached a great economic protagonism. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries he suffered the unwanted visits of English and French corsairs, and of ruthless Turkish and Algerian pirates.

Particularly famous remained the incursion of the French Du-Gray-Trouin to Velas, in 1708. Defeated by the heroic resistance of the population, the corsair had to beat a retreat, suffering heavy losses among his companions.

Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the lives of the inhabitants were embittered by agricultural crises that caused famines, and by violent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The economy did not stray from the model of the remaining islands: wheat and vine cultivation, Roccella tinctoria harvesting and cattle and sheep breeding, which soon led to the development of two secondary sectors, those related to cheese and wool.

Fishing became quite important between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, firstly because of whaling activities, and then, starting from 1960, thanks to tuna fishing. Currently, the great quality of the São Jorge pastures is reflected in the production of a typical cheese, made from cow’s milk, with Protected Designation of Origin, since the island is the production area for the São Jorge PGI cheese. . The existence of an airport and the modern ports of Velas and Calheta contributes to the full integration of São Jorge in the archipelago and in the world.

NATURE:

THE BROWN ISLAND

The elongated shape of the island and the rhythmic succession of cones that characterizes its central part make it emerge from the ocean as if it were the back of a sleeping prehistoric animal. From the plateau of the inland area, the volcanic cones that gave rise to the island are born, delimited by high and steep cliffs that plummet into the blue ocean, or by small plentiful areas at sea level, the famous fajãs of São Jorge Island.

The green of the woods and semi-natural pastures, the brown of the agricultural land, the black of the rocky peaks and the blue of the sea form a rich palette of colors and shades. The presence of numerous dragon trees and endemic vegetation survival areas, in the most hidden valleys and protected by human action, combine to form the peculiar image of the island.

VOLCANIC LANDSCAPES

The fajãs, a term also used in the Macaronesian archipelagos of Madeira and Cape Verde, are the true emblem of São Jorge Island. Flat surfaces that formed on the seashore, and bordered by more or less imposing cliffs, the fajãs are the result of lava courses that penetrated the sea (as in the case of the Fajã do Ouvidor), or landslides of earth and rock that they precipitated due to seismic shocks, intense rains or other natural phenomena which damaged the cliffs (like in the case of the Fajã dos Vimes).

The fertile soils, the position protected from the strong winds and the thick curtains of fog that characterize the central and highest part of the island, and therefore their best climatic conditions, convinced the colonists to permanently cultivate these small plains, despite the difficulties of access to some of them.

From beans to bananas, from yam to coffee, from potatoes to oranges, everything seems to grow luxuriantly in these areas, which the dragon tree itself does not disdain. Over time, due to the growing demands of modernity and their vulnerability to the vagaries of nature, several fajãs have been abandoned, but many others continue to be inhabited all year round, or at least in some periods generally associated with holidays or certain agricultural activities.

The more than 70 fajãs of São Jorge are the symbol of both its natural beauty and the isolation that dominated part of its history, and offer extraordinary glances: the best thing is to enjoy them by taking advantage of the network of paths that exists on the island.

From the detrital fajãs of Cubres and Caldeira de Santo Cristo, with its coastal lagoons, to the lava fajãs of Velas, Almas or Ouvidor, there is a great choice of places to remember.

The volcanic nature of the island can also be grasped by walking the roads and paths that climb the central mountain range of São Jorge, along which about two hundred volcanic cones exhibit their once active craters, and now gently occupied by ponds, ponds or peatlands.

On the peaks of Pico da Velha, Pico da Esperança and Pico do Areeiro there are belvederi that offer stunning views of the coastline, from which you can also see the profiles of the islands of Faial, Pico, Graciosa and Terceira, so far and at the same time so close.

Crossing this wavy back is an invitation to get to know and appreciate the nature of São Jorge, where the craters of the Bocas do Fogo, still active in 1808, are followed by natural and semi-natural pastures, habitats of wild rabbits and buzzards.

Hydrangea bushes mark the boundaries of the pastures, and patches of cryptocurrency and heather form the vegetable frame of the island.

COAST

In addition to its characteristic fajãs, the island’s coast can show off the superb Ponta dos Rosais, turned towards Faial, and the Ponta and Ilhéu do Topo, on the eastern side, which underline its natural beauty and offer incredible ocean panoramas.

The coast has rocky and sharp peaks that penetrate the sea, small protected coves, cliffs hundreds of meters high almost vertical on the water, and cones of underwater volcanoes disrupted by the erosive action of the sea, such as Morro de Lemos and Morro de Velas.

Despite the relatively small size of the island, the extensive coastline that results from its elongated shape originates a vast mosaic of locations and scenographic frames, in which the viewer can search for the best angle to take a special photograph, made unique by the the color of the rocks, the shades of endemic vegetation or the grace of a seabird that flies or rests.

ATTRACTIONS

As in the rest of the archipelago, in São Jorge there are excellent natural conditions for the practice of activities such as diving, fishing, sailing and kayaking. The waves of the Fajã of Caldeira de Santo Cristo are a European Mecca of surfing and bodyboarding, modalities that can also be practiced in other interesting points of the north coast. There are natural pools in Velas, Fajã do Ouvidor, Fajã Grande and Topo.

Beaches and natural pools in the AzoresOn land, the geography of the island allows unforgettable excursions on foot or BTT circuits. Sport climbing (in Urzelina) and canyoning are in great development.

With the help of a guide and the necessary equipment, spelunking enthusiasts find interesting places in the caves of Montoso and Bocas do Fogo (‘mouths of fire’) which, with their respective 140 and 120 meters deep, constitute a stimulating challenge for enthusiasts and professionals.

HERITAGE AND CULTURE:

Passing through the houses of Urzelina, the gaze is captured by the bell tower of an isolated church, almost entirely surrounded by black rocks. It is the only element that remained of the original building, buried by the relentless volcanic eruption of 1808, an eloquent testimony to the struggle and resistance of the Azores against the natural adversities of the Archipelago.

Passing through the houses of Urzelina, the gaze is captured by the bell tower of an isolated church, almost entirely surrounded by black rocks. It is the only element that remained of the original building, buried by the relentless volcanic eruption of 1808, an eloquent testimony to the struggle and resistance of the Azores against the natural adversities of the Archipelago.

In Calheta and Topo, the picturesque ports are entrance doors that give access to centuries-old houses and churches, with many stories to tell. In Velas, since 1799, the Portão de Mar (“sea gate”) has received visitors who arrive by boat and dock at the port, leading them to the central square of the town, and to buildings of great value such as the São Jorge cathedral and the municipal building.

Religious architecture reaches its best expression in the Baroque church of Santa Barbara (from the 18th century), located in Manadas and classified as a National Monument.

The white and black facade hides an interior with a cedar ceiling, altar and walls decorated with carved wood and covered with gold, azulejo panels (ceramic tiles), retablos and paintings.

CULTURE

In Velas, next to the cathedral, there is a Museum of Sacred Art, while in Calheta there is the Museum of São Jorge, which exhibits ethnographic collections relating to ceramic, textile and agricultural materials, and to breeding, furniture and photography.

Embracing the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the space functions as an illustration of the time when Francisco de Lacerda lived. Born in Ribeira Seca in 1869, this “European Jorgense” had a brilliant international career as a conductor.

An illustrious musicologist, Francisco de Lacerda created an important collection of the island’s folklore. He composed various musical works, including at least the Trovas, a set of pieces for song and piano based on the Portuguese and Azorean popular musical language.

CRAFTS

The high point rugs are still made on wooden frames. There are few active craftswomen, but they can still be seen working in Fajã dos Vimes. The Ribeira de Nabo Crafts Cooperative displays these blankets, also known as mantas de São Jorge, as well as cloths, tablecloths, rugs and other items.

FESTIVITIES

The feast dedicated to the saint who gave the island its name, São Jorge, is celebrated around April 23. The commemorations take place in the municipality of Velas, and include processions, musical performances and exhibitions.

The Velas Cultural Week animates São Jorge and the remaining “islands of the triangle” during the month of July. The program, consisting of readings, conferences, book fair, nautical events, musical performances and gastronomic fair, includes activities for all tastes and makes the town of Velas a truly lively place. In the same month, Calheta offers a July Festival full of ethnographic processions, popular music, sports competitions and exhibitions.

The pilgrimages that take place in the different fajãs are occasions in which religious devotion and popular celebrations form an alliance, and there is no lack of music played on the traditional viola da terra.The Feasts of the Holy Spirit, which mobilize local people and foreigners, take place between May and September, as in the rest of the Archipelago.

GASTRONOMY

With international fame and a taste that according to some is unsurpassed, the cheese of the Island of São Jorge is probably the best known gastronomic product of the Azores.The União de Cooperativas Agricolas e Lactícinios of São Jorge, located in Beira, controls all the procedures for the care, classification and certification of the cheese produced on the island.

The Designation of Origin is attributed only to specimens that meet all the requirements in terms of ingredients and traditional methods. It is believed that the production of cow’s milk cheese dates back to the influence of the Flemish people who populated Mouse. The cheese from the island of São Jorge, with a semi-soft or hard paste, has a slightly spicy taste, and comes in round shapes that weigh between 7 and 12 kilograms, which are usually cut into wedges.

They arise spontaneously in the Natural Reserve and Special Ecological Area of the Caldeira de Santo Cristo: clams are another exclusive gastronomic wonder of São Jorge. The coastal lagoon is the only point in the Azores where this mollusk exists, characterized by truly unique size, flavor and texture of the meat.

The collection of clams is limited by law, and this delight can only be tried in some restaurants.The microclimate of some fajãs has allowed the development of some agricultural rarities, such as the coffee plantation, a rare case in Europe: in Fajã dos Vimes you can taste a coffee with an intense taste and aroma, made from grains collected on the spot .

Together with cinnamon brandy, it is a possible accompaniment to the island’s pastry shop, where coscorões, rosquilhas and coalhada sweets are traditional recipes. The espécies, a horseshoe-shaped cake with ‘little windows’ from which the filling appears, are truly typical of the island. There are various versions of the recipe, but they all have in common the presence of spices with anise, cinnamon and pepper.

Graciosa Azores on Google Map

GEOGRAPHY

With 12.5 kilometers in length and 7 km in maximum width, Graciosa Island has an elongated shape that extends from the north-west to the south-east. The 4,391 inhabitants (data from 2011) are distributed over the 60.66 km2 of surface.

It is the northernmost island among the five of the Central Group of the archipelago; among them, the one that is closest to it is São Jorge, 37 km away. Its highest point (405 m) is located in Caldeira, at 39 ° 01’17 ” north latitude and 27 ° 57’59 ” west longitude.

HISTORY

The year of the Portuguese discovery of Graciosa Island is uncertain. It is believed that it was identified in 1427, as the remaining islands of the Central Group of the Azores Islands, and that in the decade of 1430 it was left on the island of livestock, obeying the order given by the Portuguese crown. The official and continued population must have started around 1470, probably starting from two different nuclei: one led by Vasco Gil Sodrè, in the Santa Cruz area, and the other by Duarte Barreto, in the Praia area.

In 1485, Pedro Correia da Cunha is indicated as captain of the whole island: he stimulated the arrival of new colonists from mainland Portugal and Flanders. From south to north, the fertile plains were consecutively occupied. This population growth first favored the town of Santa Cruz, which was named a town in 1486, before Praia, also known as São Mateus, which only became so in 1546. The local economy was based on agriculture. Wheat and barley (this exceptional case in the whole archipelago) were the main products during the 16th century. In addition to the collection of the Roccella tintoria, it was the vitiviniculture that took on a growing protagonist: the local brandy and wine began to be appreciated and consumed even outside the island. Trade relations developed from Terceira, which owned the most important port of the archipelago. And exactly as happened to the latter, Graciosa was also attacked and sacked by pirates during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Periods of drought and natural disasters were incisive and constant episodes in the history of Graciosa, ending up causing a generalized impoverishment. As on other islands, wine production suffered a notable decline during the nineteenth century, as a consequence of the occurrence of oidium and phylloxera, diseases of the vines that affected most of the harvests. Between 1950 and 1970 a flow of emigration to the United States made the island’s socio-economic landscape even more barren. A cooperative union movement intending to recover part of the tradition and wine culture culminated, in 1994, in the birth of the ‘Graciosa’ Designation of Origin. Currently, the production of dairy and meat is central to the island’s economic activity. The land, divided into many small properties, is also occupied by the cultivation of corn, vegetables and fruit trees.

In the 1980s, the construction of the aerodrome and the commercial port of Praia opened up new prospects for the future: and Graciosa was also on the path of sustainable tourism.

NATURE

Graciosa, recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve, is the second smallest island in the archipelago, and it is also the one with the least imposing reliefs, with numerous flat areas and gentle hills.Pedras Brancas (‘white stones’), Serra Branca (‘white mountain’) or Barro Branco (‘white clay’) are toponyms that derive from the presence of a volcanic rock, trachyte, which is quite common on the island.

When this, with the passage of time, undergoes a certain alteration, it takes on a whitish color which explains the name of “White Island”.The houses of the four inhabited localities of the only municipality of the island, distributed both on the coast and inside, produce a sui generis occupation of the island territory, and have a strong impact on the landscape, which is thus humanized.

VOLCANIC LANDSCAPES

Caldeira da Graciosa is the most emblematic landscape element of the island, and corresponds to an elliptical collapse depression, with diameters of 1.6 and 0.8 kilometers, and about 270 meters deep. This depression is located on top of the Caldeira volcano, the smallest central volcanic building in the Azores. The climb up to Furna from Maria Encantada, or the entrance into the crater through the access tunnel, allows you to admire all the depression, and the abundant and luxuriant vegetation planted by man: cryptomeries, acacias, pines and pitosfori cover the almost all of the crater walls, contrasting with the vegetation of other areas of the island.Inside the Caldeira there is an imposing volcanic cavity, the Furna do Enxofre (‘sulfur cave’). Communicating with the outside through two large slits, the Furna do Enxofre is a perfect vaulted cavity, 40 meters high in its central part. It is accessed by entering a tower built in the early twentieth century, and going down a spiral staircase consisting of 183 steps. The “cathedral” of the Azores volcanic cavities contains a lake of cold water and a muddy fumarole from which emanates the sulfur smell that gave it its name, and which recalls its volcanic origin.In turn, the Caldeirinha de Pêro Botelho corresponds to the only well cave on the island, with a depth of approximately 37 m. First explored in 1964 by the “Os Montanheiros” Association, this deep cavity allows you to relive JulesVerne’s journey into the bowels of the Earth, but it is recommended only for caving practitioners with extensive experience and the necessary equipment.Pico Timão is one of the largest cinder cones of Graciosa and, together with Ponta Lagoa – Arrochela, is the product of the last volcanic eruption, which occurred on the island about 2,000 years ago.

COAST

The rocky and jagged coast of the island is generous in unique landscapes. The high and steep cliffs of Serra Branca and Ponta da Restinga contrast with the low coast of the coves of Vitória, Folga, Barra or Porto Afonso, and deserve special attention. The islet of Praia, in front of the only beach of the island, stands out on the blue of the sea with the green of the vegetation that covers it: it is a Special Protection Area, since it meets on the bird-of-the-sea route storms-of-Monteiro (Oceanodroma monteiroi), the only endemic seabird in the Azores.

Of all the lighthouses in the Azores, that of Ponta da Barca is the highest, and offers an incredible panorama of the ocean and a rocky islet sculpted by the force of the sea. The sunset light reinforces the surreal physiognomy of Ilhéu da Baleia (‘Whale Islet’), symbol of the island of Graciosa and of an entire archipelago transformed into a cetacean sanctuary.

ATTRACTIONS

Considered an extraordinary place for diving and fishing, Graciosa is an invitation to explore the coast by kayak or by boat. The bays of Santa Cruz, Folga and Praia are excellent for oars, sailing or windsurfing. Carapacho, Praia, Barro Vermelho and Calheta are just as many invitations to nice sun and sea baths.

In Carapacho, the presence of thermal waters around 40 ° C allows relaxing and therapeutic baths in waters whose beneficial properties are well known. A modern spa facility offers visitors a great variety of techniques and values, in a welcoming and idyllic natural environment, overlooking the ocean and the islet called Ilhèu de Baixo. In the same resort, in the recently renovated natural pools, you can enjoy a bath in sea water heated by thermal water, thus undergoing a relaxing and exotic natural thalassotherapy.

Among the various trekking routes on the island, the road that surrounds Caldeira is worth mentioning, which can also be traveled by bicycle, BTT, horseback or by car. Whatever the choice, breathtaking landscapes are guaranteed, both from the cliffs and from the white houses surrounded by green fields.

The obligatory visit of the Furna do Enxofre, ex-libris of the island, can be enriched, with the help of a guide, by the exploration of other volcanic caves: discover the secrets of Furna d’Agua, Furna do Abel or della Furna da Maria Encantada will be an unforgettable experience.

HERITAGE AND CULTURE, ARCHITECTURE

The nature and human elements that make up the Graciosa landscape seem to have discovered the laws of harmonious coexistence. From the top of the viewpoint of Monte de Nossa Senhora da Ajuda, near a simple chapel, you can see the white buildings of the town of Santa Cruz, and next to them the windmills and the grid of walls that delimit the vineyards.

Santa Cruz is notable for its typical houses and cobblestone-covered alleys, which branch off from the large central square, where the typical coreto (a gazebo built for musical purposes), brackish and araucaria water pools are located. The main church dates back to the 16th century, but a later reconstruction endowed it with Baroque elements. The architectural heritage of the island is well preserved in various types of buildings, and especially in churches, chapels, peasant houses and windmills, and in a curious “hydraulic architecture” associated with a centenary network of cisterns and refueling systems ‘drinking water. Guadalupe, Luz and Vitoria are all places to visit with senses open to experience: in Praia, lace curtains peek out from behind the glass, fishing boats cheer up the port with their colors and the inhabitants politely greet visitors. The rebuilt mills catch the eye, with the vivid colors of their doors and windows. Inside there are holiday homes, a paradigmatic example of tourism that knows how to respect the legacy received.

CULTURE

The Graciosa Museum is made up of six exhibition areas, and presents an important collection of local ethnography. It illustrates traditional activities such as agriculture, viticulture, cereal production, whaling and other ancient trades, exhibiting equipment, tools and historical documents. The central core consists of the interior of a typical house in Graciosa, with furniture and decorative objects. Collections of coins, postcards, newspapers and photographs complete the museum complex.

CRAFTS

The threshing tradition is still kept alive by the rare burras de milho (‘corn donkeys’, wooden structures where cobs are hung), which can be seen on the sides of the streets. In Limeira there is still someone who puts the cobs to dry in the characteristic triangular barns with four pilari; once the beans are ground, the corn bread is cooked and eaten at home.

The Association of Craftsmen of Graciosa Island, in Santa Cruz, opens its doors to show the methods used in the embroidery on linen, made with a very ancient and peculiar point of the island.

FESTIVITY

Graciosa has its own festive dimension which is expressed in the popular dances, in the concerts of the philharmonic, in the feasts of the patron saints of the various locations and in the famous Carnival dances. Traditional dances and melodies are still alive thanks to a passion for music which, shared by the whole population, is revealed at any time of the year and is supported by the island’s Music Academy. During the week of Carnival, the various collectivities organize parades whose participants dance wearing original masks and costumes.

The festival of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres, in August, associates other types of events with the religious component: musical performances and folkloric groups animate the historic streets of Santa Cruz. As in the rest of the archipelago, the Festivities of the Holy Spirit have deep roots in the culture of the island, and run from May to September.

GASTRONOMY

The fresh fish of the generous Azorean sea is traditionally served in a pot or roasted. Garlic and Graciosa melon have obtained a status of gourmet products, and are the ingredients of choice in various recipes.But, if there is a truly characteristic product, they are the sweets that spread the name of the island everywhere: the queijadas da Graciosa, inspired by the centenary recipe of the covilhetes de leite, a kind of tartelette. The local pastry, varied and delicious, also includes cavacas, escomilhas, capuchas, pastéis de arroz or encharcadas de ovos.

Graciosa wine, coming from the original verdelho caste, has resisted the devastation of phylloxera. Currently, and with the introduction of other castes, the whites produced in the region, with the origin mark, are excellent accompaniments to regional gastronomy. The brandy and aperitif wines complete the abundant offer of local drinks.

Sao Miguel on Google Maps

GEOGRAPHY

São Miguel Island is the largest in the Azores Islands, with 62.1 km in length and 15.8 in maximum width. The area of 744.7 km2 hosts more than half of the Azorean population: 137,856 inhabitants (data from 2011). São Miguel, together with the island of Santa Maria, located 81 km south east, forms the Eastern Group of the Azores archipelago. Its highest point (1105 m) corresponds to the Pico da Vara, at 37 ° 48’34 ‘ ‘north latitude and 25 ° 12’40’ ‘west longitude.

HISTORY

São Miguel was probably discovered by Portuguese navigators between 1427 and 1431, immediately after Santa Maria. The initial population dates back to the decade of 1440, under the leadership of Gonçalo Velho Cabral, and was undertaken by colonists from the northern regions, Extremadura, Algarve and Alentejo.

The history of the Azores

Then came black and Jewish communities, and other foreigners (especially French and English). The fertile land and the existence of safe coves quickly made the island a commercial platform. Its economic growth was essentially based on the cultivation and export of wheat and ford, the two products that stimulated the population of the island.

Until the earthquake of October 1522, which left a trail of destruction behind it, the capital was Vila Franca do Campo. Ponta Delgada then gained a fundamental role, and was elevated to the category of city in 1546. The last part of the 16th century was marked by many pirate attacks; São Miguel was also occupied by Spanish troops in 1582, given the Azorean resistance to the military forces of the new king of Portugal, Philip II of Spain. After the restoration of the Portuguese monarchy, in 1640, the commercial development began again, and ties with Brazil further tightened.

The export of oranges, mainly to Great Britain, was the main source of wealth between the eighteenth century and the first half of the following century. Many of the churches decorated with gilded carving, and the finely carved stone buildings that today amaze visitors, date back to this era. The loss of orange groves, following some infestations that destroyed them from 1870 onwards, drastically reduced production and was at the origin of an emigration flow to Brazil and the United States.

The introduction of new crops – pineapple, tea, tobacco and New Zealand flax (Phormium) – originated a new economic expansion in the 19th century. The economy remained flourishing during the twentieth century, mainly thanks to cattle breeding, which fed the industry dedicated to the processing of milk. From 1980 the development of the tertiary sector occurred, which currently employs the majority of the population. Tourism is one of the most recent challenges in São Miguel, an island which is also the seat of the Azores Regional Government.

NATURE

THE GREEN ISLAND

The São Miguel profile is characterized by two mountainous areas separated by a low altitude platform. It is called “Green Island” because of the landscape formed by its large meadows and forest spots that have been planted in the valleys carved by streams and in the areas that are most difficult to access.

The Micaelense production forest is mainly made up of cryptocurrency, trees that can reach large sizes, grouped in those dense wooded areas that can be admired on the island’s illustrated postcards. But, in certain areas, the original flora is still present, consisting of endemic species such as heather, Morella faya, Azores laurel and holly, which, in addition to giving life to a palette of various shades of green , offer refuge to a very rare and special bird: the priôlo (pyrrulla pyrrulla murina).

VOLCANIC LANDSCAPES

By filling kilometers wide volcanic craters, the great lakes (lagoas) of the Azores are located in São Miguel. The most emblematic is probably that of Sete Cidades, a place of myths and legends, with the belvedere called Vista do Rei (‘view of the king’): the vision of the green and blue lake, separated by an arched bridge, justifies this first name.

Equally enchanting is the lake called Lagoa do Fogo (‘of fire’), which reveals a wilder nature. In the volcanic crater of Furnas, another lake occupies a privileged position, and is striking for its extension and for the banks covered by lush and exotic vegetation, which does justice to the denomination “Vale Formoso” attributed to this area of São Miguel. But the list of lakes does not end here; both in the Serra Devassa area and in the central part of the island, there are also the lakes of Santiago, Rasa, Canário, Éguas, Empadadas, Congro, São Brás … and all deserve to be admired.ù

Rows of small volcanic cones and green undulating expanses that end abruptly on the blue sea: this is the type of view offered by most of the panoramic points (miradouros) of São Miguel, from which you can admire the islets along the coast, such as the magnificent one that rises to Vila Franca do Campo, or the Faraglione of Mosteiros, glorious at sunset, when seen from the distant Ponta do Escalvado.

In the Nordeste region, among the exuberant vegetation, the belvederi are gardens in which anyone can make use of the existing structures to prepare a barbecue while enjoying exceptional views. Equally beautiful is what is offered to those visiting the Lomba do Cavaleiro viewpoint: a wide view of the whole Povoação crater and its popular seven hills.

Natural hot water pools are one of the wonders of nature in São Miguel: spectacular, like that of Caldeira Velha, with its transparent stream of water that flows along the veins of a vivid ocher color encrusted in black rock; majestic, like that of ferrous yellowish water of the Terra Nostra Park, a botanical garden without equal; secret, such as the crystalline pools and the toning mud from Poça da Beija; quiet, like in the historic thermal building of Caldeiras of Ribeira Grande, dating back to 1811 and surrounded by trees and smoking fields; or even shocking, in the “hydropolis” of Furnas, where there are dozens of thermal springs, fumaroles and natural effervescent bicarbonate waters, which make this location a Mecca of world thermalism and a virtual bottling station.

COAST

High cliffs lined with green woods, black basalt cliffs that penetrate the sea, headlands and inlets, inviting plains and numerous gray volcanic sand beaches are the brushstrokes that make up the picture of Miguel’s coastline, which certainly deserves a careful look and a visit no hurry.

On the southern coast, beaches such as Pópulo, Vinha da Areia and Ribeira Quente are very popular, and invite you to take some nice baths. But for those who prefer greater intimacy in their contact with nature, the beaches of Amora, Viola, Lombo Gordo or Mosteiros, among many others, are the right choice. Excavated between the rocks and black rocks, equipped with solar and full of crystal clear water, there are maritime pools and natural pools in various points of the island: Capelas, Calhetas and Lagoa are some of these locations.

And (cherry on the cake!), In Ponta da Ferraria, nature takes care of heating the sea water with volcanic thermal waters that allow thalassotherapy in the middle of the Atlantic, in a splendid natural environment. Between Povoação and Furnas, in the areas of Nordeste and Água Retorta, and in all cases where the uneven relief resolves into imposing cliffs, it is always worthwhile to follow the paths that since ancient times connect the villages to the houses built Along the coast.

ATTRACTIONS

The size of the island and the abundance of infrastructures and services explain the large number of experiences that can be lived in São Miguel, a real gateway from which to explore the entire archipelago.

On the ground, unique landscapes open to those who walk along the numerous existing paths. Horse riding and cycling are other recommended ways to enjoy the beauty of the island. The two golf courses of São Miguel, in addition to sports, allow direct contact with intact nature. Those who prefer more ‘action’ tourism can explore the island by jeep or 4 × 4, quad or BTT.

A paragliding flight allows you to take singular photographs and to appreciate the magnificent lakes from a different perspective than usual. It is also possible to discover the underground reality of the island by visiting the Gruta do Carvão; and there are various sections of cliff where you can practice climbing.

Inside the Green Island you can do rowing or engage in other water sports on the lakes that occupy the volcanic craters. In some lakes and streams it is possible to fish (by requesting the appropriate license), but it is certainly along the rocky shores of the sea that fishing lovers find their paradise. Diving, whale and other whale watching and deep sea fishing are activities in great development. Surfing and bodyboarding predominate on the north coast.

Volcanic sand beaches such as those of Pópulo, Água d’Alto and Ribeira Quente, natural pools spread all around the coast and the thermal bathing facilities of Ferraria and Furnas are ideal places to relax after so many emotions and recover energy before a new one. adventure.

HERITAGE AND TRADITIONS:

ARCHITECTURE

In the city of Ponta Delgada, nestled around a natural bay and made unmistakable by the three arches of the Portas da Cidade (‘city gates’), there are many historic civil buildings and many churches. Among them, the baroque Matriz (cathedral) de São Sebastião and the church of Todos os Santos are particularly interesting.

In Ribeira Grande, the chromatic game between the white walls and the carved stone is particularly striking, be it basalt or ignimbrite. This contrasting effect is visible not only in the churches (such as that of Nossa Senhora da Estrela, which also has a monumental staircase and a singular black bell tower), but also in the Oito Arcos bridge (eight arches) or in the elegant palaces with balconies wrought iron.

The water mills, testimony of a past time, can be seen in various places on the island. In Ribeira dos Caldeirões, in the municipality of Nordeste, there is an elegant restored specimen, which is the backdrop to the beauty of the waterfall that flows into the stream of the same name.

CULTURE

Figures of national importance were born in São Miguel such as the poet Antero de Quental (1842-1891) and the politician and essayist Teófilo Braga, who was elected President of Portugal in 1915. The poetess Natália Correia (1923-1993), personality of great cultural, civil and political importance, he wrote the text of the official anthem of the Azores, which reads: De um destino con brio alcançado / colheremos mais frutos e flores / porque è esse o sentido sagrado / das estrelas que coroam os Açores (‘ From a destiny conquered with pride / we will still reap fruits and flowers, / because this is the sacred meaning / of the stars that crown the Azores’, with evident reference to the flag of the Region).

In painting, the works of Domingos Rebelo (1891-1975), author of the famous painting entitled Os Emigrantes (‘The emigrants’), are worth mentioning. In the field of sculpture, those of Canto da Maya (1890-1981) are very important. The Carlos Machado Museum, installed in the Convento de Santo André, in Ponta Delgada, preserves extraordinary testimonies of the Azorean culture, with important collections of sacred and secular art, regional ethnography, toys and natural history.

CRAFTS

The ceramic and terracotta industries are truly traditional. In Vila Franca do Campo, clay is used to make rustic and daily use pottery. In Lagoa, ceramics acquire decorative characteristics thanks to motifs mainly painted in blue. In Ribeira Grande, hand-painted panels of artistic ceramic tiles (azulejos) are still hand-painted.

From the agricultural tradition, the characteristic corn leaf dolls were born, dressed in typical regional costumes, while from the world of fishing come the delicate flowers made of fish scales that form miniature bouquets.

FESTIVITIES

The Feasts of the Holy Spirit are a religious tradition present in all the islands from May to September: the nerve centers of these feasts are the so-called “impérios” (mobile or fixed altars).

Intrinsically linked to São Miguel is the centuries-old Feast of the ‘Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres’, which was born as a form of veneration of the wooden bust of Christ preserved in the Convent of Esperança, in Ponta Delgada. The festival lasts three days, but its climax is the fifth Sunday after Easter. The Romeiros (‘pilgrims’) of São Miguel give life to another typical tradition: they are groups of men who, during Lent, walk and pray throughout the island, touching all the churches and chapels in which it exists an image of the Madonna.

On June 29, the Cavalhadas de São Pedro (‘cavalcate di S. Pietro’) begin in Ribeira Seca, in the municipality of Ribeira Grande: it is a parade of knights dressed in a very peculiar and colorful way (they impersonate a king, gods knights, lancers, dispensers and cornet makers), while horses are equally adorned in a very particular way.

The Carnival is experienced with great intensity in Ponta Delgada: the Batalha das Limas (a battle fought with shots of paraffin balls full of water) is still a very lively tradition, involving groups that challenge each other on the streets trying to wet their opponents to the bones. But this festive period also includes the characteristic gala dances, whose participants are rigorously dressed, men in tuxedos and women in evening dress. The allegorical parades take place a little across the island, among the wings of enthusiastic spectators.

Popular dances and band concerts are frequent in various locations, especially on the occasion of celebrations in honor of their patrons. New Year’s Eve, in Ponta Delgada, has recently gained greater importance after the construction of the complex called Portas do Mar (‘Gates of the sea’), with the marina and the dock for cruise ships. This new city center has also become the usual stage for musical performances and other events. Home to various exhibitions, with its many bars and restaurants it contributes to the city’s vibrant nightlife.

GASTRONOMY

Among the various crops introduced to the Azores, tea has gained great importance. The plantations of the Gorreana factory and those of Porto Formoso, which stand out against the horizon like seas rippled by waves of green leaves, are unique in Europe.

Visiting the museum factories you will learn the history of this cultivation and that of the evolution of the machines used, before the well-deserved cup that allows you to taste this exquisite Azorean product.

In Furnas, the pots filled with the various meats and many vegetables that make up the famous cozido (a peculiar mixed boiled meat) are closed in sacks and buried in the soil of some areas with high geothermal activity.

Cooking takes about five hours: but before tasting this appetizing dish packaged in the natural heat of the earth, it is worth going to see the extraction of the pots, hoisted by vigorous arms that lift the heavy pots attached to a rope.

Another tradition of São Miguel is the cultivation of exotic fruits such as pineapple, anona, araçá and maracujá: all excellent fruits to be consumed fresh, but also used to pack liqueurs. Pineapple greenhouses, spread in the areas of Fajã de Baixo, Lagoa and Vila Franca do Campo, continue to apply ancient methods that can be discovered during a guided view.

In the local gastronomy there are many dishes based on various types of fish, but all share one characteristic: the absolute freshness of the product. There are also many seafood, and some of them are really a curiosity: think of the cracas (barnacles), crustaceans that must be cooked in the sea water. The meat from cattle raised in open air pastures is tender and tasty.

In the appetizer dish, the famous pimenta da terra (sweet red pepper paste) is usually combined with fresh white cheese, but it is also typical of many island recipes. Bolo lêvedo, a lightly sweet crushed bread, typical of Furnas, is widespread and can be presented at any meal.

Among the confectionery products, the queijadas of Vila Franca do Campo, milk-based pastes, deserved special fame. After a good meal, smokers can treat themselves to a cigar or cigarrilla made from the finest local tobacco.

Pico – Azores on Google Map

GEOGRAPHY

Pico Island, Azores – is the second largest island in the archipelago, with a surface area of 444.9 km2 and an elongated shape, given its 46.2 kilometers in length by 15.8 in maximum width. Dominated by the volcano of the mountain of Pico, located in its western half, the island is 8,3 km from its closest neighbor (Faial), and is populated by 14,148 inhabitants (data from 2011).

It is the southernmost island of the Central Group of the archipelago, and one of the vertices of the so-called “triangle”. Its highest point (2350 m.) Is also the highest point in all of Portugal: it is the ‘Piquinho’, located on the mountain at 38 ° 28’07 ” north latitude and 28 ° 23’58 ” west longitude.

HISTORY

Portuguese navigators probably discovered this island at the same time as the others in the Central Group. Initially known as the island of D. Dinis, the current name derives from being the highest Portuguese mountain. It is believed that Pico was the last island of the Central Group to be populated, an enterprise that materialized essentially after 1480.

The settlers, coming from Mainland Portugal, after making a stopover in Terceira and Graciosa, chose Lajes as their first residence. The wheat and ford plantations (plant from which a tint was extracted), which began following the example of the nearby island of Faial, were the fragile basis of economic development during this first century: in fact, the dry and warm climate of some areas of the island, and the same mineral richness of the lava soil, which opposed the expansion of agriculture, allowed the growing success of viticulture, in which the vine called verdelho predominated. Little by little, the wine and Pico brandy emerged from the remaining Azorean wine production, and began to be appreciated even outside the island, which became particularly important especially in the eighteenth century. Exported throughout Europe and America, Verdelho wine was known internationally, to the point of being consumed even by the Tsars of Russia.
From an administrative and economic point of view, Pico always had very close relations with Faial, both because Horta was the port from which the Picoense products destined for export (the island, in fact, had no safe coves), and because, until at the wine crisis of the 19th century, most of the owners of the lands of the mountain island came from the neighboring island. During the first quarter of the eighteenth century, important volcanic eruptions took place, a kind of omen of the end of the golden age of verdelho. In the mid-nineteenth century, the devastating attack of powdery mildew and phylloxera destroyed most of the vineyards. And once the vineyards, tradition and prestige were lost, the massive emigration of the inhabitants to Brazil and North America occurred. As an alternative, a portion of those who remained turned to the sea.Already from the eighteenth century, in fact, the island had come into contact with activities related to the capture of whales, given that the British and North American fleets chased sperm whales in its waters, using their ports not only to refresh the crews, refuel or make repairs, but also to recruit additional arms to be used in the tough battle against the sea giants. Towards the second half of the nineteenth century, the local community began to carry out the business on its own, and since sperm whale hunting proved profitable, other islands of the archipelago also began to practice it. This economic dynamic continued until the mid-twentieth century, an era in which the business went into decline. The end came in 1986, with the definitive prohibition of hunting cetaceans, when the Portuguese state signed the prohibitive moratorium of the International Whaling Commission.

By recovering centuries-old traditions and reinventing them, Pico still maintains a very close relationship with sperm whales. Contact with these cetaceans, now protected, is the basis of the current tourism industry. Wine-growing also begins to regain importance, dynamizing an economy in which the tertiary sector, agriculture, livestock and fishing are the main activities. The uniqueness of Pico’s winemaking has been recognized internationally: UNESCO, in 2004, declared the Pico Vineyard Landscape part of the world heritage of humanity.

NATURE

THE GRAY ISLAND

The large lava fields that characterize the landscape of the island, and which the local population calls lajidos or terras de biscoito (‘biscuit lands’, the name given to the recently solidified lava), according to their greater or lesser irregularity, are the reason why gray is considered the emblematic color of Pico.

And also the walls that divide the vineyards into small squares, the stone mountains in the fields, the walls that line the paths and those that divide the properties reproduce this shade, always enlivened by the green of the vegetation. The immense volcanic cone of the mountain rises majestic, standing against the blue sky or letting yourself be enveloped by a cloak of clouds.

To the east of this colossal volcano, the island extends into a mountain range, which is also volcanic, covered by exuberant patches of endemic vegetation and green pastures, in the midst of which about two hundred small cones of basaltic slag emerge and lie down twenty lakes. These water surfaces, together with more or less flooded ponds and peat bogs, serve as a refuge for sedentary birds or exotic migrants such as the gray heron.

VOLCANIC LANDSCAPES

Imposing, majestic, magnificent: these are some of the most used adjectives to describe the Pico volcano, given its 2,350 m height, its 19 kilometers of average diameter at sea level and its slender shape. The third largest volcano in the Atlantic looms over the landscape of the island, exerting an irresistible attraction on those who observe it, even on nearby islands. In its main crater there is a lava cone called Piquinho, on the top of which two permanent fumaroles recall the volcanic nature of the places. At around 1,250 meters above sea level, where the ascent begins on foot, the gaze can already embrace much of the island, as well as the nearby Faial and São Jorge. The ascension causes high doses of tiredness and satisfaction: both for the fact of conquering the top and for the fantastic panoramas. On days when the sky is clear, you also get the additional sighting reward for Graciosa and Terceira.

The Achada plateau dominates the eastern half of the island, on which a 30 km long mountain range develops, between the lake called Lagoa do Capitão and the place called Ponta da Ilha. In the areas surrounding the existing 200 volcanic cones, there are peat bogs, ponds and lakes, those of Grotões, Rosada, Paul, Landroal, Caiado, Peixinho and Negra. This area constitutes one of the most important areas of endemic vegetation, with species such as the Azores juniper, brugo, Rhamnus glandulosa or Euphorbia stygiana organized in large and dense spots.

But the true emblem of the island are the basaltic lava fields, a repertoire of countless and diverse phenomena related to the volcanic activity that originated the island, and which are reminiscent of those that occurred in Hawaii. In certain cases, these lava fields are associated with eruptions witnessed by the populations who, frightened, gave these uncultivated and rocky soils the suggestive name of mistérios (‘mysteries’). Thus were born the Mistério da Prainha (in the 16th century) and the mistérios of Santa Luzia, São João and Silveira, in the 18th century.

COAST

The dark gray of the basalt, the crystalline blue of the waters and the milky white of the foam of the waves form the chromatic trilogy of the Pico coast. Without beaches, but with many enchanting bays and coves, the island is equipped with various bathing areas, often obtained from the naturally jagged coast, and therefore able to offer beautiful natural scenery. In some parts of the coast, very high cliffs rise, as imposing and admirable as those of São Jorge: the Terra Alta viewpoint offers precisely this panorama.

Arches, coastal caves and hard rock banks follow one another along the coast, giving access to the vineyards, with their typical cellars. In many places, such as Ribeiras, Lajes do Pico or Ponta do Mistério, extensive lava fajãs (flat coastal areas) are visible, an eloquent testimony to the continuous struggle between the creative force of volcanoes and the destructive action of the sea.

ATTRACTIONS

The observation of cetaceans is the natural extension of the island’s whaling tradition, now transposed into the present. The waters of Pico are excellent for sailing or kayaking, and a boat ride allows you to admire the profile of the coast, ideal for rock fishing and diving.

Numerous natural pools, located on the lava rocks, invite you to bathe in the crystal clear waters of the sea. The volcano and the area at high altitude offer spectacular trekking between paths and lagoons.

HERITAGE AND CULTURE

To protect himself from the salt and wind, and to make the most of the climatic and geological conditions of the rocky soils and lajido areas, the man from Pico organized the grounds into an impressive mosaic of black stone: a horizon extends huge netting of currais, that is of small squares delimited by basalt walls, inside which the vines are planted.

Criação Velha and Santa Luzia are the greatest examples of this art of dividing the land by building hundreds of kilometers of stone walls, masterfully erected dry. These lands, whose lava nature corresponds to ancestral cultural practices, constitute the landscape of the vineyards of the island of Pico, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.

While the rilheiras are visible on the black lava soil, the furrows left by the wheels of the carts dragged by the oxen that transported grapes and barrels, in the harbors and marinas you can see the rola-pipas, that is the ramps dug to easily roll the barrels up to boats: elements that, even today, are symbols of this agricultural activity.

ARCHITECTURE

In addition to its churches and its rural architecture, the specificity of Pico is partially associated, also in this field, with the cultivation of the vine. In the area of Areia Larga there are beautiful villas, which were practically the second home of the owners of the vineyards, who normally lived in Faial. Dating from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, they are characterized by very square lines and additional structures such as wells, cellars and warehouses.

In the cellars of Pico, sometimes renovated for agritourism purposes, the volcanic rock walls blend harmoniously with the sea and vegetation. The living memory of the production cycle of the verdelho also revolves in the Museu do Vinho. Located in Madalena, in an ancient summer house of the Carmelite friars, it has a collection of agricultural tools, stills and barrels. A leafy grove of dragon trees makes this place of production even more spectacular, which seems to have remained unscathed despite the passage of time.

The volcanic nature of the island is also evident in places such as Cabrito, Arcos, Lajido, Cachorro or Calhau. The art of carving stone finds its best expression in Pico: the thickness of the black basaltic rock perfectly matches the white frames of the windows and the bright colors (red or green) used to paint the wooden doors.

The maroiços are unique architectural elements in the archipelago. Present mainly in the Madalena area, they are piles of stones, generally pyramidal, reminiscent of the Aztec pyramids. Made by aggregating the stones collected in the land dedicated to agriculture, to facilitate plowing, they grew with the passing of the decades and centuries, and still resist, as monuments to the tenacity of the inhabitants.

CULTURE

It is in Pico that the most important testimonies of the Azores whaling epic are found. Lajes, São Roque, Calheta de Nesquim or Ribeiras are perfect destinations for excursions that allow you to discover picturesque ports, old whalers and typical alleys. Whaling is explained in places such as the Museum of Whaling Industry, in São Roque, which occupies the building of the ancient Armações Baleeiras Reunidas factory, where there are still the hobs, cauldrons and other equipment used in the transformation of the sperm whale.

A rich archive of photographs, and an important collection of tools and boats, are instead exhibited in the Museum of Whalers, in Lajes do Pico. The exhibition is located in the ancient boat huts, and includes a lifeboat with harpoons and other hunting tools, and a series of beautiful specimens of scrimshaw (carving or sculpture on whale teeth).

Santo Amaro was, in other times, the center of the shipbuilding of the archipelago, and still today it preserves the art of craftsmanship of boats. The shipyard, near the sea, allows the viewer to enter the ‘skeleton’ of the hulls, more or less complete according to the progress of the works. And, next to it, a private museum reconstructs the human dimension of the link between the island of Pico and this activity.

CRAFTS

The School of Crafts of Santo Amaro and the Regional School of Crafts, in São Roque, are institutes that try to keep alive traditions such as straw hats, fish scale flowers or crochet lace. The wooden miniatures of whaling lifeboats or the iconographic reproductions related to the culture of wine – such as the carts dragged by the oxen carrying the barrels – are graceful testimonies of the history of Pico.

FESTIVITY

In addition to the Feast of the Holy Spirit, common to all the islands, a special devotion to Senhor Bom Jesus Milagroso (‘Mister Good Jesus Miraculous’) is dedicated to Pico, whose feasts take place in São Mateus around August 6, and express the veneration of pilgrims for a statue from Brazil and exhibited in the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus Milagroso.

GASTRONOMY

Land of winemaking tradition, in Pico white, red and rosé wines are produced, which are quite popular throughout the archipelago. Little by little, attempts were made to recover the prestige of the wine from the Verdelho grape, improving its production and innovating the products.

“Basalto”, “Lajido” and “Terras de Lava” are the commercial names of the wines of Pico: all recall the intensity of that human-nature relationship that the island cultivates. The Wine Cooperative of the island of Pico, in Areia Larga, concentrates local production, already based on new vines, and can be visited. The spirits of fig and medlar also have their admirers, and you can see ancient copper stills still in operation. Angelica and fruit liqueurs are sweeter proposals.

The island has always been a great fruit producer, and its figs are famous, with bright red flesh. Pythosphorus flower honey (incense) and soft paste cow’s milk cheese, or Queijo do Pico – DOP, occupy a prominent place in the list of island gastronomic delights.

With 19.8 km in length and 14 km in maximum width, the 173.1 km2 of surface of Faial Island, in the Azores, have an almost pentagonal shape. It is the third most inhabited island in the archipelago, with 14,994 residents (data from 2011).

Faial Island is part of the Central Group and is the westernmost summit of the so-called “triangle”; the others are São Jorge and Pico, which is 6 km away. The highest point of the island (1043 m.) Is located at Cabeço Gordo, in the Caldeira area, at 38 ° 34’34 ” north latitude and 28 ° 42’47 ” ‘west longitude.

HISTORY

The Portuguese are believed to have discovered Faial after Terceira. The name probably derives from the many specimens of Morella Faya that were there (it is a tree which in Portuguese is precisely called faia-da-terra).

The first official populations, of Flemish and Portuguese origin, arrived on the island around 1465, during a first and fruitless expedition, in search of tin and silver.

Two years later, the Flemish nobleman Josse Van Huertere returned to Faial Island and, attracted by the fertility of the soil, became capitão do donatário (a position similar to that of governor), dependent on Portugal, in 1468. Authorized by King D. Afonso V, he brought new colonists from Flanders: these, before settling in Horta, initially lived in Vale dos Flamengos (ie ‘Valley of the Flemings’).

They introduced the cultivation of Roccella tinctoria to the island. The exports of this plant, from which a colarant was obtained, and those of wheat, then represented the basis of Faial’s economy. The Spanish occupation, in 1583, and the attacks by the corsairs, especially the French and the English, led to a period of dilapidation of the island’s heritage and wealth. The volcanic eruption of 1672-1673 also caused great destruction in the northwestern area.

Well-being returned in the seventeenth century, after the restoration of the Portuguese monarchy, thanks to the port. Horta became a platform between Europe and the American continent, thanks to its sheltered inlet and the export of wine produced on the island of Pico. This product, like the wine and brandy of the São Jorge and Graciosa grapes, was marketed in Portugal and the rest of Europe, and also in the British colonies. During the eighteenth century, Faial also experienced the cycle of production and export of oranges, a source of wealth for the whole archipelago. The port of Horta lived its golden age, given that all steamships that crossed the Atlantic and the North American whaling fleet made a stop there.In the mid-nineteenth century, a decade was enough for pest diseases to decimate vineyards and orange groves. However, thanks to its location, the island was transformed into a telecommunications nerve center. The transmission of information between North America and Europe was carried out by submarine telegraph cables attached to the city of Horta, whose inaugural network dates back to 1893. Subsequently, various international companies installed submarine cables that connected the continents passing through the island. And, at the beginning of the twentieth century, precisely in 1915, Faial acquired an even greater importance thanks to the construction of the Meteorological Observatory, located in Horta.

Aviation also exploited the privileged position of Faial Island, which was in fact the stopover of the first seaplanes that crossed the North Atlantic: the first of them arrived in Horta immediately after the end of the First World War, in 1919. Between 1930 and 1940 , important German, British, French and North American airlines chose the island as a landing place for their hydrofoils.

This privilege granted by geography is still the prerogative of the island today. The marina of Horta, inaugurated in 1986, is one of the most famous in the world. With the establishment of regional autonomy, the city of Horta has become the seat of the Azores Regional Parliament, and has shared all the economic alterations of the archipelago, developing, like the remaining islands, mainly the tertiary sector.

NATURE:

THE BLUE ISLAND

From the viewpoint of Cabeço Gordo, the highest point on the island, the terrain seems to gently descend to the sea; a profusion of hydrangeas continues the tones of the waters on the ground, and materializes the wedding between the blue of the flowers and the green of the vegetation and pastures.

The same landscape can be found on the road leading to Caldeira, in the center of the island, and on other paths and roads of Faial Island, justifying the nickname of ‘Blue Island’. But all this vanishes at the Capelinhos volcano, where the landscape is arid and wild, of an absolute grayness that arouses great amazement.

VOLCANIC LANDSCAPES

Genetic symbol of the island, Caldeira (‘boiler’) amazes for its immensity and for the revisiting of flowers, plants and trees that glisten in the sun. The walls of this volcanic depression, with a perimeter of seven kilometers, are covered by Morella faya, Azorean laurel, moss, ferns and other endemic species. At the bottom, 450 meters below the Caldeira viewpoint, an intermittent pond and a small volcanic cone, covered with the remains of the primitive Laurisilva forest, cover the landscape with an exciting chromatic play.

On the western end of the island, the Capelinhos volcano rises majestically, witness of the last eruption that occurred in the Azores, which added land to the land that already existed. Entering this area is like landing on the lunar surface: the gray ash and volcanic waste emitted between 1957 and 1958 is only now beginning to be invaded by the green vegetation, which stubbornly tries to colonize this new territory. On the steep coasts of Capelinhos and Costado da Nau the bowels of these volcanoes are visible, in a sequence of rocks, stratifications and contrasting profiles, forming a surprising play of colors and thicknesses.A destination of excellence for the international scientific community, the Capelinhos volcano forced to emigrate that part of the population of Faial to whom the heavy workmanship of destroyed houses, land and plantations fell, in a scenario of calamity that the old lighthouse silently witnessed. In our day, the tower, no longer illuminated, is part of the magnificent Interpretation Center, equipped with the most modern multimedia exhibition techniques. The visit to this center ends by climbing to the top of the lighthouse, an unparalleled visual and emotional experience.

Faial Island offers viewpoints from which you can have a privileged glance over the surrounding islands. From the ruins of the Ponta da Ribeirinha lighthouse, destroyed by the 1998 earthquake, you can see the profile of the São Jorge volcanic back. In front of the Ponta da Espalamaca belvedere, near the monument dedicated to Our Lady of the Conception, and in front of the entire bay of Horta, the majestic mountain of Pico rises. From Cabeço Gordo, in the days of good weather and clear horizon, the gaze manages to embrace all the islands of the triangle and the island of Graciosa.

Inside, extensive pastures climb the slopes of the Caldeira elevation, interspersed here and there with woods and arboreal spots. This natural landscape coexists with elements that testify to human presence: some typical red-painted windmills, the cultivated and flowered fields of Vale dos Flamengos, or the hedges of hydrangeas carefully aligned along the paths or used as delimitations of the land.

Halfway between Castelo Branco and Varadouro, by the sea, there is a large rock surrounded by water and populated by sea birds. It is the Morro de Castelo Branco (‘hill of the white castle’): it is in fact formed of white trachytic rock, and its shape recalls that of an impregnable fortress.

COAST

Among the ‘islands of the triangle’, Faial has the largest number of volcanic sand beaches: Porto Pim, Praia do Almoxarife and Praia do Norte invite to refreshing sea baths. The east coast looks like a stepped inclination, now elevated now almost at sea level, due to the powerful tectonic forces that divide it into various large blocks.

On the western side, the coast is dominated by the imposing cliffs between Ribeira Funda and Praia do Norte, and by those that are located between Morro de Castelo Branco and Varadouro: they plunge into the sea almost sheer, then giving rise to the rocky cliffs of the peninsula of Capelo, stretching towards the west and corresponding to the geologically most recent area of the island.

ATTRACTIONS

Very suitable for bathing practice, the beaches of Porto Pim and Conceição complement Almoxarife beach, a long dark-colored beach with a privileged view of the Pico mountain.

In the Varadouro area, the bay houses a natural swimming pool between the caves and the rocky points of black lava. Numerous hiking trails, the area of the Capelinhos volcano, the caldera with its beautiful rain lakes on the bottom, which can be reached with a trekking accompanied by guides, are a must.

HERITAGE AND CULTURE:

ARCHITECTURE

The natural amphitheater composed of the creeks of Horta and Porto Pim, around which the inhabited center develops, and various buildings in the city of Horta can be admired from the observation posts located on Monte da Guia and Ponta da Espalamaca.

The imposing church of São Salvador stands out, with its richly decorated interior in carved wood covered with gold and azulejo panels. The architecture of the houses denotes the international spirit and the centuries-old cosmopolitan character of the island. In the twentieth century, the houses built to house the communities of English, Germans and French who worked at telegraph and cable communication stations were added to the most ancient testimonies of this cosmopolitanism. The eclectic environment continues to be a prerogative of Horta, where the legendary Peter Cafè Sport is located, a meeting place for travelers and sailors from all over the world.

The tangle of streets and alleys accompanies the hill and descends to sea level, merging onto the promenade and ending at the tourist port of Horta. This nautical infrastructure, inaugurated in 1986, is the modern extension of a port and bay with centuries-old importance. Tradition has it that all navigators leave a painting here on the gray concrete of the pier: if you do, the boat will arrive safely at its destination, so the journey can be resumed in a happy mood, after having done your duty! And this is why those who arrive at the marina find themselves in front of an open-air art gallery: the whole world is placed on the pier of an Azorean port, represented by colorful and creative drawings and paintings.

CULTURE

Although doubts exist about Manuel de Arriaga’s birthplace, it is certain that he was born into an aristocratic family from Horta. He studied Law in Coimbra and later acquired political notoriety, becoming one of the most important ideologues of the Republican Party. In 1911, this Azorian lawyer was the first President of the Portuguese Republic.

Part of the history of Faial Island can be known by visiting the Museum of Horta, installed in the ancient Jesuit College, thanks to its documentary, ethnographic, photographic and artistic collections. In the buildings of what was once the Fábrica da Baleia in Porto Pim, a museum complex currently operates, which displays machines that are no longer in use and a varied collection of tools related to whaling. And, anchored at the Peter Cafè Sport, the Scrimshaw Museum displays a precious collection of objects in whale tooth and bone, carved or worked in bas-relief, witnesses of an era in which whales were the source of income for many families of the archipelago and the inspiration of local craftsmen.

CRAFTS

The works made in Faial Island in fig marrow are so famous that the Horta Museum has a room entirely occupied by the bequest of Euclides Rosa, a great master and popularizer of this art. The motifs of the delicate objects are varied, representing flowers, boats, animals and relevant buildings. The Capelo School of Crafts tries to preserve and energize the talent of the local artisans, which is also expressed in fish scales flowers and embroidery in straw threads on tulle.

FESTIVITY

On June 24 a feast in honor of San Giovanni begins, dating back to the times of the colonization of the island by nobles who came from Terceira. The pilgrimage converges the philharmonic of the whole island towards the Largo Jaime Melo, where there is the chapel erected by these gentlemen devoted to the saint

Concerts, folkloric dances and popular parades make this day particularly festive, and families or groups of friends bring their picnic baskets to eat outdoors, or go to small trattorias to taste the delights of local gastronomy.

Although the feast of the Holy Spirit is also traditional in Faial, the great religious manifestation of the island is the feast of Nossa Senhora das Angústias (‘Madonna delle Angosce’). The procession and popular celebrations fill the streets of Horta on the sixth Sunday after Easter, according to a tradition that dates back to the times of the population, paying homage to a statue from Flanders. On February 1st of each year the municipality makes a secular vow, with procession and prayers in the church of Nossa Senhora da Graça, in Praia do Almoxarife. This ritual dates back to 1718, when people were terrified of the volcanic eruption that took place in Santa Luzia, on the island of Pico.

In August, the blue of the sea dominates the holiday. On day 1, commemorating the feast of Senhora da Guia, a procession of boats escorted the statue of the Virgin from the beach of Porto Pim to the port of Horta. The animation continues with the Week of the Sea. Initially dedicated to yachters, the party is now shared by locals and visitors. The conspicuous program of activities includes musical performances, craft exhibitions, gastronomic fair, whaleboat regattas and various water sports competitions that make the bays of Horta and Porto Pim very lively.

GASTRONOMY

The octopus in the pan cooked in wine, common to other islands of the archipelago, is one of the most typical dishes of Faial Island. At the table, the predominance of the sea is revealed in the fish broth and in the warmirada (stewed fish).

Bread and corn cakes are the right accompaniments. As for meat, morcela and linguiça can be a snack or a meal, but in the latter case they are served with yam. The recipe for molha de carne (a kind of ragù), includes spices such as pepper, cumin and cinnamon to flavor the generous sauce in which beef is cooked. Among the desserts, fofas are typical: the fennel-flavored pasta cakes are baked in the oven before being filled with a cream based on egg yolks, milk, sugar, flour and lemon peel.