t Pretty windmill standing on the outskirts of Vila do Porto, Santa Maria
g The Azores g Contents
C6 ~ 3 km (2 miles) NW of Vila do Porto g Vila do Porto @ Rua Dr Luís Bettencourt, Vila do Porto n Aeroporto de Santa Maria, Vila do Porto; 296 886 355
t Pretty windmill standing on the outskirts of Vila do Porto, Santa Maria
Santa Maria lies 55 km (34 miles) south of São Miguel. Though only 17 km (11 miles) long, it has great scenic variety and boasts sandy beaches, tranquil countryside and the warmest climate in the Azores.
The island’s capital, Vila do Porto, is on the south coast and consists of a long main street that runs down to a small harbour. The west of the island is a dry, flat plateau with a vast airstrip built in World War II. To the north lies the fishing town of Anjos, where a statue commemorates a visit made by Christopher Columbus in 1493 on his return from discovering the New World. Next to it, the small, whitewashed chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Anjos is the oldest in the Azores.
The highest point of Santa Maria is the central Pico Alto, 590 m (1,935 ft) above sea level, which on a clear day offers fine views over the green and hilly east side of the island. Towards the east coast, the village of Santo Espírito is worth visiting for the white Baroque façade of its church of Nossa Senhora da Purificação, adorned with black lava decoration, while the vine-covered half-crater of Baía de São Lourenço, north of here, is a delightful summer beach resort.
B5 k 3 km (2 miles) NW of Praia da Vitória g Angra do Heroísmo, Praia da Vitória @ Avenida 1° de Maio, Angra do Heroísmo n Rua Direita 70–74 Angra do Heroísmo, 295 404 810; Praia da Vitória Aerogare Civil das Lajes, 295 513 140
t Looking over Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira’s capital
Terceira is the most developed of the five central islands and is known for the brightly painted chapels (impérios) devoted to the cult of the Holy Spirit. The large, oval-shaped island’s interior mainly consists of gentle green pastureland and laurel forest, while the coast has barren areas of black lava.
For over three centuries, the town of Angra do Heroísmo was a stopover point on the routes between Europe, America and Africa, and in the early 17th century its harbour glittered with Spanish fleets returning laden with treasure from the Americas. The city’s wealthy past is reflected in the pretty streets lined with balconied houses.
The most spectacular view of the harbour is from Monte Brasil, a volcanic crater on the western side of the bay. Beside this popular picnic spot stands the fort, Fortaleza de São João Baptista, built during Spain’s annexation of Portugal as a treasure store, and still in military use. A second rewarding viewpoint is from the Alto da Memória at the south end of Rua São João de Deus, from where the twin towers of the 16th-century Sé are easily seen. A path leads down into the Jardim Duque da Terceira, the city’s restful public gardens. These once formed part of the 15th-century Convento de São Francisco, which now houses the Museu de Angra do Heroísmo. The museum’s exhibits reflect the history of the Azores and the city, and include armour, maps, paintings and sculptures.
Away from the capital, the island’s centre bears witness to its volcanic origins: the Caldeira de Guilherme Moniz is an eroded crater 3 km (2 miles) wide and one of the largest in the Azores. Nearby, the Algar do Carvão is a dramatic volcanic blast-hole, thick with dripping moss, where visitors can tour a huge subterranean cave. West of here, the Furnas do Enxofre are hot steaming fumaroles where the sulphur vapours crystallize into coloured formations.
Two viewpoints overlooking the island can be reached by car: in the west, a road bordered with blue hydrangeas winds up through the Serra de Santa Bárbara to a vast lonely crater, while the eastern Serra do Cume overlooks the airport and Praia da Vitória. This port has a large bay with a sandy beach. On the north coast, Biscoitos (which means “biscuits”) takes its name from the rubble of biscuit-like lava spread along the shore. Exhilarating swimming pools have been created among the rocks. The area is also known for its wine, and the land is covered in a chessboard of stone-walled pens built to shelter vines. The Museu do Vinho explains the simple production methods used to produce the rich Verdelho wine that was once exported to the Russian court, and offers the chance to taste and purchase today’s vintages.
⌂ Ladeira de São Francisco § 295 240 800 # Apr–Sep: 10am–5:30pm Tue–Sun; Oct–Mar: 9:30am–5pm Tue–Sun ¢ Public hols
" ⌂ Off R5-2 § 295 212 992 # Mar–May: 2:30–5:15pm daily; Jun–Oct: 2–6pm daily; Oct–Mar: 2:30–5:15pm Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat ¢ 1 Jan, 5 Mar, 1 & 25 Dec
⌂ Canada do Caldeiro 3 § 965 667 324 # May–Sep: 10–11am, 1–5:30pm Tue–Sun; Oct–Apr: 1:30–4pm Tue–Sat
Experience The Azores
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Drink Arco 8 Just a few minutes out of town, this art gallery, café and bar is located in an old warehouse, and offers great cocktails and the occasional live act. C5 ⌂ Abel Fein Coutino, Ponta Delgada, São Miguel ¢ Sun–Thu ∑ arco8.blogspot.co.uk Cella Bar Chic wine bar and restaurant that has won awards for its striking curved wooden extension, with porthole windows and a terrace offering awesome views of the coast. B5 ⌂ Lugar da Barca, Madalena, Pico § 292 623 654 |
Angra do Heroísmo is classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
B5 ~ 7 km (4 miles) E of Velas g Velas & Calheta n Rua Conselheiro Dr José Pereira 1, Velas; 295 412 440
São Jorge is a mountainous island that stretches for 55 km (34 miles) but is only 8 km (5 miles) wide. On its north coast, sheer cliffs drop to the sea. Over the centuries these cliffs have collapsed in places, creating tongues of land known as fajãs – UNESCO-recognized as Biosphere Reserves.
Today, many islanders on São Jorge are engaged in the production of a cured cheese, queijo de São Jorge. The pace of life is leisurely, and most visitors come to walk along the paths that climb between the fajãs. The most popular route is from Topo, on the east coast of the island, 10 km (6 miles) down to Fajã dos Cubres.
Most of the settlements lie along the gentler south coast, including the capital, Velas, and Calheta, where the Museu Francisco de Lacerda displays objects of local history such as the ornate breads baked for the Holy Spirit festival, a honey press, agricultural utensils and religious sculptures. West of Calheta, in the pretty parish of Manadas, the 18th-century church of Santa Bárbara has an atmospheric carved and painted interior.
t A pretty street leading to the church in Velas, on the island of São Jorge
" ⌂ Rua José Azevedo da Cunha, Calheta § 295 416 323 # Apr–Sep: 10am–5:30pm Tue–Sun; Oct–Mar: 9:30pm–5pm Tue–Sun ¢ Public hols
B5 ~ 2 km (1 mile) W of Santa Cruz da Graciosa g Praia de São Mateus n Rua Castilho 7, Santa Cruz; 295 730 246
Graciosa Island is one of the most peaceful places in the Azores, classified by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve. Only 12.5 km (8 miles) long, most of its low-lying land is given over to farms and vineyards where ox-drawn carts and ploughs are still in use. The capital, Santa Cruz da Graciosa, on the north coast, has a simple quayside backed by rows of stark, two-storey, whitewashed houses with wrought-iron balconies and oval windows. The Museu da Graciosa recalls life on this sleepy island with a homely miscellany of toys, sea chests, kitchenware, wine presses, furniture and mementos sent back by emigrants to North America. A building next door houses a whaling boat.
The picturesque Monte da Ajuda that rises behind the town is capped by a 16th-century fortified chapel, Nossa Senhora da Ajuda, decorated with 18th-century tiles.
In the southeast lies the Furna do Enxofre, where visitors can descend flights of steps into the bowels of a volcanic crater. At the bottom is a huge cave with a deep, sulphurous lake and peep-holes where bubbling brews of evil grey liquid can be spied beneath the rocks.
Above the cave, at Furna Maria Encantada, a natural tunnel leads to the edge of the crater, offering stunning views over the island. Treatments using the island’s geothermal waters are available at the resort of Carapacho, at the foot of the volcano.
" ⌂ Largo Conde de Simas 17, Santa Cruz § 295 712 429 # Apr–Sep: 10am–5:30pm Tue–Sun; Oct–Mar: 9:30pm–5pm Tue–Sun ¢ Public hols
" ⌂ 2 km (1 mile) E of Luz, follow signs to Caldeira # Apr–Oct: 10am–6pm daily; Nov–Mar: 10pm–5pm Tue–Fri, 2–5:30pm Sat
B5 ~ 8 km (5 miles) E of Madalena g Madalena @ Avenida Machado Serpa, Madalena n Gare Marítima, Madalena; 292 623 524
t Sunrise over a road through Pico’s dramatic, rugged countryside
The majesty of Pico, the highest mountain in Portugal, becomes apparent when it is seen from the neighbouring central islands. Only then does one realize how gracefully this volcanic peak soars out of the Atlantic, shooting up 2,350 m (7,700 ft) to form the summit of the longest mountain range in the world, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
The island’s largest town, Madalena, is a relaxed port that lies opposite Faial’s capital, Horta. A regular ferry service crosses the 8 km (5 miles) between the two islands.
Many people come to Pico to climb its eponymous peak. It is a strenuous climb, best done alongside a guide, and advance permission is needed.
Another draw in summer is whale-watching. From Lajes do Pico, groups are taken out in boats for 3-hour trips. The history of Azorean whaling is recalled at the Museu dos Baleeiros, also in Lajes. The whales were processed at a vast factory (closed down in 1984) on the north side of the island that now houses the Museu da Indústria Baleeira.
Minor eruptions have covered parts of the island’s landscape with black mole-hills of lava that the islanders christened mistérios (mysteries). The black lava has been used to build houses and grids of stone walls that enclose fields or shelter vines. In some places, the eroded lava has formed curious arches in the sea.
The island’s vineyards are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A visitor’s centre at Lajido explains Pico’s viniculture, featuring the Verdelho wine.
" ⌂ Rua dos Baleeiros 13, Lajes § 292 679 340 # Apr–Sep: 10am–5:30pm Tue–Sun; Oct–Mar: 9:30am–5pm
" ⌂ Rua do Poço, São Roque do Pico § 292 642 096 # Apr–Sep: 10am–5:30pm daily; Oct–Mar: 9:30am–5pm daily
Experience The Azores
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EAT Alcides Stylish but unpretentious restaurant renowned for its good-value steaks. C5 ⌂ Rua Hintze Ribeiro 67–77, Ponte Delgada, São Miguel § 296 629 884 ¡¡ ¡ O Miroma Try the house speciality, cozido das Furnas for a quintessential Azorean experience. C5 ⌂ Rua Dr Frederico Moniz Pereira 15, Furnas, São Miguel § 296 584 422 ¡¡ ¡ Sal & Pico Found inside the 16th-century Forte da Horta, this pleasant restaurant specializes in regional cuisine. B5 ⌂ Rua Vasco da Gama, Horta, Faial ∑ pousadas.pt ¡¡ ¡ |
B5 ~ 10 km (6 miles) SW of Horta g Horta @ Rua Vasco da Gama, Horta n Rua Vasco da Gama, Horta; 292 292 237
t Walkway covered with paintings at Horta marina, Faial island
Faial was settled by Flemish farmers in the 15th century and prospered with the development of Horta harbour as a stopover for ships and – more recently – flying boats crossing the Atlantic. Today it is a fertile island with a mild climate. It is known around the world as a yachting destination, and for the endless rows of colourful hydrangeas that bloom in June and July.
Stretching around a wide bay, Faial’s capital Horta has been a convenient anchorage for caravels, clippers and sea planes over the centuries. Today, visiting crews crossing between the Caribbean and Mediterranean paint a calling card on the quayside and celebrate their safe passage in Peter’s Café Sport, which overlooks the harbour. In the upstairs rooms of the café, the Museu de Scrimshaw exhibits engraved whales’ bones and teeth dating back to 1884. In the Museu da Horta, displays of antique furniture, portraits, nautical memorabilia and nostalgic photographs of the island’s port are upstaged by miniature sculptures of liners and scenes of daily life, painstakingly carved from the white pith of fig trees.
Two viewpoints overlook Horta: to its south rises the volcanic peak of Monte da Guia, while the northern Miradouro da Espalamaca is guarded by a huge statue of Nossa Senhora da Conceição. Faial’s other spectacular natural sight is the Vulcão dos Capelinhos in the far west of the island. A volcano erupted here in 1957–8, smothering a lighthouse that can now be seen buried in ash. Around it lies a scorched and barren landscape. The story of the eruption is told in the nearby Centro de Interpretação do Vulcão dos Capelinhos, where multimedia displays trace the area’s geological activity.
" ⌂ Peter’s Café Sport, Rua José Azevedo 9, Horta § 292 292 327 # Mon–Sat
" ⌂ Largo Duque D’Ávila e Bolama § 292 392 784 # Apr–Sep: 10am–5:30pm Tue–Sun; Oct–Mar: 9:30am–5pm Tue–Sun ¢ Public hols
' ⌂ Farol dos Capelinhos § 292 200 470 # Apr–Oct: 10am–6pm daily; Nov–Mar: 10am–5pm Tue–Fri, 2–5:30pm Sat & Sun
Hydrangeas have blue flowers when grown in acidic soil, but produce pink blooms in alkaline conditions.
A5 ~ 1km (half a mile) N of Santa Cruz g Lajes @ Centro de Saúde, Santa Cruz n Rua Dr Armas da Silveira 1, Santa Cruz; 292 592 369
The island of “Flowers” is a romantic outpost that was not permanently settled until the 16th century. This westernmost island of the Azores is a UNESCO listed biosphere reserve, where an abundance of flowers grow in its ravines.
The capital, Santa Cruz, is enlivened by the Museu da Fábrica da Baleia do Boquerirão, a museum dedicated to the island’s whaling heritage, and the Museu das Flores, housed in a former Franciscan convent. Its displays include shipwreck finds, Azorean pottery, furniture and agricultural tools, as well as fishing rods and a guitar made from whalebone.
The deep, verdant valleys of the south are punctuated with dramatic peaks, volcanic crater lakes and caves. The tranquil Lagoa Funda, 25 km (16 miles) southwest of Santa Cruz, is a lake at the base of a mountain.
The winding road continues northwards over the mountains and, as it descends towards the west coast, there are stunning views of the green valley and village of Fajãzinha. The resort of Fajã Grande, ringed by cliffs, is a popular base for walkers and impressive waterfalls plunge into the sea from the high cliffs. A short walk north from the town is the Cascata da Ribeira Grande, a towering jet of water that divides into smaller waterfalls before collecting in a still pool.
t Lagoa Funda with hydrangeas growing in the foreground, Flores
" ⌂ Rua do Boqueirão, Santa Cruz § 292 542 932 # Jun–Sep: 9am–5:30pm Mon–Fri, 2–5:30pm Sat, Sun; Oct–May: 9am–12:30pm, 2–5:30 Mon–Fri, 2–5:30pm Sun
" ⌂ Edificio do Convento de São Boaventura § 292 592 159 # 10am–5:30pm Tue–Sun; Oct–Mar: 10am–5pm Tue–Fri & Sun ¢ Public hols
Experience The Azores
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stay Aldeia da Fonte An eco-friendly resort, with six rustic stone houses set in lush gardens, and its own sea pools. B5 ⌂ Caminho de Baixo 2, Lajes do Pico, Pico ∑ aldeiadafonte.com ¡¡ ¡ Quinta das Buganvilias This family-run estate offers charming rooms and apartments. Check out the bar in the old mill house. B5 ⌂ Castelo Branco, Horta, Faial ∑ quintadasbuganvilias.com ¡ ¡¡ Terra Nostra Garden Hotel This plush hotel has Art Deco interiors, a pool and a wellness centre. C5 ⌂ Rua Padre José Jacinto Botelho, Furnas, São Miguel ∑ bensaudehotels.com ¡¡¡ |
A5 ~ g Vila do Corvo @ Rua da Matriz, Vila do Corvo n Câmara Municipal, Rua J da Bola, Vila do Corvo; 292 590 200
Corvo lies 24 km (15 miles) northeast of Flores. The smallest island in the Azores, it has just one settlement, Vila do Corvo, and is blissfully undeveloped, with only one hotel and a few restaurants. The entire island is the blown top of a marine volcano. A green crater, the Lagoa do Caldeirão, squats at its northern end. Its rim can be reached by road, after which there is a steep descent down to the crater floor 300 m (984 ft) below. In its centre, the crater is dotted with serene lakes and islands.