Corvo Island (Portuguese, Ilha do Corvo), is the smallest of and the northernmost of the Azores Islands and the northernmost in Macaronesia, being just 17.45 km² (6.75 sq mi) in area and having only 468 inhabitants (2006) living in a single municipality, of the same name, the smallest in Portugal and of the Azores. The island’s only town, Corvo (or Vila Nova do Corvo), is located on the southeastern coast.
Even though Corvo is hardly inhabited, it is definitely worth a visit. Corvo is one of the more beautiful and well-preserved Azorean islands with many of the island’s traditional language, customs, and way of life preserved as a result of Corvo’s isolation. Corvo is simple, peaceful, and charming, offering beautiful scenery, great fishing off of its rocky coasts, and interesting volcanic-induced geology.Corvo was discovered in 1452 by Diogo de Teive. However, it was not populated until around the 16th century. Because the island lacked a natural sea port and was isolated from the other Azorean islands, Corvo developed as an agro-pastoral society supported by subsistence cultivation of corn, cabbage, and potato.
The island’s landscape is diverse, home to hills, forests, rocky cliffs, rugged coastlines, volcanic cones, ravines, volcanic mountains like Mont Grosso, which rises up to 2530 feet at its highest point, and caldieras like the Caldeirão which is 1000 feet deep.
The Caldeirão and Mont Gross are probably the two biggest natural attractions of Corvo. Caldeirão is a 2530 feet deep crater formed from an old extinct volcano and is situated on Monto Grosso, the high mountain on Corvo. There are two lakes with small islets at the bottom of the Caldeirão crater. At the top of Mont Grosso, you’ll find a spectacular view of Vila Nova do Corvo and 360° sweeps of Corvo. The rocky formations in basalt of Cavaleiro and Marco are interesting cliffs that also provide magnificent vista views of the island.The other interesting feature about Corvo is its windmills, which differ from those of the other Azorean islands. Corvo’s windmills are small and constructed of black stone. They have triangular sails that constantly spin in the direction of the winds, made possible by an ingenious interior mechanism that turns the cupola in such a way as to align the sails in the proper direction. These windmills are very similar to the ones left by the Moors on the Portuguese mainland. Corvo holds the Holy Ghost Festivals as well as a large festival in the middle of August dedicated to the island’s patron saint, Our Lady of Miracles.
Corvo is known for its cheese, corn bread, and cabbage. Traditional Corvinho dishes include the “Barca” cabbage, the “Erva do Calhau” cakes, and liver sauce and fried cabbages. The few operating restaurants on Corvo are also known for their warm hospitality and excellent service.
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Santa Cruz da Graciosa is a Portuguese municipality in the Graciosa Island, in Azores. The population of the municipality is 4,777 and its area is 60.7 km². It is divided into four parishes, and includes the entire island of Graciosa, which is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. 
Today, Santa Cruz da Graciosa is a picturesque town that offers a nostalgic window to the past with its patched roads, white houses, and 500 year-old buildings. The town is also a great base for exploring the rest of the Graciosa Island and you’ll leave only after experiencing the inner sense of peace and tranquility that Santa Cruz is known for. The historic town center of Santa Cruz da Graciosa is probably the focal point of the town. The center has two water reservoirs, originally used to water the cows in the area. The reservoirs are surrounded by Brazilian pines and elms that give Santa Cruz da Graciosa its natural look. 
Around the town center, you’ll find a multitude of old historic buildings like the Santa Cruz Church, which was built in the 16th century and rebuilt in the 17th century. This church is a masterpiece of wood, tile, and old panels and stores antique Portuguese artwork that date back to the 17th century. The Santo Cristo Church, Our Lady of Charity Church, and the São João, Cruz da Barra (Iron Cross) and São Salvador chapels are additional examples of Santa Cruz da Graciosa’s architectural patrimony. 
The town is also home to the Ethnographic Museum. This museum contains items that are related to the wine culture of Graciosa Island as well as the town’s previously thriving whaling industry. Outside of Santa Cruz da Graciosa, the mountain of Monte de Nossa Senhora da Ajuda is worth climbing as the peak provides a panoramic view of the town, the interior plains of Guadalupe, and the north side of Graciosa Island. Before leaving to explore the other sites on Graciosa, be sure to sample the fine traditional cuisine of Graciosa at Santa Cruz’s quaint restaurants. Santa Cruz da Graciosa is famed for its fish dishes, featuring locally caught fish. The Caldeirada de Peixe and the Roasted Fish are two popular specialties. Off the coast of Santa Cruz da Graciosa are an abundance of shellfish, from crabs and lobsters to limpets, which are regularly cooked and served at the local restaurants. The town is also known for its delicious cupcakes, rice pastries, and sweet bread, including the Encharcados de Ovos and Massa Sovada. Wine aficionados, moreover, will find it hard leaving Santa Cruz da Graciosa (or Graciosa Island for that matter). From the roots of the island’s vineyards come some of the best wines in the Azores. The white wines and aperitifs at Santa Cruz go very well with the seafood dishes served at its restaurants. You can also enjoy the old Aguardentes, a hard liquor distilled in old copper distilleries. The wine is more a dessert wine served best while sampling the town’s dessert specialties like cupcakes and sweet pastries.
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Graciosa Island, also known as White Island, is the northernmost of the Central Group of the Azores Islands. The island has an area of 60.84 km² in an oval form, with a length of 10 km and a width of 7 km. The entire island is a large stratovolcano which rises from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. The southeastern end is dominated by a 1.6 km wide caldera, known as Caldeira.
The landscape of Graciosa enchants visitors with its tree-dotted round hills, vineyards that lie between stone walls, checkered fields of tilled land, whale-shaped rocky formations, sulphuric caverns, and bird-nested islets, which mixed with the white village houses and the onion-shaped dome windmills, provides for a truly idyllic experience.
Graciosa Island was likely first discovered in 1450 and settled by Vasco Gil Sodré, arriving from Terceira Island. Vasco Gil Sodré cleared much of the land and built a custom-house on the island, but the first captaincies of Graciosa were given instead to Pedro Correia da Cunha who married the sister of Christopher Columbus’ wife and Duarte de Barreto. In the ensuing centuries, Graciosa became an agricultural production center of wine and wheat, explaining the frequent corsair attacks it suffered during the 16th and 17th centuries.
Graciosa Island is full of natural gems. The sulphur caverns of Furna do Enxofre are probably the most unique and renowned of the island’s attractions. The caverns are a geological phenomenon not found anywhere else in the world. It was first visited by Prince Albert of Monaco, the famous oceanographer of the 19th century. At Furna do Enxofre, a deep tunnel of 100 meters is found in the interior of the crater of a former volcano. There is a huge grotto 80 meters high with stalactites and a cold underground lake of sulphurous water. The best time to visit the cavern is at noon when the sunlight reaches the interior producing a dazzling light show.
Besides Furna do Enxofre, there are other interesting but less spectacular caverns like the Manuel de Ávila, Furada, Linheiro, Bolos, Lembradeira, Calcinhas, Queimado, Labarda, Cardo, Gato, Castelo, Vermelho, Urze, Cão, and Luis. Hiring a guide and renting equipment is recommended for exploring any of these caves.
The Carapacho Hot Springs are a must as well; you’ll find spring baths that are rich in medicinal mineral waters and help treat skin and rheumatic ailments. Carapacho is located in the southern end of Graciosa Island and is a great fishing and swimming destination as well.
Bird-watching is also popular in Graciosa. The islets along the coast of the island like Praia and Baleia are habitats for numerous sea birds.
Hiking, peaceful walks, and picnicking on the island are particularly enjoyable as well. There are a number of hills that are covered with unique vegetation like beech-trees and Japanese cedars. These hills offer sweeping views of the island and sea. The Serra Dormida, Serra das Fontes, Serra Branca, Pico Timão, and Serra do Facho are just a few of these high peaks. While atop any of them, be sure to look out for the myriad picturesque windmills that Graciosa is so well-known for; many of the windmills are located atop the hills of Praia.
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Santa Cruz das Flores is the largest villa in the Flores Island of the Azores and has a population of about 2,500. It is located in the eastern coast of Flores, which is an island in the western part of the Azores. The one airport in Flores is located in Santa Cruz, making the villa a base for tourists visiting Flores.
Santa Cruz features a number of renaissance buildings that symbolize the former prosperity of the villa. The most iconic of the churches is the Saint Bonaventure Church, which is a 17th century monastery in the baroque style that reveals influences of Mexican-Spanish; this church also has a magnificent altar. Another notable church building is the Nossa Senhora da Conceição, which is a 19th century building with an elegant façade. Other attractions include the Ethnographic Museum, which has a collection of religious articles as well as secular items that depict the way of life of islanders, past and present. Some important items in the collection include a 16th century Flemish, religious image of the Virgin and Child and some artistic and religious gold objects.
There are a number of islets off the villa of Santa Cruz and north of it, including Algoa, Baixa do Moinho, Baixa Vermelha, Illhéu das Poças, Alvaro Rodrigues, and Abroes, the latter islet is crossed curiously by a grotto. These islets can be visited while boating off the shores of Santa Cruz.
Pico da Sé is a mountain peak close by Santa Cruz that can be climbed and trekked. The mountain is surrounded by a vast natural forest reserve, home to rich flora and fauna and spectacular views of the rest of the island. There is also an impressive Forest Reserve and Recreational area in Fazenda, Santa Cruz. A great beach area is located nearby at Porto Velho as well, where you can do some swimming, boating, scuba diving, surfing, and sailing.
Santa Cruz das Flores also plays host to some major island festivals every year. These events are lively celebrations involving entire villages and feature some of the traditional songs and dances of the islanders such as the Sapateia, Rema, Tirana, Manjericão,Ciranda, Chamarrita Encaracolada, Pazinho de Baixo and others.
In particular, the Sanjoaninas Festival in the last week of June attracts many visitors from the other islands as well as from Portugal. Another notable festival is the two-day Santa Cruz festival in the first week of August. It is one of the most celebrated festivals in the Azores and the largest Azorean festival celebrating the Holy Ghost; the crowns from the 27 Holy Ghost shrines are located in Santa Cruz. During the Santa Cruz festival, the entire village of Santa Cruz with its streets, arches, and buildings is decorated with many colorful flowers, including the blue and pink hydrangeas for which Flores is famous.
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Flores is the westernmost island of the Azores Archipelago, part of the archipelago’s western group. The island technically lies on the North American continental plate, and the village of Fajã Grande in Flores is actually Europe’s westernmost village.
Flores is considered one of the most beautiful of the Azorean islands. The word “Flores” in Portuguese means flowers – fitting since Flores is a pretty collage of blue and pink hydrangeas, amid deep valleys, high peaks, volcanic caldeiras, fresh water lakes and waterfalls, sulphurous hot springs, pastures and vineyards, exotic forests, and cliffs carved with grottoes. Once a kept secret, Flores has seen its tourism industry grow substantially in the last decade.
Flores was first discovered in 1452 by Diogo de Teive and his son. It was named Flores for the copious wild flowers covering the entire island. It is believed the seeds of the island’s flowers were planted by migratory birds from Florida. The town was initially settled by a Fleming, Wilhelm van der Haagen, followed by farmers from the Portuguese mainland who turned the island into an agricultural producer of barley, wheat, maize and woad.
For centuries, Flores was isolated, visited only by the odd cargo trading boats, pirates, and enemy fleets like that of the English in 1587. Pirates were especially attracted to Flores; during the 16th and 17th centuries, the island served as a refueling base for Spanish galleons returning from Mexico and Peru with valuable treasures, which drew the attention of pillaging bandits.
During much of the 18th and 19th centuries, Flores was frequented by U.S. whaling ships. The French established a satellite communications center in Flores in 1963 and remained on the island until 1994. In recent years, improved port facilities and the construction of an airport have helped the island develop economically, especially in the agricultural and livestock-breeding industry.
Flores is said to offer all of the natural beauty found in the other Azorean islands in a single island. The typography of Flores is rugged with several cliffs that descend into valleys and lakes. One of the most popular attractions is the seven lakes of Flores located in the central part of the island. These craters were once volcanoes but now form seven beautiful lakes.
The Rocha dos Bordões is a spectacular scenic site offering views over the Fajã Grande and the Ribeira Grande waterfall, which drops from a 1000 feet altitude, as well as views of the other 20 waterfalls at Fajazinha. From below, the Rocha dos Bordões presents a majestic picture of vertically-indented lines of basalt formations.
The Morro Alto, which is the highest point on Flores at an altitude of 3000 feet as well as the Sete Pés Pico, the Pedrinha, Pico da Sé are all mountain peaks worth visiting. Aside from the scenic views, there are many natural lakes along the climb up the slopes of these mountains that can be enjoyed.
The caverns and hot springs of Flores are worth visiting as well. The Gruta de Enxaréus (or Gruta dos Incharéus) is an enormous cavern by the seashore, measuring 165 feet long and 80 feet wide. And Ãguas Quentes is the site of small hot springs that boil with sulphurous waters.
Flores has a vibrant festival life, holding many traditional celebrations involving folk dance and music like the Sapateia, the Tirana, the Remo, the Chamarrita Encaracolada, the Manjericão, the Pezinho de Baixo, the Ciranda and many others.
The Santa Cruz festival is a particular favorite. Held in August, the entire village of Santa Cruz is decorated and covered with flowers. Other festivals include the Holy Ghost Festival, the Sanjoaninas Festival, the Lady of Flores Festival, the Folares Festival in Easter, and the Emigrant Festival in June.
Flores offers unique specialty dishes like the Agrião Soup, molho de dobrada, terra root with linguiça, pork cozido, beans with pig's head and seaweed pastes. Flores cuisine is also particularly noted for its use of honey taken from the island’s beautiful flowers. The local seafood – crabs, limpits, and cracas – is raved by many tourists. The island also produces some of the most delicious cheeses, noted for their creamy and soft buttery textures.
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Angra, or Angra do Heroísmo is a city of some 21.300 people and municipality in Terceira Island in the Portuguese autonomous region of the Azores.
The municipality has a population of 35,581 and an area of 239.0 km² and is the largest and most important city in Terceira Island in the Azores. As a harbor city, Angra do Heroísmo lies in an open bay on the south coast of the island. Angra do Heroísmo was once the capital of the Azores until it was replaced in 1832 by Ponta Delgada. However, the city still retains its status as the cultural capital of the Azores, so rich in architectural and cultural heritage that it was classified as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1983.
Angra do Heroísmo was first settled in 1474 and quickly became an important commercial trading center thanks to its natural harbor. It was granted city status in 1534 and served as a port of call in the ensuing centuries for ships sailing to and from the Americas, Africa, and India. Angra do Heroísmo enjoyed great wealth during these years, especially in the early and mid 16th century when much of the city’s renaissance buildings were constructed. In the late 16th centuries, Angra do Heroísmo suffered Spanish occupation and was sacked a number of times. The city was retaken by the Portuguese in 1640 after the restoration of Portugal’s independence. In 1832, Angra do Heroísmo lost its status as capital to Ponta Delgada and its role and importance as an Atlantic port has declined substantially since then.
Much of Angra’s riches are found in its architectural, historical, and cultural heritage sites. Its streets exhibit one of the finest examples of Renaissance city planning rules. The baroque splendor of its churches, castles, and palaces shines brighter than the other Azores’ cities; the 17th century signature artistically-carved stones and wooden and iron balconies are found in many of Angra’s buildings. While a 1980 earthquake damaged some of the city’s buildings, restoration efforts have restored the important structures.
Several buildings like churches, palaces, manors, and castles are of interest. Renaissance churches like the Sé Cathedral, an impressive 16th century church employing a 15th century gothic style, the 16th century “Nossa Senhora da Conceição”, the 17th century “São Gonçalo”, and the 18th century “Misericórdia” are all marvelous constructions. The “Nossa Senhora da Guia” is a church worth visiting if only for its historical significance; it is the burial grounds of Paulo da Gama, Vasco da Gama’s brother, who was buried there after dying on his return from his first journey to India in 1499.
There are also a number of palaces, manors, and castles. The Capitães-Generais Palace was the residence of the Captain-Generals of the Azores and still remains intact today. The Solar de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios or da Família Canto is the old manor residence of the Navy Purveyor during the 16th and 17th centuries. Other manors include the “Corte-Reais”, “dos Sieuve de Menezes”, “Bettancourts”, and “da Madre de Deus”.
Having hosted its fair share of battles, Angra is also home to a number of old forts like the Italian-like 16th century São Sebastião Fort, which defends Angra’s port on the east side. The São João Baptista do Monte Brasil Fort is definitely worth a visit, as it was built during the Spanish era and served as the prison for the famous “Gungunhana” (the former King of Gaza in the late 19th century) and “Dom Afonso VI”.
The Alto da Memória is also a landmark that is a must-see; it is Angra do Heroísmo’s iconic monument, an obelisk built to commemorate Dom Pedro IV (the former Emperor of Brazil and King of Portugal).
Besides its myriad landmarks, Angra do Heroísmo is also a great place to catch the well-known theatre productions of “Alpendre” and “Outro Teatro”, both highly regarded in Europe. The city hosts large theatre festivals every year as well, like the Carnival Dances.
For a break from the sightseeing, the Monte Brasil peninsula offers a recreational area with breathtaking, scenic views of the coast. Angra do Heroísmo’s Municipal Gardens are not far from Monte Brasil either.
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Praia da Vitória is the second largest city on Terceira Island in the Azores, located on the eastern fringe of the island. Because it is so close to the American airbase in Lajes and the airport of Terceira, the city often finds itself serving as a base for tourists looking to explore Terceira Island. But few of the island’s visitors ever overlook Praia da Vitória itself – its natural beauty and cultural offerings too conspicuous to ignore. The city offers everything from cliff-sheltered beaches and sheltered dunes, to rustic countryside and old gothic and baroque architecture.
Praia da Vitória was first settled in the 15th century around its natural harbor. The city quickly became an important wheat producing center, as the “Ramo Grande” flatlands of Terceira Island around Praia da Vitória proved extremely fertile. In 1829, the city’s harbor was the scene of a naval battle in the “Liberal Wars” between the Portuguese Liberals and the Absolutists, the former supporting King Pedro IV and the latter supporting King Miguel. After the Liberals won decisively despite the Absolutists’ superior fleet of 21 ships, the town’s original name of Praia was changed by decree to Praia da Vitória (Victory Beach) in order to commemorate the impressive victory. Not too long afterwards, however, Praia da Vitória was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 1841 and had to be rebuilt. Another earthquake hit the city in 1980. Recently, a large oceanic port with a 1,400 meter jetty was completed, which should likely ensure the city’s continued prominence as a strategic port in the Azores.
Today, visitors find enough to see and do in Praia da Vitória. Hitting the beach is one of them; the Praia da Vitória beach is very long, sandy, and one of the most naturally-inviting beaches in the Azores. Needless to say, it is an extremely popular hangout for activities like swimming, surfing, sailing, yachting, diving, snorkeling, tanning, beach partying, and beach barbecuing. Windsurfing is a particular favorite in Praia da Vitória. The city’s seabreeze is strong and sweeping, often edging up against Praia’s low mountain ridges.
Visitors can also check out the city’s magnificent old architecture and landmarks. The 15th century “Matriz” church was the first on the island, founded by Jácome de Bruges, and like the 16th century “Senhor Santo Cristo” church has survived several earthquakes. The fortifications at Santa Catarina, Praia’s historic centre and 16th century town hall, and the lighthouse at Facho are all worthwhile sites as well. The latter was used during the city’s first 400 years as a lookout tower to guard against pirates and enemy ships but is no longer operable today.
For magnificent vista views of Praia da Vitória and its coast, there is a belvedere called Miradouro Riviera, which is located on the cape of Ponta do Cabo. The view atop the Miradouro Riviera circles 360° from Praia’s surrounding countryside to the Atlantic Ocean.
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Terceira Island ( Portuguese: Ilha Terceira) is an island in the Azores, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, with an area of 396.75 km². The island's length is 29 km and the width is 18km; the perimeter is 90 km. Population is 54,996, down from a peak of 59,000. Population density is 140.73/km², its second most populated after São Miguel.
It is part of the central group of islands in the Azores archipelago. Terceira has a rich landscape characterized by green pastures, forests with luxuriant vegetation, scenic lakes, panoramic ridges, coastal cliffs, volcanic craters, and grottoes and caverns stocked with stalactites and stalagmites. Today, Terceira Island is the second most visited island of the Azores and a must-visit for vacationers of this Atlantic archipelago.
The history of Terceira dates back to 1450 when the island was first settled in the areas of Praia da Vitoria and Porto Judeu. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Terceira was an important port island for the ships sailing to the New World or India and back. During those periods, Terceira became a commercial center for the gold, silver, diamonds, furs, spices, and other various goods brought back to Europe. This led to several corsair attacks on Terceira by the English, French, and Spanish in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Between 1580 and 1640, the Spanish controlled Terceira and used it as a port of call for the Spanish ships bringing back loot from Peru and Mexico. But they were expelled when Portugal regained its independence in 1640. In the early 19th century, the island became a focal point for the political conflicts between the liberals and the absolutists of Portugal after the liberals established a base and regency on Terceira. The liberals were soon forced to defend an absolutist attempt to land on the island in 1829. Since the political conflict subsided in 1832, Terceira’s role in the Azores as an economic, strategic, and political center has declined steadily with São Miguel taking a more front-and-center stage.
Today, Terceira is a major destination of the Azores with a multitude of attractions. Its beaches, of course, are superb. The island is full of long stretched-out beaches like the Praia da Vitoria as well as smaller and cozier beaches with inlets and natural pools that are sheltered by volcanic rocks. Many of the smaller beaches like Porto Martins and Contendas are ideal if you are interested in just swimming while the larger ones like Praia da Vitoria are better suited for sailing, surfing, and yachting.
Terceira is also full of natural sites, especially volcanic craters. The Caldeira de Guilherm Moniz is the largest in the archipelago. Other sites include caves and caverns of stalactites and stalagmites like Agua and Cabrito as well as sulphuric fumaroles like Furnas do Enxofre. There are also vista peaks like at Mata da Serreta and the Serra da Santa Barbara as well as natural lakes like Lagoa do Negro and Lagoa do Ginjal.
Not to be forgotten, festivals also play an important role in Terceira's social culture; most of them take place between May and November. Ever popular are the music festivals like the “Angrajazz” in October and the “Ramo Grande Festival” in early November; both demonstrate the island’s love for music, especially Jazz. The “Festas of Praia da Vitoria” is another favorite, a gastronomical fair of cuisines concocted by the island’s many restaurants. This event takes place in the second week of August. The food at this festival are mostly traditional cuisine, featuring meat specialties like the Holy Ghost, alcatra, morcela (sausage), sarapatel (haggis), cozido, and caldeirada (fish stew). The cuisine in Terceira is known for its signature sweetness, whether with its meats, bread and biscuits, or potatoes.
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Horta is the capital and largest municipality of Faial Island in the Azores.The municipality has a population of 15,224, its density is 88/km² and it has an area of 173.1 km². The city itself has a population of 4,459. Many consider Horta the liveliest and most eye-catching in all of the Azores. Horta not only enamors visitors by its own right, but it also serves as a useful base for tourists looking to explore the various other natural attractions of Faial Island.
The history of Horta begins with Josse Van Huerter, who was the first to settle on the site and build in the Porto Pim area. The first years of Horta were peaceful and the village achieved town status by the end of the 15th century. But Horta experienced several upheavals in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Spaniards took over the town in 1583, not too long after conquering Portugal. In the subsequent two decades, Horta was sacked at various times by the British, once in 1589 and another time in 1597. The latter resulted in the occupation of Horta and the burning of much of the town.
In the 17th century, Horta was settled in increasing waves by Jesuit missionaries. The town also played an important role in the Portuguese political conflicts of the 19th century between the Liberals and the Absolutists, and in recognition of this Horta was elevated to city status in 1833. The remainder of the 1800s saw Horta develop a flourishing whale hunting industry and in the 20th century, the city became an important telegraphic communication center, landing spot for early transatlantic flights, and strategic port for naval ships and fleets during both world wars.Horta has a number of attractions. The Horta Marina is a must-see for visitors of Faial. Built in 1876, the marina is situated in the beautiful city of Horta. Many yachtists flock here from all over the world each year before crossing the Atlantic. The marina sea walls and floors are marked by paintings left by ocean travelers from years past based on the superstition that one who doesn’t leave a mark won’t reach his or her destination.
The Horta Museum is worth checking out as well. It features a vast collection of fig wood handicrafts from the island’s most revered artists.Horta is also home to some elegant, old architecture like the iconic Torre do Relógio Clock Tower, the 16th century Inn called the Forte de Santa Cruz, and the chapels of Nossa Senhora do Pilar andNossa Senhora da Guia, which both feature terraces that overlook the city and the island. There are a few interesting old-style churches like the São Salvador, the Nossa Senhora das Angústias, the Nossa Senhora do Carmo, and the Church of St. Francis, which is connected to the Horta Museum and the Arte Sacra Museum.While every parish in Faial holds the Festival of the Holy Ghost, a colorful event featuring mouthwatering traditional Horta dishes, as well as the St. John’s festivals in June when music, picnics, and dancing fill the entire island, the Week of the Sea Festival is held only in Horta. For a week in August, the town is overrun by folk music, dances, charity events, delicious food stands, arts and crafts exhibitions, regattas of water sport competitions, and dozens of sailing ships with colorful sails and flags floating along the port.
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Faial Island also known in English as Fayal, is an island east of Pico and part of the central group of islands in the Azores. Faial is nicknamed the “Blue Island” due to the large number of hydrangeas that bloom in the summer months. But the island is much more than just flowers. Faial happens to be dominated by a volcanic cone, at the top of which lies a deep crater about 400 meters in depth covered with vegetation ranging from cedars and junipers to beeches, ferns, and moss. A series of grottoes and marine caverns are also located along various parts of the island’s coast. And, of course, you’ll find the white town houses, ochre fort walls, sheltered inlets, and soft sandy beaches that seem to characterize all islands in the Azores.
Faial’s history is rather murky. According to legend, the first inhabitant on the island was a hermit who took refuge on Faial to escape the world and its temptations. Some time afterwards, a group of settlers arrived on the island from Portugal. Not too long later, Josse van Huerter, a wealthy Flemish, mistakenly landed on the island and was so enamored by its beauty, that he sought the assistance of King Joao I of Portugal’s daughter to obtain a grant in 1468, which named him donee of the island. With this grant, Van Huerter brought several more of his countrymen from Flanders who settled in the parish of Flamengos.
Unfortunately, Faial Island was struck hard by misfortune in the ensuing centuries. In 1583, the Spanish conquered the island. Soon afterwards, English privateers attacked Faial, causing significant damage. In 1672, an earthquake also rocked the island. But the 19th century brought a reversal of fortune for Faial; its port became an important center for the orange trade and the whaling industry. After the whaling industry died out, the island returned to its roots, today relying primarily on agriculture, dairy, and fishing.
Faial features a number of notable tourist attractions; the Capelinhos is its most popular. The Capelinhos is a volcano on the western region of Faial. An eruption in 1957 enlarged the land by about two square miles, developing Ponta dos Capelinhos. The event was marked by more than 300 explosions and earthquakes. The lighthouse at Capelinhos is situated near the cliff of the cape and marks the old position of Ponta dos Capelinhos before the eruption enlarged the land. More than 300 houses and crop fields were buried by the catastrophe.
The Monte Guia volcanic peak is another oft-visited site, a lookout point with magnificent views of the city of Horta, the beaches of Porto Pim, the coast of Ponta de Castelo Branco, and the island of Pico. The lookout point is actually a protected natural reserve because of the unique flora and fauna surrounding the area.
The great crater of Caldeira, at 400 meters deep and 2 kilometers wide, is equally acclaimed by visitors for its fantastic views. At the crater’s bottom, you’ll find a beautiful lagoon surrounded by blue hydrangeas, green ferns, and zimbro and beechwood trees. So beautiful and unique, Caldeira has been classified a natural reserve.
Faial’s natural beauty makes the island a perfect destination for nature lovers and explorers. But there is plenty to see and do for the more active visitors as well. If cave-exploring and volcano-hiking is not enough, the beaches of Faial – Porto Pim, Praia do Almoxarife, Faja da Praia do Norte, Varadouro, and Castelo Branco – all offer natural pools and ocean fronts for swimming, yachting, surfing, windsurfing, snorkeling, diving, and sailing.
Faial’s festivals are also an exciting attraction for tourists. The Semana do Mar or Sea Week festival in August has become a major international event. This event celebrates water sports and offers various sea-related activities. During this week-long festival, music and ethnographic groups from Portugal and other islands also come together to entertain the masses with cultural shows and performances. Other festivals held in Faial include the Festival of Our Lady of Concerns, the Festival of Saint John, and the Festival of the Holy Ghost. These religious celebrations are quite the experience, even for the secularly-inclined.
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São Jorge (also known in English as San Jorge) is an island in the central part of the Azores. It is separated from Pico Island by 15 km with a strait. Its east to west length is 53 km and its north to south width is 8 km. The area is 237.59 km² and the population is 10,500.
São Jorge is a volcanic island, as are many of the Azorean islands. It has erupted six times between 1580 and 1907. Ten people were killed by the 1580 eruption and eight in 1808. In both eruptions small glowing clouds were reported. A possible submarine eruption was reported southwest of the island in 1964 but was not confirmed.
São Jorge has been described as an island that is like a ship anchored to the ocean, perhaps a commentary on the myriad attractions the island offers. At least this much is certain, its natural beauty is undeniable: mountain ranges, volcanic cones, checker board tilled fields, fajas along the coast, verdant bird-inhabited islets, natural bridges and arches along the coast, grottoes and various rocky formations, striking waterfalls and streaming rivers, green pastures with blooming wild flowers, and vineyards and orchards growing atop fertile flatlands.
São Jorge was first discovered in 1439 but wasn’t populated until 20 years later when colonists from Europe arrived. The island achieved prosperity rather quickly, producing grapes, wheat, archil, and woad, which were exported to Europe. After Philip II of Spain took the Portuguese throne, São Jorge soon afterwards capitulated to the Spaniards in 1583. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the island was subjected to corsair attacks and raids by the English, French, Algerians, and the Turkish.
In addition to the frequent raids and invasions, São Jorge suffered through bad crop years, food shortages, and hunger throughout the 16th to 19th centuries as well as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in 1580, 1757, and 1808. In the last century, the island has progressed and prospered thanks in part to the development of its two main ports, Velas and Calheta, and the building of a modern airport. These developments have brought an end to the isolation of the island, which has now established a relatively productive dairy, fishing, canning, and livestock industry.
Many visitors of São Jorge today find the island to be a tranquil destination where nature can be appreciated intimately. The island is particularly acclaimed for its beautiful Fajãs (coves), which are pieces of land ripped from the high cliffs, the Fajã de Caldeira de Santo Cristo being an example of one. This site has a small lagoon next to the ocean that has the only fresh water clams in all of the Azores. It also shelters an underground cave and lake and is located in the Ribeira Seca area.
Mountain ranges and volcanic peaks are also a big part of São Jorge. The Pico de Esperança is the highest point on the island at close to 3,500 feet high, with breathtaking views of the remaining island as well as the Azores islands of Terceira, Faial, Pico, and Graciosa. The Igreja de Urzelina is an interesting volcanic site as well, created by the 1808 eruption of Pico da Esperança. The site features the church tower of Urzelina, all that remains from the burying of the old town induced by the eruption.
There are a number of caves and grottoes on the island as well. Algar do Montoso is the site of rock formations, as is Furnas da Pombas. The latter’s volcanic formations are inhabited by wild pigeons. Both sites require guides and equipment to explore.
São Jorge is also greeted by a number of islets like Topo and Rosais, both are nesting habitats for a number of migratory and seabirds. Both sites are rocky and full of endemic Azorean flora, worth visiting if you are a nature enthusiast.
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Pico Island is an island of the Azores noted for its eponymous volcano, Ponta de Pico (Pico Alto), which is the highest mountain of Portugal and also the highest elevation of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
The island is 17.5 km south of São Jorge (São Jorge Island) and just 7 km west of Faial (Faial Island). It is 42 km long and has a maximum width of 15 km and an area of 447 km², making it the second largest of the Azores islands. The main settlements are the capital Madalena, São Roque do Pico and Lajes do Pico, the total population is around 15,000.
Many consider Pico one of the most beautiful and underrated of the Azores islands. The island, after all, is a picture-perfect tourist destination with its first-class wines, lively religious and music festivals, rustic villas, oases of lakes, bubbling fumaroles, lava rocks and exotic vegetation, bird-watching habitats, whale and dolphin-watching spots, sandy beaches and swimming holes, scenic hiking and jogging trails, round craters and cones, mystical grottoes and caverns, and towering volcanic mountains.
Pico Island’s history stretches back to the first half of the 15th century when settlers from northern Portugal arrived on Terceira and Graciosa. Soon after, about 1460, a few of the original settlers crossed over to Pico. The early settlements of the towns of Lajes and Sao Roque in the 16th century focused on wine-growing, fishing, wheat harvesting, and the exporting of woad, a dye-yielding plant. Pico enjoyed relatively peace for much of the 16th and 17th centuries but suffered through a few major volcanic eruptions in the 18th century. An oidium fungal attack in the 19th century destroyed the vines of Pico, bringing a temporary end to the production of the Verdelho wine, which at the time had enjoyed over two hundred years of international fame, its bottles reaching even the table of the Czars. More recently, Pico has been experiencing economic development and relative prosperity, the result of newly constructed infrastructure that includes a number of new ports and an airport as well.
Visitors of Pico Island will find an island with a rich landscape that demands to be explored. The majestic mountain in Pico has been classified a Natural Reserve. Most tourists enjoy hiking up to the summit, the round crater of Pico Alto, which peaks at 2,300 feet high. The trek begins at the Furnas base, an area covered by thick forests. As the altitude increases, forests are replaced by shrubbery and then by bare lava that is covered in snow during the winter. At the Pico Alto crater, there is a volcanic cone, Pico Pequeno, whose base is filled with fumaroles. The scenic view of the island below is breathtakingly unforgettable and best enjoyed during a sunrise or sunset.
Pico Island also offers some of the best cave-exploring opportunities. The Frei Matias, Silveira, and Montanheiros are magnificent caves appreciated by even serious speleologists. And the Arcos do Cachorro is home to numerous tunnels and grottoes.
The island also has extensive fields of lava sites that can be visited. The Mistério da Prainha, Mistério das Bandeiras, and the Mistério de São João were all sites of past volcanic eruptions. The latter was the site of an eruption that occurred after settlement on the island and the catastrophe destroyed the land that the settlers had cultivated.
With the rich landscapes of Pico, trekking, hiking, jogging, walking, bird-watching, whale and dolphin-watching, fishing, and biking are all obviously favorite activities among locals and tourists alike. The island’s beaches are superb and offer some of the best sheltered swimming holes in the Azores.
Festivals play an important part of island life in Pico as well, and visiting during the summer months will afford you the opportunity to embrace this cultural aspect of Pico. The music festival of Cais de Agosto, for example, takes place on the last weekend of July and the popular religious and music festival of Semana dos Baleeiros in Lajes takes place on the last week of August.
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