Description ilha Terceira

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The island of Terceira, one of the main entry points of the Azores, forms, together with the islands of Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico and Faial, the Central group of the Archipelago.

But what makes Terceira so special is the magnificent contrast between the natural beauty of this volcanic island and the admirable work of man in the historic center of Angra do Heroísmo, its capital, founded in 1534, the first town in the Azores to be elevated to city and classified as World Heritage by UNESCO.

Observed from Alto da Memória or the viewpoint of Monte Brasil, the historic center of Angra do Heroísmo is a testament to the kings and nobles who passed through there, leaving behind a beautiful architecture that stretches in a lacing of streets, alleys, churches, palaces, stately homes, monuments, squares and gardens, which has been preserved to this day.

We cannot fail to visit the forts of São Sebastião and São João Baptista, unique examples of military architecture with more than 400 years of age, the Sé Catedral, from the 16th century considered the largest temple in the archipelago of the Azores, the Palácio dos Capitães-Generais , the Paços do Concelho, the Church of São Gonçalo, the Bettencourt Palace, the Angra Museum, located in the former convent of S. Francisco, and the Jardim Duque da Terceira, with various well-kept species, among other monuments.

From Angra we can explore the coastal area of ??the island. It is worth taking the car ride to Praia da Vitória, against the backdrop of the Ilhéus das Cabras, passing through the Baía da Salga and the black sand beaches surrounded by cliffs, such as Porto Novo. In this city with an extensive and sheltered beach that constitutes one of the most welcoming beaches in the Azores, the richness of its architectural heritage is concentrated mainly in the Igreja Matriz, and also in the Fort of Santa Catarina, one of the many that were built to defend the bay from beach. From the panoramic point of view, the Riviera viewpoint, at the tip of the Cape, offers an excellent view over the city and the coast.

Continuing the tour around the island by the coastal road, we can visit Agualva with its stream and watermills, Biscoitos, an area where the famous Verdelho Wine is produced, where we visit the Wine Museum and the bathing area with natural pools, as in Ponta do Burned. Then we pass by Mata da Serreta, a forest park with lush vegetation and excellent viewpoint over the sea and over Doze Ribeiras, a popular bathing area already close to the city of Angra de Heroísmo.

On Estrada das Doze Ribeiras, we have access to the highest point on the island, the Serra de Santa Bárbara with 1,021 m of altitude, from where we have a spectacular view not only over much of the south coast of the island, but also to the beautiful crater of Caldeira de Santa Bárbara, classified, for its botanical, scientific and landscape value, as a Natural Forest Reserve.