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Top Attractions in Azores

Angra do Heroismo

Angra do Heroísmo generally known as Angra, is a municipality and city on the island of Terceira in the Portuguese autonomous region of the Azores. The population in 2011 was 35,402, in an area of 239.00 km². It forms the southern half of Terceira, with the north belonging to Praia da Vitória. Together with Ponta Delgada on São Miguel and Horta on Faial, Angra is one of the three regional capitals of the Azores. Each capital is responsible for one of the three branches of government; Angra is the location of the Azorean Supreme Court. It is also the location of the Azorean bishop. The town was established in the latter half of the 15th century. Angra served as a place of exile for Almeida Garrett during the Napoleonic Wars. It also served as a refuge for Queen Maria II of Portugal from 1830 to 1833. It was classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1983.

Horta

Horta is a single municipality and city in the western part of the Archipelago of the Azores, encompassing the island of Faial. The population in 2011 was 14,994, in an area of 173.06 km². The city of Horta itself has a population of about 7,000. The city contains the Horta Regional Museum which has a permanent exhibit, Exhibition of Capelinhos Volcano, that details in photographs the recent volcanic eruption in the Azores. The museum also contains a large collection of scale models of buildings, ships, and people carved from fig kernels carved by Euclides Rosa. The marina is a primary stop for yachts crossing the Atlantic, and its walls, and walkways are covered in paintings created by visitors who noted the names of their vessels, crews, and the years they visited. Peter's Cafe Sport, which is located across from the marina and houses the island's scrimshaw museum, a collection artifacts carved from whale tooth and jawbone, is a point of reference for trans-Atlantic yachtsmen and sailors.

Madalena

Madalena is a municipality along the western coast of the island of Pico, in the Portuguese Azores. The population in 2011 was 6,049, in an area of 147.12 km². The municipality is fronted by the stratovolcano Pico in the eastern frontier, and the Faial Channel which divides Pico from the island of Faial seven kilometers away. It is encircled almost entirely by the Atlantic Ocean except in the east, where it is bordered by São João in the southeast, and Santo António in the northeast. The settlement of the island of Pico occurred much later than most islands, partly due to greater interest shown in the other islands of the Central Group. For a time, only small herds, deposited by property-owners from Faial and Terceira, along with their caretakers (some of whom were slaves), were the only inhabitants of the island. It was not until the Infanta Beatriz proceeded to reorganize island administration and promote a greater colonization of the islands of the Central Group that this changed. In 1483, Faial and Pico were integrated into one Captaincy, under the Flem Josse van Huerter, and settlers were encouraged to colonize the island of Pico. But even still, the area of Madalena, with its rocky coastal plain, did not attract many new settlers and the community did not expand significantly until the municipality was created in 1723. By the first quarter of the 18th century, the municipality of Madalena was already entrenched in the "wine cycle" which had multiplied the riches of its landowners and increased the desire of local settlers for emancipation from the Captaincy of Faial. The introduction of grapes to the island had occurred almost immediately with the first settlers, along with the cultivation of wheat and production of wine and olive oil (that were staples of the traditionally Mediterranean Christian culture at the time). In the 15th and 16th Century, the vineyards had been a source of subsistence, then export, because the soils and rocky terrain had made it almost impossible to develop a viable cereal culture. The diffusion of vineyards, that began in the 17th Century, was a consequence of the soil and the conquest of markets for Pico's verdelho wines. The uniquely Piquense culture of grape growing on the ground, or in volcanic rock patches, allowed the establishment of an industry and opened new markets for products originating in Madalena. In the second half of the 17th Century, the collapse of the woad industry, which supported many of the Azorean islands, and the decline of Iberian hegemony in the North America, created a syndrome of crisis on the islands. The growth in viticulture onto better quality soils allowed an improvement of the castes, and a growth in the reputation and credibility of Piquense wines. In addition, new markets in North America and Brazil improved exports, which had primarily relied on English patronage and purchases. The growth of wine exports from Pico elevated the neighboring town of Horta to the status of municipality, since all international shipments were made from the island's sheltered port, creating a socio-economic disparity between the disenfranchised Piquense "workers" and the entrepreneurs/landowners from Faial. Along with a demographic growth on Madalena, this shift raised cries for the emancipation of Madalena and the island of Pico. In fact, Father Gaspar Frutuoso and Friar Agostinho de Montalverne certified that the colonists in Madalena had tripled by the 17th Century; in 1587, there were less than 3000 inhabitants and around 9000 by 1695, forcing the remodelling of the local church. Pico moved "up the ladder" of urban hierarchies from fifth largest centre in the Azores to fourth, behind São Miguel, Terceira and Faial. By the middle of the 18th century the population was over 19000 inhabitants. The municipality was created on March 8, 1723. In 1793, and between 1800-02, Madalena contributed to 80% of the domestic sales on the island of Pico, primarily from brands of wines to markets in the New World, the Baltics, India and Macau. Until the early 19th century, exports were handled from Horta, where most of the mercantile fleets would make call (owing to its superior services and sheltered bay). But, the island's growth ultimately supported the construction of a sheltered anchorage in Madalena, that would become the port. Yet, as Madalena became the predominant center on the island, it was hit by the phylloxera plague, which destroyed many of the vineyards and began a period of economic deprivation. A diversification of economic activities was the only way to resolve these problems and improve the situation. The fruit industry, and in particular the citrus orchards, became an important staple in the ports of Horta and Madalena. Whaling also developed, but it had its most profound effects in the communities that circled the island, yet not within the jurisdiction of Madalena. In the 20th Century, the dairy industry continued the boom and bust cycle, while ecotourism centered on Pico and the histo-cultural nature of the island developed after European integration.

Lagoa

Lagoa is a municipality in the southwestern part of São Miguel Island in the Azores. The population in 2011 was 14,442, in an area of 45.59 km². Lagoa is located east of Ponta Delgada, the island capital. The area of Lagoa was settled just after the first colonists came to the island of São Miguel, and its first inhabitants established their homes in the areas that would eventually form the villages of Lagoa and Água de Pau. It is believed that early settlers chose the area for its sheltered bay, which was necessary for their loading and unloading of cargo, livestock and provisions. The Porto dos Carneiros was one of these areas, so named for the fact that sheep, as well as other animals, were offloaded within its cove. The celebrated Portuguese historian, Father Gaspar Frutuoso referred to Lagoa, in the way that the first settlers named it, a name that was dependent on where they made their homes: “The village of Lagoa, called this owing to the existence of a "lake in front" of the doors to the Church and its port where [it was large enough for ships] to battle, where in the past there were large catches of fish, since the ocean would enter it, and the livestock would drink from its waters and others would pass time swimming in its waters..." It was in the area of the Church of Santa Cruz that most of these original founders established their homes, near an ancient lake . In the 15th Century, the island of São Miguel continued to receive settlers and in Lagoa those colonists steadily settled farther to the west, around the bay that became known as Porto dos Carneiros, where fishing began to take on an important aspect of the local economy. To the east of the village of Lagoa, several families established agrarian settlements in the vicinity of Água de Pau. Around 1515, due to its social and economic growth the village of Água de Pau was elevated to Villa and made temporary municipal seat of the newly incorporated municipality of Lagoa. By this time, the historian Father Gaspar Frutuoso noted in his tome Saudades da Terra the 100 homes existed in the community; a comparable size to the other centers on the island, but only half the size of Ponta Delgada , Vila Franca do Campo or Ribeira Grande . In 1522 Lagoa, the village, became the municipal seat of the municipality, at a time when the population hovered around 1000 people and 300 homes. At the time, it was considered one of the more productive agricultural areas of the island, responsible for wheat, wine and woad production. Its port was the important regional point of entry and exit for many of its products, in addition to fishing center. The communities prosperity extended into the 19th century, when the village was the center of a flourishing ceramic industry and distillation of alcohol and spirits. By the 20th Century these industries were supplemented by factories for the production of vegetable oil, soap and animal feeds, at a time when agricultural production and the fishery was also dominant. At the end of the 20th Century, the tertiary sector had taken on a significant part of the areas economy (58.2% of the population was active in these activities), while the number of new companies involved in the sector grew (17.2%, between 2001 and 2004). The municipality is located on the southern coast of São Miguel, and nestled between the three larger municipalities of Ponta Delgada (to the west), Ribeira Grande (in the north) and Vila Franca do Campo (on the eastern frontier); its municipal seat is approximately nine kilometers from the principal city on the island (Ponta Delgada). It was created on April 11, 1522 by royal decree from King D. João III, and although the municipal seat was temporarily assigned to Água de Pau, it is currently occupied by the urbanized core of Nossa Senhora do Rosário and Santa Cruz. Its small territory is relatively rich in biodiversity, influenced by its differentiated environmental characteristics between the Fogo volcano (the Serra de Água de Pau) and the volcanic complex of Picos. Most of this space is occupied by pasturelands, cultivated tracts and, along the coast, an urbanized core. The cryptomeria, acacia and eucalyptus are just some of the variety of trees that populate the forests in the interior, while along the southern flank of Fogo, there are many endemic species of Erica azorica, Calluna vulgaris, the cedro-do-mato (Juniperus oxicedrus) the pau branco (Picconia azorica).

Água de Pau Massif

Água de Pau Massif is a stratovolcanic complex, located in central part of the island of São Miguel, in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. More recognizable for the Lagoa do Fogo at its centre, the volcanic complex includes centuries of geomorphological structures that include lava domes, cones and encrusted lava flows that have marked its history from, the last, 45,000 years BC. The outer caldera dates from between 30,000 to 45,000 years ago, and comprises an area 4 kilometres wide and 13 kilometres long outer caldera (corresponding to the Água de Pau Massif). The inner caldera, which is 2.5 kilometres wide and 3 kilometres long was formed about 15,000 years ago. It is the younger inner caldera that is partially filled by the crater lake Lagoa do Fogo. Until about 5000 years ago, activity in the caldera created several lava domes on the northern and western flanks. Some of the cinder cones on these flanks are marked by radial and concentric fissures and have been active within the last 5000 years. The region has been marked by five large eruptions, which included sub aerial events 1563, 1564 and 1652. The 1563 eruption, for example was characterized by a hydromagnetic event in the interior of the caldera, which was followed four days later by an effusive eruption, while the 1564 was an explosive hydromagmatic event. Owing to the existence of hot springs along the northwest flank, particular in the so name Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande and Caldeira Velha, the region has been used in the generation of geothermal energy or as therapeutic tourist spas. Situated in the central part of the island, Água de Pau corresponds to a central volcanic complex and caldera that includes a large lake, punctuated by lava domes and a pumice cone. On the flanks of the massif is the Ribeira Grande Graben, a tectonic structure oriented northwest-southeast, in addition to other regional fractures and radial faults that formed other scoria and pumice cones, or lava domes. The stratigraphy of the Água de Pau Massif is complex, caused by a diverse volcanic activity over a period dated to 200,000 years. The history of its geological features is divided into two groups. The inferior group includes ancient material consisting of lava flows and trachyte pyroclastic deposits older than 40,000 years. The superior group covers volcanic products dating from the last 40,000 years. These consist of pyroclastic bombs and trachyte flows (pyroclastic and surge), mudflows and layered basalt rock, from phases associated with Plinian and sub-Plinian eruptions in the interior of the caldera. This group is divided into five formations: Roída da Praia (between 34,000 and 8,000 years ago), Ribeira Chã (created from abrupt eruption 8-12000 years ago), Fogo A (also from an abrupt eruption some 5000 years ago), Lombadas and geological eruptions occurring in the last 3000 years. Among the various deposits Fogo A, which dates to roughly 5000 years, corresponds a clear stratigraphy of the island of São Miguel. The flanks of the massif are heavily eroded, with drainage confined to many valleys and gullies.

Gruta das Torres

The Gruta das Torres, is a lava cave, a geological formation of volcanic origin formed from the flow and cooling of subterranean magma rivers. This formation is located outside the parish of Criação Velha, in the municipality of Madalena, on the western flanks of the island of Pico. The cave system formed from a series of pāhoehoe lava flows which originating from the Cabeço Bravo parasitic cone about 500 to 1500 years ago. The caves are a group of interconnected lava tubes between 0.5–22 metres width, created from both pāhoehoe and ʻaʻā types of lavas generated during different geological periods. It has a height between 1.1 and 15 metres and is located at an elevation of300 metres . With an estimated length of over 5.2 km it is the longest lava cave in the Azores. Access to the cave was managed by the Mountaineering Association . Starting in 2011, AZORINA, SA took over the management and organization of the cave. The cave doesnt have a date of discovery but the first scientific exploration was in 1990. The caves uniqueness lies in its impressive drainage pattern, which can be shown by the presence of more than seven layers on the walls, with lateral benches and three cornices. Gruta das Torres is one of the 17 caves in Pico Island of the 30 caves chosen for Azores as a whole (from an overall list of for inscription under the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites proposed by the Government of Azores.

Cedros

Cedros is a civil parish in the northern part of the municipality of Horta on the island of Faial in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The population in 2011 was 907, in an area of 24.5 square kilometres . The northernmost parish on the island, it is located 19 kilometres northwest of Horta and is linked via the Estrada Regional E.R. 1-1ª roadway to the rest of the island. The tree-covered hills and pasture-lands cover the interior, and hedged farmlands extend to the Atlantic coastline cliffs, a natural plateau above the sea, that was settled by early Flemish and Spanish colonists in the late part of the 15th century. Primarily an agricultural community, the population is comparable in size to other parishes on the island, though this has decreased by half since the 1950s (when there were approximately 2000 inhabitants). Today, it remains an agricultural centre of the island of Faial, anchored by the Cooperativa Agrícola dos Lactícinios do Faial, one of the primary rural industries on the island, responsible for sales of milk, cheese and butter.

Fort of São João Baptista of Praia Formosa

The Fort of São João Baptista is the ruins of a 16th Century maritime fort situated on the western edge of Praia Formoso, in the civil parish of Almagreira, municipality of Vila do Porto, on the Portuguese island of Santa Maria . Located in a strategic point along the southern coast, the fort was constructed to defend the anchorage from attacks by pirates and corsairs, that frequented this region of the Atlantic during the Age of Discovery. Contemporary archaeological campaigns during the 20th century attempted to ascertain if this forte constituted one of the oldest in the archipelago, yet this never conclusively validated by documented sources. In fact, the oldest forts in the Azores have been validated in Terceira and São Miguel: Castle of São Cristóvão, in the Alto dos Moinhos, Angra do Heroísmo; the Fort of São Brás in Ponta Delgada; and the Fort of São Sebastião over the Porto das Pipas, also in Angra dor Heroísmo.
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