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Topo & Topo islet
It is an almost 30 km drive through the south-eastern tip of the island, passing deserted, green-covered landscapes with grazing cows everywhere, to the tranquil little town of Topo, the most important town in the east. Initiated by the arrival of the Flemish nobleman Wilhelm van der Hagen, it was actually here where settling started on a larger scale. In the following centuries, Topo even developed into the unofficial capital of the island, due to its economic importance. Witnesses of the town’s wealthier past are some notable old manor houses, among which the 17th-century Casa dos Tiagos, the 16th-century parish church Nossa Senhora do Rosário and the town hall, which is located in a former Franciscan monastery. It also has an old port, surrounded by reddish lava cliffs, from where whalers used to set out.
Opposite the Ponta do Topo, a headland with a lighthouse, which marks the eastern end of the island, lies the Ilhéu do Topo, a tiny islet, where you can see cows grazing in the summer. Classified natural reserve due to some excellent examples of endemic Azorean flora that can be found here, this islet has become a popular nesting area for many birds’ species.
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