São Miguel - Northwest coast to Ribeira Grande Route
Lined by plane trees, agapanthuses and hydrangeas, the winding road from Mosteiros zigzags along the spectacular northwest coast, passing through several idyllic villages, such as Bretanha, Remédios, Santa Barbara and Santo António. Still untouched by tourism development, these tranquil villages are set amidst pleasing landscapes providing beautifully relaxing views over the north coast. The next location on this route is Capelas, a former whale-fishing centre, which has maintained a certain bourgeois charm. Reputed for its pleasant microclimate, this pretty village became a favourite summer holiday for the locals. Further along lies Fenais de Luz, boasting some remarkable structures from earlier centuries, such as a parish church housing a magnificent gilded wood-carved retable and an antique clock in the sacristy. Passing Calhetas, the next village on this route is Rabo de Peixe, the most important fishing port in the Azores and also the most densely populated region of the island. This is a typical fishing village, picturesque but poor, with its parish church, the Igreja de Bom Jésus, deserving a brief visit for its sculpted retable, an image of São Pedro and a Crucified Christ in ivory.
Places to visit:
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