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Biscoitos
The charming little town of Biscoitos is the next point of interest on this route along the north coast. Due to its long wine-growing tradition, Biscoitos, spreading at the foot of a wide lava stream, is the most important agricultural town on the north coast. This area has a unique panorama with rolling hills, covered with lush-green pastures, groves and the curious ‘curraletas’ – small vineyards, protected by black basalt walls, where the famous ‘Verdelho’ is produced – gently sloping down right up to the edges of the strange rock formations shaping the coast along the Ponta dos Biscoitos. Here the coast is marked by many deep breaches and coves, often creating beautiful natural swimming pools. Platforms to provide sunbathing areas and steps were built to make some of the pools easily accessible for everybody who feels tempted by an invigorating swim in the clear waters. The Calheta dos Biscoitos, the largest of these pools, is near the town’s tiny harbour, surrounded by black lava, where a few colourful fishing boats moor. Since whale fishing was prohibited, it has become very quiet around the short quay.
Biscoitos also boasts a small wine museum, opened in the beginning of 1990 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the wine-producing factory of Francisco Maria Brum. By bringing the ‘Verdelho’ grape to the island, the immigrant from Flanders played an important role in the revival of the viticulture industry in this area during the 19th century. The locally produced ‘Verdelho’ has never less than 14° and it is made either into a rich, 17°-aperitif or a strongly flavoured digestive liquor reaching 19°. The wine museum documents Terceira’s wine-growing history and the stages of wine production up to the storage in wooden barrels and shows an interesting display of related utensils and tools as well as photos and documents. Since 1993, the Confraria do Vinho Verdelho dos Biscoitos - a federation in favour of quality control and improvement of the locally produced wine - is also seated in this building.
For some sightseeing in the centre of the village, there are – apart from two pretty Holy-Ghost chapels, the one in the main square Praça Velha being particularly eye-catching because of the vividness of its colours – the new parish church of the Sagrado Coração de Jesus, built in the 1960’s and the old parish church, dedicated to São Pedro, the patron saint of the town, dating from the 17th century, which still houses an interesting Christ figure from the 16th century in its high altar. Along the coast, some old fortification remains, part of Terceira’s defence system, built in the 16th and 17th centuries, can still be seen.
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