On tour in Terceira from southeast to southwest

It is easy to tour the island of Terceira on a coastal road that runs all around it and from which many other main or minor roads lead into the interior of the island or down to the sea.

Starting off at Angra do Heroísmo and going east, the first village you will pass is Ribeirinha, a rich agricultural village, boasting pretty town houses with traditional forged-iron balconies in its colourful main street, gently descending towards the sea. From the heights of this village, you will enjoy splendid views of the islets of Ilhéus das Cabras, which were divided in two by a volcanic eruption in 1550 and constituted a major protection for two submarines during World War II.

The road along the southeast coast passes several villages or hamlets, of which Porto Judeu and Salga on a minor road down to the coast deserve special mentioning. Porto Judeu with its charming, rural character is one of Terceira’s oldest settlements and boasts the largest pastures. The village has, besides two churches, one older and one more recent, three especially colourful Holy-Ghost chapels (impérios) and a small fishing port, which is very quiet today, but has been vital for the locals’ survival over centuries. The Baía da Salga gained a firm place in Terceira’s history, as it was here where in July 1581 an invasion of Spanish troops arriving on ten ships was fought off by the brave islanders, using the strategy of scattering the Spaniards by driving a herd counting more than thousand head of wild cattle against them. Most of the terrified invaders lost their lives in the fighting or drowned when they tried to reach their ships. Today, the historic Baía da Salga is a popular bathing venue, with a small seawater swimming pool, sunbathing areas, bars and a camping site. The next village on this route is São Sebastião, which has an appealing church dedicated to its patron saint. Dating from the time of the foundation of the village, around 1500 and having been reconstructed after a fire in 1779, this three-naved church is a perfect example for Gothic architecture on the archipelago and boasts a magnificent main portal and remarkable frescos in its interior, which are unique in the Azores and they were only discovered in 1935. It shows Manueline and Baroque influences too. The village also has a richly decorated, particularly colourful Holy Ghost temple, one of the most beautiful on the island.

Map of Terceira

Ilhéus das Cabras

Ponta das Contendas

In the surroundings of São Sebastião, situated in an idyllic landscape stretching towards the mountains, traversed by a small stream and strewn with ancient mills, lies the small Ermita de Santa Ana.

Before reaching the second most important town of the island, Praia da Vitória, the road passes a few nice corners with good bathing opportunities, more or less easy accessible, such as the sandy beach and islets of Ponta das Contendas and the small, cliff-sheltered beaches of Salgueiro, Porto Novo and Porto Martins.