Terceira
This is the third of three articles on my trip to the Azores. After spending 3.5 days collectively between Sao Miguel and Pico island, the final 2.5 days of the trip were spent in Terceira Island. By the time I arrived on Terceira island, I was exhausted. Most of my days were spent resting at the hotel, exploring the nearby town of Angra do Heroismo and casually driving through the rolling hills of the island.
I would argue that Terceira Island has the most scenic pasturelands out of all the Azorean islands. Getting a high vantage point almost instantly creates stunning views of the island. Luckily, the Serra do Cume vista point is perfectly positioned between the island’s two main towns and above perhaps the most scenic ‘patchwork’ pasturelands. One of my most awaited photography stops on the entire Azores trip was watching the sunset from the Serra do Cume. Just after landing and checking into the hotel, I began the half hour drive up to the viewpoint. Formed through volcanic activity in the area, the viewpoint faces westward and has a well kept overlook boardwalk. As I drove up the mountain, a thin layer of clouds began to cover the area. These clouds are often best for reflecting sunset colors! And within minutes of the official sunset time, the clouds put on a show. Vibrant yellows, oranges and pinks flooded the sky as I juggled both handheld and aerial photography. A line of wind turbines on the ridge line give an interesting foreground for drone photos of the surrounding pastures. As I took photos, the clouds continued to glow, creating one of coolest sunsets that I have ever witnessed.
Following my ‘check the box’ sunset experience, I spent much of my time on the island within the historic town of Angra do Heroismo. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, the core of the city is historically the most important city along the entire Azores island chain. With colorful buildings, large plazas and a port with a variety of interesting ships, roaming the streets of Angra can easily consume a day or two. For some of the coolest buildings, check out the Cathedral of Angra (Catedral de Angra) and the Capital Palace (Palacia dos Capitaes Generais). Aside from the buildings, the town gardens, historic Sao Sebastiao Fort and Monte Brazil are common tourist attractions in the town.
With my time in the Azores coming to a close, I took the short flight from Terceira back to Ponta Delgada. After a quick layover, and a few hour delay, I then boarded my direct flight back to New York. At the time of writing, the Azores are one of the most unknown travel destinations on the plane. However, its travel nickname of ‘The Hawaii of Europe’ highlights the natural wonders you can see in the island chain. With 7 unique islands, a trip to the Azores can be easily customizable for the individual traveler. The Azores appear to be growing in travel popularity, so traveling to this destination soon may let you skip the crowds and have the archipelago to yourself.
