On our last day in Terceira (and the Azores), we strolled around Angra. The city bursts with color, as if the entire budget for paint was spent here.
At the entrance to our hotel, we found convenient posters with walking maps of the town, showing different routes. We picked the one that looped around the city center. The city center isn’t huge and only takes a few hours to walk around.
We began our walk at Portas da Cidade, a monument in the heart of Angra, marked by two arches, a staircase, and a central waterfall. The monument is especially beautiful for its views of the Misericórdia Church and the bay, and there’s also a statue of Vasco da Gama. Interestingly, Vasco da Gama hadn’t planned to stop on Terceira, but when his brother fell ill, they came ashore, where his brother passed away. This monument stands in honor of Vasco da Gama and his connection to the island.
On the opposite side of the square, there’s an eye-catching creepy mural on the wall. It seems like there are a few empty spots left for other artists.
We continued our walk and eventually found ourselves in front of the Church of the Holy Savior’s Cathedral. It’s a beautiful building, both outside and in, but the artwork inside caught me off guard. The icons and wall art felt unusually modern—maybe a temporary exhibition or perhaps permanent pieces, but they were a bit too unconventional for my Orthodox Christian taste.
The church is surrounded by historic buildings, giving the area the look and feel of a true European city.
Following the narrow streets lined with beautiful Portuguese pavement, we arrived at the City Hall square.
Just a short distance from the Old Square, we found the Duke of Terceira Garden – one of the most famous gardens in the Azores. The Duke of Terceira Garden is a charming place known for stone paths, colorful flower beds, ponds, fountains and exotic plants. At the top, there’s a monument to Pedro IV and a viewpoint overlooking the city and bay.
From there, we strolled back down to the marina, winding through the charming, colorful streets and passing by countless churches. This city seems to have an almost ridiculous number of them—one on every corner, each painted in its own bright shade. It’s like there’s a church per ten square feet!
In the afternoon, with a bit of time before dinner, I decided to check out the fortress of São João Baptista up on the hill across from the marina, just about 2 km from our hotel. We walked there, but when we tried to find the entrance, we realized it was a military area. We were greeted by guards with automatic rifles, who explained that visits to the interior have to be arranged in advance through the Military History Center—Manuel Coelho Baptista de Lima, back in the city center. Without a reservation, our option was to take the trail, where we could enjoy views of the city and look out for animals and birds. We chose the trail. While we didn’t spot any animals—just a few other walkers—the city view was fantastic.
And so, our journey came to an end. We said goodbye to this beautiful city, to Terceira, and to the incredible Azores.
