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Graciosa Island, Azores
Discover Isla Graciosa, one of the most peaceful and rural islands of the Azores archipelago, Portugal.
Graciosa Island, Azores
© Floreesha
Graciosa Island is an island rarely visited by tourists. Less than 5,000 inhabitants live within its 60.7 square kilometres, distributed in four parishes.
Santa Cruz da Graciosa
© Maurício de Abreu DRT
Natural Pools of Carapacho
© Turismo Azores
Furna do Enxofre, Azores
© Turismo Azores
Ilhéu da Baleeia Islet, Graciosa Island
© Maurício de Abreu DRT
The capital of the island is Santa Cruz da Graciosa. It is an historic village very well preserved where it is worth visiting the Graciosa Ethnographic Museum. It was established at the base of an ancient volcano which is covered now with flora. On it’s top stands a complex of three chapels for Nossa Senhora da Ajuda, while its crater has been used to house a bullring.
The island features several protected areas, all located on the coast. The most important are: Ponta Branca, Ponta Restinga and two islets, Ilhéu da Praia and Ilhéu de Baixo. But the main attraction of Graciosa island remains hidden: the Furna do Enxofre, a volcanic cave which is accessed through the interior of an unusual stone tower.
To reach this island, Air Azores makes several flights a day, usually leaving from Terceira Island. Such flights last about 20 minutes but often prove somehow expensive. The best option is to use sea transport. There are cruise ships that arrive from Terceira to Graciosa in about 3 hours.
In your tour around the island you should certainly visit places like Furna do Enoxofre, Calderinha, Pico Timão mount, Capela de Nossa Senhora da Ajuda chapel, Termas do Carapacho Baths, Ilhéu da Baleia islet, Ilhéu da Praia islet and Graciosa Museum.
To discover the island we propose two interesting itineraries:
Route 1: Leaving Santa Cruz da Graciosa to the south, go to Guadeloupe; there you have to turn towards Pedras Brancas, passing through Pontal and Feteira. Once you arrive in Pedras Brancas take the detour to Caldeira and Furna do Enxofre. Then continue down the road to Luz up to Carapacho to visit the islet Ilhéu de Baixo. Along the east coast of the island you have to go through Fenais, Praia and Quitadouro to return to Santa Cruz. To finish the tour you can ascend to Senhora da Ajuda mount and visit the chapels.
Route 2: Leave Santa Cruz da Graciosa taking the road of Beira Mar but make sure you take your time to see the landscape at Ponta da Barca. Then keep going to Senhora da Vitoria, Porto Afonso and ascend to Pico da Tercas mount, where you contemplate one of the most beautiful views across the island. At that point make a detour to Das Almas’s lookout, follow the road that goes across Serra Branca and returns to the coast road towards Fajã, Limeira and Ribeira. At that point make a detour inland taking the road to Praia, pass across Luz and Canda Longa. Then you only have to take the coastal road to return to Santa Cruz.
If you wish to enjoy a refreshing swim you should know that Graciosa has clear waters with pleasant temperatures that invite you to take a bath. The best places are the natural pools of Carapacho, Praia beach and areas of Calheta and Barro Vermelho.
It is worth visiting the island during the second week of August, during the festival of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres. The island also enjoys a charming atmosphere during the Carnival, which is celebrated with a water fight, bullfights and various activities organized by the Imperios do Divino Espirito Santo. This faith is one of the most striking features of identity of Azores’ inhabitants, accompanying them everywhere in their emigration.
On the island you can enjoy many activities such as recreational fishing, spear fishing, diving, hunting or hiking. Graciosa Island was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 2007, it has served since then as an experimental laboratory for biodiversity conservation and, due to the island's unique natural characteristics, is frequently visited by national and international scientific expeditions.
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