Why move to Terceira
It’s hard to imagine another place as remote and yet so civilised. Terceira offers you the wildness of a mid-Atlantic island with a refined 1950s ambience.
One of the Azores, an archipelago of unspoiled islands 900 miles west of Portugal’s mainland, Terceira is the most developed of the five central islands in a group that stretches across 400 miles of otherwise uninhabited ocean.
The capital Angra do Heroismo was founded in the 16th century and quickly became an important intercontinental staging post between Portugal, the Americas, Africa and India. It amassed great wealth, something that remains evident in the stunning churches, palaces and mansions still well preserved to this day. The city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
For the ultimate view of the capital climb Monte Brasil, a volcanic crater on the south side of the island where you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of the town and harbour. This should whet your appetite for more of the island’s volcanic wonders. In the centre is Caldeira Guilherme Moniz, a crater two miles wide and the largest in the Azores or visit nearby Algae do Carvao, a blast hole covered in moss where you can explore 100 metre deep stalagmite studded caves and an interior lagoon.
Where the island’s interior is mainly luscious and green, the coast is frequently defined by areas of blackened lava. On the north coast is Biscoitos, so called because of the giant slabs of cooled lava resembling biscuits along the shore. Visit in the summer and you can swim among these rocks where delightful natural swimming pools have been built.
Many come to Terceira for the sea, with Angra do Heroismo and the port of Praia da Vitoria both excellent for sailing, water skiing and windsurfing. It’s also a great place for whale and dolphin spotting; the Azores are home to around a third of the world’s cetaceans, attracted just like the many human divers by beautiful warm waters which can reach 24 degrees Celsius and offer great visibility in the summer months.
Astonishingly this paradise island, like the rest of the Azores has never really succumbed to the pressures of mass tourism. You won’t find a single resort on Terceira and the roads are often free of traffic, so take time to stop and smell the abundant azaleas and hydrangeas which line many of the routes. The locals are extremely welcoming and you won’t have to wait long before you’re served a plate of Alcatra, beef or fish slow cooked in a clay pot or Dona Amélia, a custardy cake made from cinnamon and honey mixed with cider and raisins.
Terceira is a fantastic place to come for a more sustainable life, with the government aiming to produce 75% of its energy from renewable sources – something that’s made it the world’s top destination for sustainable tourism.
The weather is always balmy, retaining a mild climate year round and rarely dipping below 13 degrees Celsius. We still recommend you pack an anorak as well as your trunks, because rain showers are also a possibility this close to the ocean!