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**This post is the 4th of a 7-post series discussing what to see in this part of the Azores (You can check out the other parts in the list below, separated by each specific island/city. Everything is also summarized in another post here.**

The Azores islands are one of two autonomous regions of Portugal (the other being Madeira), located roughly 1000 miles from mainland Portugal. It is a 9-island archipelago that are split into three groups: Eastern (São Miguel, Santa Maria), Central (Terceira, Pico, Faial, São Jorge, Graciosa), and Western (Corvo, Flores). Their discovery dates back to the 14th century and were named ‘açor’, meaning Goshawk, which was a common bird known in that time. Each island is accessible either by plane or by ferry. For those who love nature and a bit of adventure, the Azores are an absolute must see.

In this blog post, I will cover the city of Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel. A Google Map of these places I will talk about can be seen at the end of this article. And you can see all my Azores islands related blog posts below:

• Ponta Delgada (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island)

• São Miguel Island (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: São Miguel Island)

• Horta (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Horta on Faial Island)

• Faial Island (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Faial Island)

• Madalena (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Madalena on Pico Island)

• Pico Island (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Pico Island)

• Summary (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: A Summary)

Ponta Delgada

Translating to ‘Thin Cape"‘, Ponta Delgada is the largest city within the Azores, located on São Miguel island, and is composed of the parishes of São Pedro, São Sebastião, and São José. The famous Portuguese chronicler Father Gaspar Frutuoso wrote about the origins of the Ponta Delgada name: ‘This city of Ponta Delgada is named for its situation located along volcanic lands, thin and not too considerable like on other islands, that lead to the sea, and where later, was constructed the chapel of Santa Clara (Saint Clare of Assisi), which was named the Santa Clara point.’ It has been populated since 1444.

Getting to Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island

Getting to Ponta Delgada is quick easy actually. It is the main airport of the Azores and will likely be where you will arrive first. The terminal is essentially just one very large room. The official airport name is Ponta Delgada - João Paulo II Airport.

In terms of getting to the city center of Ponta Delgada from the airport, you have these transportation options:

1. Take a taxi, which will cost you 10€

2. Airport shuttle with ANC Aerobus (8€ one way, 14€ return).

3. Walk! It’s less than an hour’s walk to the city center using a walking path.

For our flights in the early morning hours to other Azorean islands, we booked our taxi two hours before our flight. We would get to the airport within 10 minutes, go through security, drop off our bags, and be at our gate with 90 minutes left before take off.

If you like some of my photos that you have come across, just know that I have many prints showcasing a variety of landscapes, including the Azores, available for purchase below! (Sold as Posters, Canvas, or in Metal-Frames).

Jardim Botânico José do Canto

One of my favorite spots in the city had to be the part that escaped it…which was this botanical garden. The Jardim Botânico José do Canto is named after José do Canto (go figure) who was a known nature lover in the Azores. He was a botanist and traveled the world seeking and exchange different plants.

The scale of some of these trees in the garden are massive and have to be at least centuries old. I loved how quiet the entire area was. The collection of bamboo trees also made the entire experience so Zen like.

I was a 5 euro fee to enter the grounds and there is only a small portion that is off limits to visitors, which is where a local family lives. Otherwise it’s a great place to check out for an hour or so when you want to relax a bit.

Plantação de Ananás dos Açores (Azores Pineapple Plantation)

This pineapple plantation was such a cool experience! You get to see the entire pineapple growth process from first planting, to the final product. You are allowed to walk through the grow houses to see the pineapples at different stages. Furthermore, there is another section of the plantation where you can sample the pineapples in a variety of different ways. You can order yourself a simple pineapple, have pineapple ice cream, even a pineapple liquor shot. I have never tasted pineapple so many ways!

This plantation is just a 20 minutes walk from the city center of Ponta Delgada and is free to enter. And with more than 150 years of history, Ananás dos Açores is a fruit with Protected Designation of Origin (DOP), produced exclusively on the island of São Miguel.

Igreja Matriz de São Sebastião

The Church of San Sebastian is located in the city center of Ponta Delgada and perhaps one of the most famous on the island. It was build sometime between the years of 1531 and 1547 and built in the Manueline and Baroque style. It was later classified in 1953 as a Property of Public Interest by the Portuguese government.

The grounds are usually well kept and the inside (to me) looks like any other church so although it isn’t too spectacular, it is nice to see how the locals worship since religion is regarded highly here.

Forte de São Brás

One thing that you won’t find much of in the Azores are castles, for you can check out mainland Europe to get your fix of those. The Azores do have their fair share of forts however. The Fort São Brás was designed by Tomaso Benedetti and is situated along the coastline of Ponta Delgada. The angles and polygons involved in the construction was used to maximize the safety of the fort if it ever came to be attacked.

Its origins date all the way back to 1552. Currently, it is the site of the Military Museum of the Azores. There is a small fee to enter it and the hours are quite selected so plan ahead if you want to check it out.

Santa Clara Lighthouse

For those who love colorful lighthouses, or lighthouses in general (also called ‘farol’ in Portuguese), the famous Santa Clara lighthouse can be found near the village of Fajã de Cima, just west of the Forte de São Brás. The lighthouse itself has an interesting history; it once stood near the Tower of Belém, which is located in Lisbon.

Portas da Cidade

The City Gates of Ponta Delgada are right near the Church of San Sebastian and are ornate 18th-century gates and serve as a symbol of the defense of the city by land. When we were there, there was a rally race that had just finished and the winners were celebrated at these gates, along with their cars! A pretty cool experience.

Torre Sineira

I love flying my drone. But I also try to adhere to the rules. Ponta Delgada is RIGHT near the airport so the entire city is pretty much a no fly zone. This doesn’t mean that you can’t get a great aerial view of the city. The Torre Sineira is a bell tower, built in 1724, which gives you a great 360 degree view atop Ponta Delgada…well at least 30 meters up.

A Tasca Restaurant

I usually don’t talk about restaurants in my posts unless they are also a great experience. This place in particular was highly rated and is one of the more authentic places in Ponta Delgada. The menu was full of freshly caught seafood and the overall vibe of the place was extremely friendly. Here you can see locals and tourists alike and the best part is is that it is perfectly affordable. I think we paid about 40 euros for our starter, mains, and two glasses of wine.

Jardim Antero de Quental

Though this garden is not as impressive as the one for José Canto, this garden is closer to the city center and honors Antero de Quental, who was a Portuguese poet born in 1942 in Ponta Delgada. Furthermore, local sculptor Canto do Maia designed the garden in an Art Deco style, giving the whole space an overall upbeat vibe. My 2 cents: just pass by this garden en route to Jardim Botânico José do Canto.

Igreja do Colégio dos Jesuítas

I’m a sucker for great architecture. Upon landing in Ponta Delgada, that was the first thing I noticed. It had this cozy, old but rustic feel that we don’t often get in Sweden. The Jesuit College Church, better known as Igreja do Colégio dos Jesuítas de Ponta Delgada, can be found in the historical center of Ponta Delgada. It is part of the College of São Miguel (Colégio de São Miguel) and houses sacred art. It’s origins date all the way back to 1592, but has been rebuilt and renovated over the years.

Because Ponta Delgada is the largest city that is situated on the largest island of the Azores, it is a must see, and to be honest, would be hard to avoid. Take some time to explore the historical center of this city to start your Azorean journey. You will be so glad you did.

When it comes to getting to the other islands in the Azores, you will have to fly to an island in the Central or Western group, and you can then book interisland ferries from there through Atlantico-line.

If you are going in low season and the ferry times are not convenient for your stay, you can always island hop by booking flights with Sata Air Azores. You can access all Azorean islands from the others.

If you’re keen on seeing more of Portugal, plan your trips by checking out my blog posts below:

• Lisbon (Blog Post: Sightseeing in Lisbon? Learn how to surf too!)

• Sintra (Blog Post: Do not go to Lisbon without seeing Sintra: a day trip guide)

• Funchal (Blog Post: What to see in Funchal on the island of Madeira)

• Madeira (Blog Post: Madeira: One of Portugal's Most Beautiful Islands)

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