How to Spend 24 Hours on Terceira Island in the Azores
The Azores, or Açores, is an archipelago of nine Portuguese volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The island of Terceira is particularly worth visiting because you can visit a Unesco heritage site (Angra do Heroísmo), view a patchwork blanket of green farm fields inside the largest crater of the Azores (Serra do Cume), and walk inside a volcano (Algar do Carvão). Terceira is the third largest island of the archipelago and is thought to be the third island to be discovered.
Keep in mind, this blog post is aimed at travelers with their own vehicles based on a summer & shoulder season (May-September) perspective but could be used for any time of year. Also, weather on São Miguel tends to be nicer during the summer months due to better air & water temperatures with smaller chances of rain. The Azores are known to have unpredictable weather patterns so there are no guarantees any time of year though.
There are some international direct flights to Terceira, however it’s usually cheaper to fly from within Portugal where you will have cheap flights from major cities, such as Lisbon. We reached Terceira from another Azorean island, which is possible via flight or boat. We flew from Newark to Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island to Terceira. In this guide, we discuss the island highlights that you can easily see even with only one day on the island.
Stop 1: Miradouro da Serra do Cume
In our research for the different Azorean islands, Serra do Cume was a major reason why we decided to visit the island of Terceira. The Serra do Cume viewpoint overlooks the largest crater in all of the Azores. It is also known as “Manta de Retalhos” which translates to mean patchwork blanket. From the viewpoint, you see field after field of farmland & pastures in various shades of green separated into patches by volcanic basalt. Serra do Cume is also a beautiful place to watch the sunset.
Stop 2: Miradouro da Cruz do Canario
This overlook gives you the best views of the Ilhéus das Cabras. The two islets are the largest islets of the archipelago and are volcanic remains. There is also a cute swing with views of the ocean and coast as well.
Stop 3: Angra do Heroísmo
Angra do Heroísmo is a Unesco World Heritage Site and is the most beautiful city that we encountered in the Azores. It is a treat to stroll along its colorful cobbled streets amongst palaces, churches, and monasteries of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Some of these buildings include:
Sé Catedral de Angra
Palácio Bettencourt
Palácio dos Capitães-Generais
Igreja da Misericórdia
Paços do Concelho de Angra do Heroísmo
After roaming along the streets, head to Jardim Duque da Terceira. From there you can walk amongst the beautiful gardens and make the trek up the stairs to Alto da Memória. It is from this monument that you will find the best views of the city from above.
Stop 4: Algar do Carvão
Algar do Carvão is one of the few volcanoes of its kind in the world that can be visited from the inside. To enter the volcano, you go down 338 stairs into the earth. You can view the sky from inside the volcano through a perfect cone covered in green moss. You can also view stalactites and hear the echoes of the cavern which is otherworldly. There is an entrance fee and it only opens from 2:30 to 3:30 pm to limit exposure to light and improve its preservation. Outside of the summer, it is not open every day so make sure to do your research and plan accordingly. Tickets are only purchased at the site on a first come, first serve basis.
Stop 5: Miradouro de Alagoa
As a warning, the road to get to this viewpoint is very steep and windy, so only go if you are confident in your driving abilities. We were not the most comfortable in our manual vehicle getting to the parking lot and back, but we made it. The spectacular viewpoint of the cliffs and ocean with waves crashing on the basalt columns made the drive to get there and back worth it for us though.
Stop 6: Trincheiras Militares, Calheta dos Lagadores, and Biscoitos
On Terceira, there are actually World War II trenches made out of volcanic rock. It was so surprising to picture these trenches being used to defend the island during the war. Once you have walked amongst the trenches, head down to the water where you will find a beautiful natural pool. A “secret pool” in volcanic rock, Calheta dos Lagadores is best to visit during low tide if possible. Nearby in the area, you can also visit Biscoitos where you can swim and walk amongst the volcanic rock in the ocean.
Stop 7: Praia da Riviera and Praia da Vitória
Lastly, we recommend strolling along the ocean from Praia da Riviera to the town of Praia da Vitória. This paved path on the ocean overlooks the harbor with incoming & outgoing boats, along with a lighthouse (Farol da Barra da Praia da Vitória). The hotel we stayed at (Atlântida Mar Hotel) was in this area and had amazing sunrise views.
Other Considerations:
Potential Alternative Locations
If you have more time on the island, here are other viewpoints, hikes, and natural pools to consider:
Furnas do Enxofre
Gruta do Natal
Mistérios Negros Trail
Miradouro da Serra de Santa Bárbara
Zona Balnear Escaleiras
Miradouro Ponta das Contendas
Where to Stay
We recommend staying either in Praia da Riviera or Angra do Heroísmo. We stayed at Atlântida Mar Hotel and we were extremely pleased with our stay. The rooms have balconies with amazing views of the ocean. The stay comes with an absolutely delicious free breakfast and also has a really nice pool, hot tub, and fitness center. Within walking distance of the hotel, is R3 Restaurante where we enjoyed our favorite meal during our time in the Azores. The aforementioned hotel & restaurant are unaffiliated with this blog, but we do highly recommend these based on our experiences.
Language Considerations
Unlike São Miguel Island, we found that English was not as widely spoken on the island of Terceira. We found that about 50% of the vendors and customer service people we encountered on the island spoke English. We used the phrase, “Você fala Inglês?” to ask others if they spoke English. Usually there was somebody on the premises who was familiar with the English language in order to translate. Overall, everybody we met on Terceira island was nice and we felt welcomed overall in our time here.
Rental Car Considerations
In order to really explore the island in its entirety, having a rental car is a must. Make sure you book your rental early though as rental vehicles are limited. It can be difficult to rent a vehicle (particularly automatic vehicles) if you wait until right before your trip, so make sure to plan this out in advance. We would recommend making this one of your first priorities after booking plane tickets. Also keep in mind that rental car agencies on Terceira may require a hefty security deposit on a credit card when you check in. This charge will be returned to you after car return at the end of your trip as long as no damages are found. All rental car options are generally very small due to the narrow roads on the island.
Currency Considerations
The islands that make up the Azores use Euros for currency. Paying via credit card was an option everywhere we went so cash was not fully necessary during our time here. We did have a smaller amount of cash on us in case of emergency, but we really did not encounter the need to use it at any point.
