Angra do Heroismo

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Central Zone Of The Town Of Angra Do Heroismo In The Azores (1983) The Atlantic Port Of The Ocean Crossings · Angra do Heroismo, Azores

Angra do Heroismo is the old capital of the Azores, a town of painted houses laid out in a grid down a slope to a sheltered bay on the south coast of Terceira, guarded by the crater headland of Monte Brasil. From the sixteenth century it was the Atlantic port of the ocean crossings, where fleets returning from India, Africa and the Americas stopped for water, repairs and protection, and its layout is often said to have shaped later colonial ports. The earthquake of 1 January 1980 badly damaged it, and the town was rebuilt with care; its centre became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. People come for the streets of coloured facades and stone window frames, the Se, the Palace of the Captains-General, the garden climb to the Alto da Memoria, the walks on Monte Brasil, and the island's festivals: the Holy Spirit feasts, the Sanjoaninas in June and the street rope bullfights. The honest caveat: it is a working small town rather than a museum, the weather is changeable, and the bull running divides opinion.

Angra do Heroismo historic centre on Terceira island, from the harbour and the Se to the Monte Brasil crater headland, Angra do Heroismo, Azores, Portugal

The town is open all year. The Se, the churches and the Palace of the Captains-General keep daytime hours, the palace often by guided visit, and the Angra Museum in the Sao Francisco convent usually closes on Mondays - confirm each. The Sao Joao Baptista fortress on Monte Brasil is still a military base, with limited visits - confirm. Fly into Lajes airport, about 20-25 km north-east, then take a taxi or bus of roughly 25-40 minutes. Book rooms months ahead for the Sanjoaninas in late June.

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