Graciosa
Graciosa is in my oppinion
the most beutiful of all the islands. But all the
islands has its very own " personality ". Graciosa has a very gentle nature
with smooth hills, which can be seen from a long distance. Graciosa is about
8 x 12 km. If you have the time, you can easely spend 3-4 days to discover
Graciosa.
The most importent town on the
island is Santa Cruz. The airport is about 3
km. outside the center. If you come to Graciosa by ferry from Angra do Hero-
ismo at terceira, you will arrive in Praia. A town that in the past was the most
importent town on the island, but now totaly has falling a sleep. There is not
much to see, in fach the town is pretty boring. Take a Taxi to Santa Cruz.
The most interesting
attraction on the island is absolutely FURNA DO EN-
XOFRE. An ex'tinct vulcano with a crater, which it is possible to enter all the
way to the very bottom. Many years ago there have been builded a tower with
internal steps, that leads you rather comfortable to the buttom. At the buttom
there is a beutiful large deep see. The opening at the top of the crater is fairly
small, which make the visit even moore exiting. This actraction is in my oppi-
nion is a must. You can drive by car all the way to the crater entrance.
It can be
difficult to rent a car on Graciosa, specialy in summertime. There are
busses, but they only go in morning and afternoon. So I recoment that you " rent
a taxi ". The best place to pich up a taxi is from the mainsqare in Graciosa. I
can wormly recomend taxidriver MANUEL EDUARDO. He speak english, and
is a very friendly and gently driver/guide, and will enjoy to show you the island.
His telephonenumber is 72799. He lives by the way in a little village named Gua-
dalupe about 4 km. outside Santa Cruz. But his taxi is usualy operating from the
mainsqare in Santa Cruz.
Manuel can also
be helpful to you, taking you to the very best restaurant on Gra-
ciosa, with the most spectacular wiew. It's a small familyrunned restaurant, who
primary are open to serve the local fishermen and batchalors. It's a must to call
in advance to make reservation. Ask Manuel to call for you. The family decide the
todays menu, which always include soup and a maincourse. Everybody eat the
same as the local fishermen. The food here is exelent, simpel, cheap and there
is a lot of it! There is a very special relaxed atmosphere.
You can ask to be
placed outside, with a wonderful wiew towards the sea and a
natual small harbour. You will usualy be the only turists, ant the family only speak
portuguese, but it's no problem. They are very sweet and nice people. Arrange
with Manuel to pich you up at a later time, or you can invite him to join your meal.
He will be glad to pick you up later, but he will probaly in a polite way refuse your
invitation to stay. The restaurant is as mentioned placed very close to the ocean,
highly leaveled over a natual harbour close to toe village of Baia da Folga.
Visit the small village of
Guadalupe. Go to the highest point, and enjoy the magni-
ficent wiew. The local turistoffice is place on the mains qare in the small pavillion.
There are only 3 residencias in
Santa Cruz. I have stayed several times on " Resi-
dencial Santa Cruz ", and I can indeed recoment it. It's placed in the center of
Santa Cruz, and are familyrunned by very friendly people, and they speak fluent
english. Here you can get your laundry done. There are nice rooms all with private
bath and shower. The prices are fairly and include
breakfast.
In Santa Cruz there are a
beautiful placed bullfighterarena. On occasions there are
bullfights in the arena,and " Bullfight by the roap " in some of the small
villages
around the island. When you are on Graciosa DON'T miss this opportunity to see
what this is all about. It's very exiting and gather many people from all over the is-
land. Read all about this event in specific on my Terceira page.
Bullfighting in the arena of Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz.
Wiew from Guadalupe.
Siesta at the mainsqare in Santa Cruz.
Corvo Flores Pico Sao Jorge Faial Terceira Sao Miguel Santa Maria