Page 372 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Portugal

4 press, agricultural utensils and
religious sculptures. West of
São Jorge Calheta, in the pretty parish
of Manadas, the 18th-century
! B5 ~ 7 km (4 miles) E of church of Santa Bárbara has
Velas g Velas & Calheta an atmospheric carved and
n Rua Conselheiro Dr José
Pereira 1, Velas; 295 412 440 painted interior.
Museu Francisco
São Jorge is a mountainous
EXPERIENCE The Azores (34 miles) but is only 8 km " ⌂ Rua José Azevedo da through Pico’s dramatic,
de Lacerda
island that stretches for 55 km
Cunha, Calheta § 295 416
(5 miles) wide. On its north
323 # Apr–Sep: 10am–
coast, sheer cliffs drop to the
5:30pm Tue–Sun; Oct–Mar:
sea. Over the centuries these
Sunrise over a road
9:30pm–5pm Tue–Sun
cliffs have collapsed in places,
crea ting tongues of land known
¢ Public hols
as fajãs – UNESCO-recognized
as Biosphere Reserves.
Today, many islanders on 5 rugged countryside
São Jorge are engaged in the quayside backed by rows of
pro duction of a cured cheese, Graciosa stark, two-storey, white-
queijo de São Jorge. The pace ! B5 ~ 2 km (1 mile) W of washed houses with wrought-
of life is leisurely, and most Santa Cruz da Graciosa iron balconies and oval
visitors come to walk along g Praia de São Mateus windows. The Museu da
the paths that climb between n Rua Castilho 7, Santa Graciosa recalls life on this
the fajãs. The most popular Cruz; 295 730 246 sleepy island with a homely
route is from Topo, on the miscellany of toys, sea chests,
east coast of the island, Graciosa Island is one of the kitchen ware, wine presses,
10 km (6 miles) down to most peaceful places in the furniture and memen tos sent
Fajã dos Cubres. Azores, classified by UNESCO back by emigrants to North
Most of the settlements lie as a biosphere reserve. Only America. A building next door
along the gentler south coast, 12.5 km (8 miles) long, most of houses a whaling boat.
including the capital, Velas, its low-lying land is given over The picturesque Monte da
and Calheta, where the Museu to farms and vineyards where Ajuda that rises behind the
Francisco de Lacerda displays ox-drawn carts and ploughs town is capped by a 16th-
objects of local history such as are still in use. The capital, century fortified chapel, Nossa
the ornate breads baked for Santa Cruz da Graciosa, on Senhora da Ajuda, decorated
the Holy Spirit festival, a honey the north coast, has a simple with 18th-century tiles.
In the southeast lies the
Furna do Enxofre, where
visitors can descend flights
of steps into the bowels of a
volcanic crater. At the bottom
is a huge cave with a deep,
sulphurous lake and peep-
holes where bub bling brews
of evil grey liquid can be spied
beneath the rocks.
Above the cave, at Furna
Maria Encantada, a natural
tunnel leads to the edge of
the crater, offering stun ning
views over the island. Treat-
ments using the island’s geo-
thermal waters are available
at the resort of Carapacho, at
the foot of the volcano.
A pretty street leading
to the church in Velas,
on the island of São Jorge
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