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Although the largest, most densely populated and most sophisticated of the
islands, São Miguel is totally Azorean in both landscape and spirit. First time
visitors to the Azores can easily spend their entire stay just on São Miguel
discovering something stimulating and quirky around each corner and beginning to
catch the Azorean spirit.
Ponta Delgada, the capital of the archipelago, is the first point of call for
most visitors and its grand architecture and squares, mainly the result of the
wealth created by the 18th century traders, are quite a surprise for those
expecting a remote Atlantic outpost. The quality of the hotels and service is
also a welcome surprise, as although relatively new entrants to the tourism
market, the Azoreans have learnt well from other parts of Europe as well as
adding their own brand of hospitality and enthusiasm.
Despite the growth of tourism, the island’s economy, since the demise of
the whaling industry, is mainly derived from agriculture. The frequent and
evocative sight of cows grazing in lush pastures attests to the importance of
dairy farming but the climate and fertile soil allow the more exotic crops such
as pineapples and tobacco to flourish. There are even the only tea plantation on
European soil, at Gorreana and Porto Formosa, which offer short guided tours for
visitors, although almost their entire production is consumed domestically.
The volcanic origins of the island have not only left a legacy of fertile
soil but also a whole host of stunning geographical features. In the west of the
island, around the village of Sete Cidades, a 12km crater shelters twin lakes
– amazingly one is emerald green and the other a deep blue. In the centre of
the island in the crater of an extinct volcano the tranquil waters of Lagoa do
Fogo are surrounded by white sand beaches and lush endemic vegetation. Further
east the thermal springs around Lake Furnas constantly bubble and boil and
provide the energy to cook the local speciality, Cozido das Caldeirhas, a large
pot of meat and vegetables buried for six hours in the hot earth. In the far
east the Nordeste region is a wonderland of peaks, waterfalls and rugged
peninsulas interspersed with luxuriant pastures and picturesque villages.
Lakes, craters and peaks litter the whole island and in the spring and summer
the profusion of hydrangeas and the general array of vegetation, both endemic
and transplanted by the early settlers, make it a paradise for walkers and
nature lovers. For those who prefer the pleasures of the coast there any number
of seaside villages with a selection of sandy beaches, rock pools and small
harbours. Whale watching is naturally a popular pursuit for the island’s
visitors, as are deep sea-fishing, diving and sailing, whilst on land two
excellent golf courses and a few good horse-riding stables provide further scope
for the more energetic.
São Miguel, despite the other islanders jibes that it had become too
sophisticated, still holds on to many of the traditions begun by the early
settlers and there are still a number of wealthy families upholding the old ways
of life. Azoreans are generally deeply religious and the major festival of
the year, the ‘Senhor Santo Christo dos Milagres’, is celebrated on the
fifth Sunday after Easter. Islanders flock to Ponta Delgada where the streets
are decorated with carpets of flowers, most notably Azaleas, and a wooden figure
of Christ on the cross makes its procession from the Convento de Nossa Senhora
da Esperanca. In the evening the main churches and square are festooned with
lights, a bandstand provides live music, there are carousels and ice cream
stalls for the children and whole families are out on the streets enjoying the
atmosphere. At almost any given time during the year there will be a festival in
one or other of the towns or villages on the island and traditional music and
dancing are still kept alive to form a strong link with the past.
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