Terceira Attractions
Terceira, i.e. the "third" island, was the third to be discovered and is also the third largest in the Azores. The most important of the islands after Sao Miguel, it lies 157km/98mi northwest of that island and 56km/35mi east of the neighboring island of Sao Jorge. Like Sao Miguel Terceira is relatively well developed for tourism. However, its 60,000 inhabitants, many of them descended from the first Flemish settlers in the 15th C., live by arable farming (thanks to the extraordinary fertility of its soil Terceira is the Azores' largest cereals producer) stock rearing and seaweed-gathering. Some of them work on the Lajes airforce base in the northeast of the island. The island's airport, which has been greatly extended, also plays an important international role.
Topography
The island is 31km/19mi long and up to 18km/11mi wide, with an area of 397sq.km/153sq.mi. Its highest point is the Caldeira de Santa Bárbara (1,067m/3,501ft), in the western half of the island. The eastern half consists mainly of a great volcanic plateau surrounded by high mountains. The coasts are steep, with many stretches of cliff, protected here and there by forts.
Topography
The island is 31km/19mi long and up to 18km/11mi wide, with an area of 397sq.km/153sq.mi. Its highest point is the Caldeira de Santa Bárbara (1,067m/3,501ft), in the western half of the island. The eastern half consists mainly of a great volcanic plateau surrounded by high mountains. The coasts are steep, with many stretches of cliff, protected here and there by forts.
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Lajes, Portugal
The busy little town of Lajes (pop. 6,500) about 25km/16mi northwest of Praia da Vitória depends almost entirely on the nearby airbase for its subsistence.
Terceira - Biscoitos, Portugal
On a broad lava flow in the north of Terceira is the little town of Biscoitos.
Terceira - Caldeira de Santa Bárbara
An attractive trip can be made to the volcanic western part of Terceira and the Caldeira de Santa Bárbara (1,022m/3,353ft; view), the highest point on the island, a volcano with a number of explosion vents and collapsed craters. Northeast and east of the volcanic plateau, between Pico Alto, Pico da Bagacina and Furnas do Enxofre, are several crater lakes and fumaroles.
Terceira - Praia da Vitoria, Portugal
About 21km/13mi northeast of the town, in a wide bay on the east coast of Terceira, lies the old fortified port of Praia da Vitória (pop. 9,000), named in honor of the Liberals' victory over the Royalists on August 11, 1829. The town has several times sufferred earthquake destruction (1641, 1841; severe damage in 1980) and only two old buildings survive: the church (15th C.) in the upper part of the town, which has a rich Manueline doorway, and the 16th C. town hall. There is a fine long sandy beach.
