The Terceira island portrays the typical natural picture of the Azores archipelago, due to its natural beauty and geomorphology that characterizes it, thus presenting this island very varied landscapes constituted by plains and beautiful mountains, such as Santa Bárbara, the highest point of the island, with about 1021 meters of altitude.
On the other hand, in this island some natural accidents related to its geological formation stand out, such as Caldeira Guilherme Moniz, formed by a caldera of abatimento, due to the sinking of the central part of a large volcano; Lagoa das Patas and Chã das Lagoinhas, situated in the geological reserve of Algar do Carvão. Algar do Carvão in turn, is a regional natural monument that attracts many visitors throughout the year, being this one of the most attractive tourist spots of Terceira island, which allows people to go down inside to a depth of 100 meters to observe its stalactites, as well as a beautiful underground lagoon.
Also on this island, the force of the earth can be felt in the Furnas do Enxofre fumarolic field, where there are several high temperature volcanic gas vents, just like in the Furnas valley on the island of São Miguel.
Another place of great attraction is Serra do Cume, located in Praia da Vitória, whose formation is due to an ancient volcano, thus constituting the dismantled remains of one of the largest volcanoes of the Azores. At this place there is a belvedere from where it is possible to observe a panoramic landscape of the green pastures of the island, all divided by the stone walls, giving the idea of a “patchwork quilt”.
The island of Terceira is all covered with majestic vegetation, with cryptomeria trees in the west, while on the north coast there are several traces of volcanic eruptions, such as the bathing area of Biscoitos, where the contrast between the blue of the sea and the black of the basalt is visible. Mata da Serreta is an example of a natural reserve with many species of fauna and flora typical of this island.
In Angra do Heroísmo, special emphasis is given to the Monte Brasil volcano, which is a very prominent peninsula that marks the geomorphology of Terceira. Still in this city, located southeast in the sea, are the Ilhéus das Cabras that are a propitious nesting place for various marine species that walk along the coast.
Last modified: 2 de November, 2021
