Terceira is one of 9 islands in the Azores archipelago. Angra do Heroismo sits in Terceira and is the oldest city in the Azores, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and home to the main insular Portuguese Airforce Base, which it shares with the US.

Its other major port is at Praia da Vitoria (home of the largest “festa”, or party, on the island in the first week of August - called “Praia de Festa”).

In Terceira, the land is plush and green, enriched by its volcanic roots, and the farming culture is symbolized by the bull. Bulls are cherished on the island and a major feature of activities year-round, but especially in August.

Terceira is famous for its “bullfights” throughout the island — but these aren’t the bullfights you know. There are no matadors, and no trampling stampede. Ann Abel shared it best in her article for Forbes in 2020: “This is not a violent bullfight, like in history, in which the bull suffers. Nor is it a dangerous running of the bulls, like in Pamplona, in which reckless people suffer. Rather, it’s a celebration of a strong animal. There’s a rope to limit the bull’s orbit, and sometimes umbrellas for a bit of gentle teasing with umbrellas, and people seem to like it when a bull slips on wet pavement and slides into the sea. The bulls don’t seem to mind.

The main point, says Godinho, is to admire the bull—after all, cows are vitally important here, so whoever can keep making more cows is worth admiring. She grew excited as she explained the scoring—something like Olympic figure skating, apparently, in which the bull gets points for artistic flourishes, such as sticking his head onto the first-floor balcony.

“No one cares about football in Terceira,” she says. “But we all have our favorite bulls.” She remembers swooning over specific bulls with her mother, and one particular animal that became known as the Ladies Bull, for his proclivity to move toward women in the audience. In a normal year, there can be 350 of these bull runs, sometimes three or four in a single day.” You can read the rest of the article here. If you look up Terceira Bullfights on Youtube, you might even catch a glimpse of Joe’s parents, Maria and Jose, who are often in attendance!

In addition to the bullfights, Terceira boasts beautiful architecture, swimming spots, scuba diving, wine tasting, and exceptional seafood.

Terceira is an island 2.5 hours from the nearest mainland. Its relative isolation contributes to its charm and culture. Some things to be aware of:

• Cash is king; Portugal uses euros

• Where credit cards are accepted (grocery stores, most stores in Angra, some restaurants) Visa and Mastercard are typically the only accepted types; American Express is not commonly accepted

• Most of the island speaks English, at least to some degree, but learning a few Portuguese words will definitely help you! When you learn - be careful to look for Portugal Portuguese and not Brazilian Portuguese as these are different

• If a restaurant says it closes at 3pm, that could mean 2pm, it could mean 4pm. Most of these are family-owned so they can do what they want.

• If you are at a restaurant and offered aguardente (which literally means “fire water”) after your meal, it is often made in-house and it’s polite to accept

• Be prepared to be patient during airport travel. Line-cutting is not uncommon.

• Azorean weather can be unpredictable. Layers are always a good choice and if you have a travel rain jacket, you might bring it! However, getting a perfectly sunny week in August is also common. You just never know!

• There is free wifi in Terceira Mar hotel, but don’t be surprised if smaller restaurants and cafes don’t have wifi

• Bring a travel adapter. The Azores uses the standard European two-prong plug (type C)

Trip Advisor and Viator are great tools for planning your trip. Here are some of our recommendations (but by no means an exhaustive list — you can even do a cow milking experience!)

Scuba Diving. Bring your dive card! Terceira has beautiful clear waters and is teeming with ocean life. There are underwater archeological sites that run along Mont Brazil, and a number of dive shops that offer first-timer one-day experiences as well as certified diver trips from boat or off shore.

• We have gone out with Arraia Divers, located in the Hotel Caracol. They offer a practice pool course and a 30 ft open water dive in the crystal clear Bay of Fanal for first-timers as well as options for certified divers.

• Deep Blue Azores Diving Center is in Angra and offers a variety of excursions, including the archeological site around Mont Brazil. They also offer snorkeling packages.

Wine Tasting. There are only 8 places in the world that produce volcanic wine! You can book a guided tour on Trip Advisor or Viator, or plan your own trip to a winery (mostly in Biscoitos, pronounced “bishKOYT” to the north of the island)

• Materramenta do Biscoitos offers wine tasting experiences and tours from 15 minutes to 2.5 hours ranging from 15€ to 55€

• The Wine Museum in Biscoitos does not have a website but does offer wine tastings and you can purchase a bottle of local wine for around 15€

• The Queijo Vaquinha cheese factory is farther south, to the west of Angra. While they do not always offer tours, they do have cheese and wine tastings and will package up your purchases for travel. All Portuguese cheeses are delicious, but if you have not tried queijo fresco, it’s a must!

Explore Volcanos.

• Algar do Carvão Natural Reserve is a volcanic cone with a tunnel inside — you can go inside the volcano! Tickets are 10€ and sneakers are advised.

• For 15€, you can purchase a combined ticket and also visit Gruta do Natal, a volcanic cave. Visits to either site are about 30 minutes each.

Swimming/Beach.

• The Silveira is essentially a concrete beach that sits under Hotel Caracol (and Ellen’s favorite place to lay in the sun). Bring a towel to lay out on the payment and you can walk right into the water along a ramp that goes into the clear and calm Bay of Fanal. You’ll see older swimmers doing their laps here every morning. There is a snack bar in the silveira for light bites and sodas.

• Biscoitos natural pools are a sight to see! Carved into black volcanic rock, the pools vary in depth and have stairs cut into the rock for access. There is a small restaurant at the entrance for a quick bite or beer.

Downtown Angra.

• Shopping: downtown is where you’ll find Portuguese gold (typically 19k gold and slightly more orange/pink than 14 and 18k) and other island treasures

• Dining: there are many restaurants downtown, most with a little wooden platform that juts out into the cobblestone street

• Harbor: there is a long walkway into the harbor, where you can get a beautiful view of the town and sea

• Architecture & History: Angra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a long history of battles. You can read more about those here (and should!). The architecture showcases a blend of Portuguese, Renaissance, Baroque, and Manueline influences, and the area is famous for its cathedrals, fortresses, and impérios (small churches)

Travel. Getting to the Azores is about as easy as you’d assume getting to a remote group of islands barely visible on most maps would be. TAP and SATA Airlines both fly to the Azores, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a “great deal” because they are partners and there is an enormous Azorean population based in and around Boston that drives demand for flights consistently. A typical flight from Boston to Terceira will run ~$800 in the summer months and drops to around $650 in off-season.

There are very few direct flights to Terceira and they only run one day a week, so you will likely have to fly into Ponta Delgada, a larger island nearby, then take a connecting flight to Terceira. Try to avoid flying to Lisbon for your connection, as it requires you to double back and lengthens your travel by 4+ hours.

There are ferries between the islands - these are fun for day trips, but are quite slow. Personally, I don’t recommend them as part of your travel plan, but they can be a fun activity if you are staying for a few extra days.

Visas. The ETIAS (European Visa) requirement is set to begin in the last quarter of 2026, so it should not impact your trip in August. However, you are encouraged to double check 30 days before travel to ensure nothing has changed. You can find ETIAS details here.

From the Terceira Airport, you can get a taxi to your hotel. Please note there are no ride-sharing apps in the Azores, you have to take local taxis to get around. The islands are incredibly safe and friendly, so don’t worry if your taxi is an unmarked tan sedan - even if it isn’t an official taxi, you’ll still very likely get where you are going for a decent price.

Rental cars are available in Terceira, and like most of Europe, they are majority standard-shift. There are a few highways, but the majority of roads are through villages, incredibly tight against buildings and stone walls, and one-car wide. In addition, the island is quite hilly (I mean, former volcano and all), so it’s something to keep in mind if you are not a confident stick-shift driver.

The island is about 40km across, and takes roughly 40 minutes to drive from one end to the other, so you can see quite a lot during your time here.

As with much of Europe, restaurants close for the daily siesta. Some will be completely closed from about 2-5 (or 3-6), while others will continue to serve alcohol, and just close the kitchen between lunch and dinner.

The seafood in Terceira is phenomenal, as you might expect, and there is a huge fishing culture on the island. You will likely pass fishermen tying their own nets along the shore or coming into port in Sao Mateus after a day out at sea.

Sports bars serve espresso all day, and it’s common to see locals with both an espresso and a cerveja. The local beers are “Super Bock” lager-style and “Sagres” (pronounced SAW-gresh), a pale lager. Sangria is widely available.

For pickier eaters, you can always find a “tosta con quejo” (quejo pronounced “KAYzhe”) - a simple grilled cheese. There are a few “American” style restaurants (Boston House of Pizza, I’m looking at you) dotted throughout the island, but they are not typically located in town.

Restaurants We Recommend

Beira Mar. Hands down, best on the island. It sits directly IN the port in Sao Mateus, and has every type of seafood, including the Azorean delicacy lapas (limpets), slipper lobster, prawns, octopus, swordfish, whitefish, and much more. You’ll finish your meal here with a shot of house-made Aguardente, which is basically Portuguese moonshine. (Beira Mar, Porto de Sao Mateus)

Restaurante Caneta. Teeny tiny restaurant famous for its meat dishes and wine. You’ll notice that restaurants in Terceira are typically pretty small, and that locals may get preferential treatment — be prepared to be patient, but the food is worth it! (Restaurante Caneta, Angra do Heroismo)

Birou Bar. For something with a bit more of an expanded menu or a late bite, Birou is open until midnight on weekdays and 2am on weekends. It’s right downtown in Angra and has a fun (albeit tiny) deck that juts out into the street. This spot has more “non Portuguese” options if you are looking for a break from steak and fish! (Birou Bar, Angra)