Ponta Delgada Travel Guide: Gateway to the stunning Azores

Planning to visit the Azores? Here’s my comprehensive Ponta Delgada travel guide that covers the best things to do, places to see, where to eat, drink and stay in this gateway city to the breathtaking Azores.

The Azores in Portugal is still relatively less touristy and may be easily considered as the off-the-beaten-path, hidden gem of Europe. We spent a glorious week in São Miguel (one of the 9 islands in the Azores) in March earlier this year and Ponta Delgada, the capital of São Miguel, was the ideal base to explore the beautiful island.

For details on how to get to Ponta Delgada and where to stay, read my Azores Travel Guide with the ultimate itinerary to São Miguel and EVERYTHING you need to know about planning an unforgettable trip to this lush, volcanic landscape of unparalleled beauty.

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Things to do

On our first day in the Azores, we planned to keep it easy and explore the capital city itself. A day was enough to see the attractions the city offers, and we walked to most of them. So, here’s how to spend a day in Ponta Delgada!

Portas da Cidades (City Gates)

The trio of arched gateways, Portas da Citades is an iconic, historic landmark in Ponta Delgada. Built in the 18th century, these City Gates in the Gonçalo Velho square act as the entrance from the harbour into the old town. The whitewashed walls of this monument and the surrounding buildings is a quintessential Portuguese feature while the black volcanic rocks stand out as the Azorean element.

Address: Praça de Gonçalo Velho 9500, 9500-017 Ponta Delgada, Portugal

Paço do Concelho (City hall)

On entering the Old Town through the City Gates, the City Hall is on the left. It’s a beautiful building with Baroque-style architecture and has staircases that run on both sides to meet at a landing in the centre. We went up the staircase to get an amazing view of the streets and then climbed back down to go to side entrance for the Bell Tower.

The entrance to the Bell Tower is free and you get 360˚ view of the city and the mountains and the ocean beyond. Climbing those stairs is absolutely worth it!

Address: Praça do Município 2, 9500-769 Ponta Delgada, Portugal

Exploring the lanes

As much as we enjoyed walking along the harbour and seeing the prominent buildings, we equally loved exploring the back lanes of the Old Town with its brightly coloured facades, familiarising ourselves with this quiet capital city while getting a little insight into the local life.
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Mercado da Graça

Mercado da Graça is the quiet little local farmers’ market and I would highly recommend visiting it if a) you are curious to learn about the local food and culture or b) you are self catering and need fresh produce or c) you need to grab a bite (more on it later).

Address: R. do Mercado, 9500-326 Ponta Delgada, Portugal

Whale and Dolphin Watching

From the harbour, we took an absolutely amazing Whale and Dolphin watching tour spending an afternoon out in the majestic sapphire blue ocean; a MUST-DO activity when in the Azores which is a playground for various whale and dolphin species. Click here to read more about our unforgettable experience!

Forte de Sao Bras de Ponta Delgada

This 16th century fort was built on a strategic location to defend the island from pirate attacks. It has undergone conservation works over the years and is now used as the Command of Azores Military Zone. It also houses a Military museum which we decided to skip but might be of interest to you if you’re a history buff.

Address: R. Eng. Abel Ferin Coutinho 10, 9500-768 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
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Pineapples A Arruda

You’d find it hard to miss pineapples in the Azores. You can even buy them at the airports to take back home! Before visiting the Azores, I had no clue that there were pineapple plantations in Europe. So, when I found out about one in Ponta Delgada, I didn’t want to miss the chance to see one. Pineapples A Arruda is just outside the city (you will need a car to get there) and is made of several greenhouses that house the pineapple plants in various stages.

Address: Rua Doutor Augusto Arruda, Fajã de Baixo, 9500-454 Ponta Delgada, Portugal

Jardim António Borges

These botanical gardens were once private property of Antonio Borges, a prominent Azorean. He was keen on botany and introduced various species of plants, especially exotic ones, to the island. Today these gardens are open to the public and we spent a relaxing time there amidst all the greenery and the curious looking grottoes.

Address: R. de São Joaquim 22, Ponta Delgada, Portugal
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Food and Drinks

Since we were in Ponta Delgada for 5 days, we tried a few restaurants for lunches and dinners. Here are my 3 favourites worth mentioning!

Sabores – Local Food

Sabores is a food stand in Mercado da Graça serving light bites like sandwiches and fresh fruit juices.

Ricardo who runs the stall is very passionate about the Azorean culture and it was lovely to talk to him about the island life and food while he slowly and meticulously prepared our sandwiches with the freshest ingredients possible.

I would highly recommend trying the open sandwich he made for us using a local, soft, creamy cheese called queijo fresco (literally translates to fresh cheese) topped with pimenta da terra (red pepper paste) – super simple but super delicious!

Address: Rua do Mercado, Mercado da Graça, 9500-326 Ponta Delgada, Portugal

Big21

Big21 is a trendy restaurant with a modern take on Portuguese cuisine. This does mean that the menu is mainly meat and fish centric, which was great for Mr AW who ordered a burger. Luckily, they had recently added one vegetarian dish on the menu since they found that there has been a steady increase in the number of people asking for meat-free options.

I ordered, albeit a bit nervously, that single veggie dish which was a beetroot risotto and I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. The beetroot flavour was very subtle, lending a brilliant colour but not overpowering the dish. Also worth a mention is the starter of Filo pastry filled with chèvre cheese topped with toasted almonds.

Address: R. Ernesto do canto Antiga Rua Denasa da graca 17, 9500-150 Ponta Delgada, Portugal

Tasquinha Vieira

Another option for dinner, Tasquinha Vieira was highly recommended by Ricardo (from Sabores). We went a bit early for a walk-in as they didn’t seem to be accepting reservations. We were seated in the front area which was a very small and cosy place with an open kitchen so you can see the chefs at work.

A very stylish restaurant with superb food and attentive service, we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner of a simple lentil salad and a hearty asparagus risotto at Tasquinha Vieira.

Address: Rua António Joaquim Nunes da Silva 21, 9500-056 Ponta Delgada, Portugal

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Pin for later!

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I hope you enjoyed my Ponta Delgada travel guide to spending a day in the city. Have you been to the Azores or planning to go? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to know!

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Cheers,
Ameeta xx