Ponta Delgada Travel Guide: Gateway to the stunning Azores

Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Portas de cidade City Gates

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.

Miradouro da Boca do Inferno | São Miguel | Azores Travel Guide Sao Miguel itinerary | 5 days in Azores | 1 week in Azores

An island of unparalleled scenic beauty shaped by volcanic activity.

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.

Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Sunset Harbour

Harbour view and sunset as seen from our room in the gorgeous Hotel Azor.


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!

Things to do Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Buildings

City centre.

Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Harbour walk

Harbour side walk.

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.

Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Portas de cidade City Gates

Portas da Citades

Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Portas de cidade

Igreja Matriz de São Sebastião behind the city gates

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.

Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Town hall

City Hall

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!

Things to do Ponta Delgada Travel Guide City view

View of the city from the City Hall Bell Tower

Things to do Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Harbour

View of the harbour from the City Hall Bell Tower

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

Exploring the lanes

Things to do Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Streets

Colourful buildings

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.

Things to do Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Ice cream shop

What will you choose? 😉

Things to do Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Florist
Things to do Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Local fruit shops
Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Phone booth library
Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Street corner

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).

Things to do Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Graca farmers market

Mercado da Graça

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!

Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour in Azores, Portugal

On the Whale and Dolphin watching tour

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.

Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Forte de Sao Bras

Sao Bras Fort

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

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.

Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Pineapple plantation

Greenhouses in Pineapples A Arruda

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

Jardim António Borges

Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Garden Jardim António Borges

Exotic tropical greenery at 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.

Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Botanical gardens

Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Garden grotto Jardim António Borges

Curious looking caves and grottoes

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


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.

Things to do Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Sabores Graca Farmers market

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.

Things to do Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Sabores Lunch

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!

Ponta Delgada Travel Guide best lunch Sabores

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.

Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Dinner veg risotto Big21
Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Dinner Salad Big21

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.

Ponta Delgada Travel Guide Dinner veg Salad Tasquinha VieiraPonta Delgada Travel Guide veg risotto Tasquinha Vieira

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


Pin for later!

Things to do Ponta Delgada Travel Guide


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!

If you liked this post, don’t forget to share on Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest. After all, sharing is caring 😉

Cheers,
Ameeta xx

2 Comments

  1. Or | My Path In The World
    November 3, 2018 / 2:56 pm

    I’ve been wanting to travel to the Azores for quite some time, and Ponta Delgada looks lovely. Thank you for sharing your tips and photos! 🙂

  2. November 3, 2018 / 6:24 pm

    I love reading other bloggers’ posts on places I’ve visited myself. We skipped the Jardim Antonio Borges, because we visited in January and figured there wouldn’t be much in bloom so it’s lovely to see your photos of the place. And I’ve never heard of any of the restaurants you mention, they look wonderful! That library in a phone box too…:-)

Follow me on Instagram!

4   37
0   9
27   80
4   18

Follow on Instagram

Close Me
Looking for Something?
Search:
Post Categories: