| PRAIA
DA VITÓRIA |
Nestling on the eastern shores of Terceira Island, the picturesque
port of Praia da Vitória has a large bay with a sandy
beach.
Its name celebrates a famous victory in 1581 when the Spanish
attempted to seize the island at Baía da Salga, a small
village 10 km to the south. They were thwarted and eventually
driven away by the release of a herd of cattle onto the sea's
shore.
What to see. Praia da Vitória's pretty parish
church is remarkable for its Manueline architecture, gold Baroque
side chapel and an interesting 18th-century Christmas crib.
Nearby. At Vila de São Sebastião, midway
between Praia da Vitória and the island's capital, Angra
do Heroísmo, the 15th century church of São Sebastião
is the most interesting on the island with frescoes and fine
Gothic features. Inland lies Serra do Cume mountain, an area
of great beauty affording splendid views of rectangular-shaped
pastures as far as the eye can see. Lajes, a few kilometres
north-west of Praia da Vitória, features a whale museum
housed in a former boathouse. In the centre of the island, and
easily accessible from Praia de Vitória, are the magnificent
caves of Algar do Carvão, a geological nature reserve
with 100-metre-deep caves containing numerous lakes, stalagmites
and stalactites. |
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| © 2007 Maisturismo |
