Day 2,855 of Traveling the World | Ponta Delgada, Azores | November 26, 2025

Jan and Mike

We’re back in the Azores for a second time in 2025. Last time, we rented a car and drove all around Sao Miguel Island, which was a lot of fun. We experienced four seasons in one day! This time, we opted to explore the capital city, Ponta Delgada, which is where the cruise ship docked.

Ponta Delgada is the administrative and commercial center of the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal. It was founded as a small fishing village in 1450 and later became one of the main stops for ships traveling to the Americas. Believe it or not, the city is a hub for one-of-a kind pineapples, which are the only ones in the world grown in greenhouses. Cultivated since the 1840s, these pineapples can only be harvested two years after they are planted. Their flavor is said to be very sweet and less acidic than normal, with hints of citrus and coconut due to the rich volcanic soil. The island also produces 30 tons of tea annually, as it has the only tea plantation in all of Europe.

One fascinating element of the city is Calcada Portuguesa, the traditional mosaic sidewalks created by calceteiros, pavement artists. The designs are created with small hand-laid stones of contrasting black volcanic basalt and white limestone. We marveled at the intricacy as well as the back-bending work it takes to shape designs on your knees all day long for years to create these beautiful works of art. We have provided several examples below.

Ponta Delgada has a gorgeous church, the Church of St. Sebastian. The downtown is filled with cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, and bakeries (all featuring the marvelous Portuguese pasteles de nata, custard-filled pastry cups). The architecture style is colonial, and even in November, the squares were filled with flowers. A walk along the coast shows a harbor filled with a plethora of pleasure boats. It all makes for a nice day out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

A walk along the harbor yields such pretty views.
Horse and carriage rides were available across from the main square, Plaza Gonzalo Velho.
The statue that greets you in the square is, of course, Gonzalo Velho. Notice the design in the sidewalk.
The most important symbol, and logo, of the city are the Portas da Cidade, the gates of the city.
Church of St. Sebastian.
The church’s interior was a surprise…very ornate, domed, lots of gold. This is the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
A side chapel, also heavily decorated.
Flowers fronting a fountain that fronts a statue of St. Michael the Archangel.
Azorean manger scenes, created inside a large glass box, were featured in the window of this shop. It is very homespun, but has all of the Nativity elements, plus some sea shells (a nod to the Azores’ maritime history), pumpkins, dogs, a church, some locals, and even some geese.
Stars make way for a geometric design.
This design was hard to discern, but it seems to be fishes and some wild waves. Such imagination!
Some stars and swirls…and Christmas decorations.
Almost a Nike swoosh!
Ponta Delgada is known for repurposing its old phone booths as mini libraries. Great idea.

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