Geography
Located right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean between Europe and
North America, the Azores is on a parallel with Lisbon at latitudes
of 39 43'/36 55' N.
The nine islands have a total surface area of 2,333 km2 and an Exclusive
Economic Zone extending over 984,300 km2
Island areas range between
747 km2 (Sao Miguel island) and 17 km2 (Corvo island).
The peak of the volcano of Pico attains a height of 2,351 m constituting
the highest point to be found on either the Azores or mainland Portugal.
The population stands at 237,795 inhabitants.
History
Historically, the Portuguese came onto the scene in 1427 with the
discovery of the islands of Santa Maria and São Miguel Due to
its strategic geographic position, the archipelago was to become
one of the axes of navigation between Europe, the Orient and
America during the course of the 16th and 17th centuries. This
period saw the occurrence of major naval battles off the Azores
when the islands were set upon by pirates. Subsequent centuries
saw the development of the islands, the introduction of new
agriculture, and the development of cattle breeding and fishing.
Having constituted an integral part of Portugal from the very
outset, today the Azores is an autonomous region endowed with
its own parliament and government.
Nature and
environment
The Azores' commitment to the preservation of nature and environmental
protection led the European Union to award the Azores an honorable
mention in 1995 as part of the European Awards for Tourism and the
Environment The region's concern for this area is borne out by the
presence of dozens of natural reserves, areas of protected landscape,
parks and forests on the nine islands, a fitting testament to the
commitment the regional government shows towards their ecological
preservation.
Flora
Over 55 native vascular plants transform the Azores into a fascinating
botanical Garden for plant lovers. Cedar trees. heather, ling, mountain
grapes, white wood, ginger, dogwood and the "tamujo" bush, to name
but a few of the local species. Then there are the new additions accumulated
over the centuries such as the Japanese "criptomera" and the acacia
tree both used in the manufacture of wooden products; the flowering
hydrangea and azaleas; camellia, incense and many other ornamental
plants
Fauna
Without a shadow of a doubt, the birds are the most attractive fauna
of the region, in particular the priolo, a native species, the hawk,
blackbird, "cagarro", wood-pigeon and common and red garajau.
The sea off the Azores is home to hundreds of species of fish and
shellfish as well as imposing mammals such as sperm whales, making
it a truly living aquarium for those who enjoy underwater diving.
Cultural heritage
The islands' churches provide the only remaining traces of the settlement
period. The 15th to the 18th centuries saw intense building work on
the islands resulting in interesting examples of civil and religious
art, especially baroque. Baroque takes on a character all of its very
own on the islands in view of the limited material available locally
and the distance separating the islands from mainland European cultural
centers. As the first Atlantic city built according to 16th century
town planning standards and endowed with worthy reminders of its cultural
heritage in the form of its churches, palaces and fortress, Angra
do Heroísmo (Terceira island) was awarded World Heritage status by
UNESCO. The art and ethnographic museums and the popular architecture
of each islands give credence to the cultural heritage of the region
and allow us to delve deeper into the history and life of Azoreans
over the centuries.
Landscape
The nine islands of the Azores are each endowed with their own special
landscapes and charm. Each is enveloped in shades of fertile green,
flowers, phenomenal volcanoes, marvelous lakes located at the bottom
of craters and other mysterious caves and caverns. Pico has its very
own majestic mountain which is a sight to behold. Visiting the Azores
means entering a world where nature's luxuriant beauty is on show
and the presence of man becomes a distant memory as you are swept
away to a primordial universe.
Congresses
and incentives
The Islands of São Miguel, Terceira, Faial and Pico boast first class
hotels endowed with facilities capable of holding congresses and other
events in a most memorable and unique setting.
Sporting holidays
Golf, tennis, hikes, all terrain bicycling, mountain climbing, parasailing
and horse riding combine to make the Azores the ideal location for
those looking to enjoy a more sporting holiday. The Azores and the
sea are inseparable, and this is particularly true when it comes to
sports. Yachts from all around the world dock in the ports of Horta,
Ponta Delgada and Praia da Vitoria to visit the other islands or to
cross the Atlantic. Deep sea fishing where a number of world records
have been set diving, surfing, wind surfing, and sailing are also
to be found on these islands..
Local Festivals
The Azoreans are a deeply religious people and this finds no better
expression than at their festivals, which carry on the traditions
of pious devotion The Festivals of Espirito Santo, rooted in medieval
traditions, are common to all the islands (May and September) and
offer up an opportunity to fraternize with the locals. The Festivals
of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres in Ponta Delgada (São Miguel);
the Festivals of Sanjoaninas in Angra do Heroísmo (Terceira island);
the Semana do Mar in Horta (Faial island); the festival of the whalers
on the islands of Pico and Mare in August on Santa Maria island; and
the merry carnival of the island of Graciosa constitute the high points
of the festival calendar which lasts all year round.
Gastronomy
The many traditional recipes of Azorean cuisine are a culinary delight
for the gastronome, particularly those with a penchant for sumptuous,
fresh fish who will find their own personal heaven in the Azores.
For dessert, there are a wide variety of puddings as well as excellent
cheeses (the prime example coming from the island of São Jorge), sweet
and juicy pineapples, the tropical passion fruit and herb tea grown
on the island of São Miguel, White and red wines, brandy from the
island of Craciosa, verdelho from the island of Pico and Biscoitos
(Terceira island) are all a "must for those making a gastronomic tour
of the Azores.
Some local dishes
"Cozido à Portuguesa" - pork, beef, local sausages, potatoes, cabbage, etc. stewed together.
"Alcatra" - roasted meat (beef) with with potatoes, wine and sp1ces in in a clay pot..
"Caldo Verde" - cream of potato soup with sausage and shredded cabbage
"Sardinha Assada" - fresh sardines grilled over charcoal
"Caldeirada de Peixe" - fish, shellfish, potatoes, tomatoes and onions stewed together
"Bacalhau" - salted cod steak with onions, potatoes and parsley
"Coelho Assado" - roasted rabbit with onions, white wine and spices
"Frango no Churrasco Piri-Piri" - grilled chicken in a hot spicy sauce
"Saloio e Queijo Fresco" - white and creamy fresh cheese
"Pudim Molotov" - a rich cocktail of meringue and caramel
"Arroz Doce" - rice pudding with cinnamon and cream
"Uma bica" - small black coffee (expresso coffe).
"Um garoto" - small white coffee
To help you order:
I'd like a/an/some Queria
Waiter!/Waitress! Faz Favor!
beer uma cerveja
mineral water agua mineral
bill a conta
napkin um guardanapo
bread pão
pepper pimenta
butter manteiga
potatoes batatas
coffee um café
rice arroz
dessert uma sobremesa
salad uma salada
fish peixe
salt sal
fruit fruta
sandwich uma sanduiche
ice-cream um gelado
soup uma sopa
meat carne
sugar açucar
menu a ementa
tea chá
milk leite
wine vinho
Wines
Vinho Branco White wine
Vinho da casa House wine
Vinho clarete Light red wine
Vinho doce Sweet wine
Vinho espumante Sparkling wine
Vinho do Porto Port wine
Vinho da região (Vinho de cheiro) Local wine (São Miguel)
Vinho seco Dry wine
Vinho verde "Green" wine* *(semi-sparkling acidic wine)
Handicraft
Using local materials, the Azorean artisans keen alive century old
traditions From coloured ceramics to delicate embroidery and lace,
from works made of whalebone and teeth to the exquisite floral arrangements
crafted out of fish scales, to pieces made from the pith of fig trees
and hydrangea. And let us not forget the miniatures of elegant whale
boats and every day traditional objects, the guitars which lend life
to a land that loves its festivals and works crafted from black basalt.
Tourist facilities
Comfortable hotel installations accommodate tourists on all the islands,
with the exception of Corvo which has only one bed and breakfast.
On the islands of Faial, São Miguel and Terceira tourist facilities
are to be found in a rural setting, affording high quality accommodation
in homely surroundings.
Air transportation
There are frequent two hour flights from Lisbon to the three Azorean
airports: Ponta Delgada (São Miguel island), Lajes (Terceira island),
and Horta (Faial island). Ponta Delgada is also served by regular
flights to Funchal (Madeira), Oporto,
Frankfurt (Germany), etc.Charter flights link U.S.A. and Canada to
the airports of Ponta Delgada and Lajes. Inter island flights are
assured by SATA Air Açores.
Sea transportation
There are regular sea connections between the islands of Faial, Pico
and São Jorge and also between Terceira and Graciosa. Ground transportation
All the islands barring Corvo are provided with bus and taxi transportation
Hire car services are available on the eight main islands. Car transportation
is provided for tourist trips around the island of Corvo.
Clothing
Whatever the time of year, lightweight clothing with one or two woolens
for those cool evenings are all you'll need. Raincoats are recommended
from October to April when rainfall is more frequent though a sunny
spell is always just around the corner.
LANGUAGE
Portuguese ranks the fifth most spoken language in the world, being spoken as far afield as Brazil.
Some would be led to believe that due to the close proximity to Spain a great deal of similarity in the language would exist. This is not strictly true and although most Portuguese do understand Spanish they will not reply in the language. Knowledge of Spanish will help you in understanding signs and menus but as Portugal has an association with Britain dating back hundreds of years, English is widely spoken.
SOME USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
Do you speak English? Fala Inglês?
I don't understand Não compreendo
yes sim
no não
good morning bom dia
good afternoon boa tarde
goodnight boa noite
goodbye adeus
please faz favor
thank you obrigado (masculine) thank you obrigada (feminine)
yesterday ontem
today hoje
tomorrow amanhã
day dia
week semana
month mês
year ano
left esquerdo
right direito
good bom
bad mau
big grande
small pequeno
cheap barato
expensive caro
hot quente
cold frio
old velho
new novo
open aberto
closed fechado
bank banco
post office correio
post cards postais
stamps selos
doctor médico
chemist farmacia
How much is that? Quanto custa isto?
NUMBERS
0 zero
1 um/uma
2 dois/duas
3 três
4 quatro
5 cinco
6 seis
7 sete
8 oito
9 nove
10 dez
11 onze
12 doze
13 treze
14 catorze
15 quinze
16 dezasseis
17 dezassete
18 dezoito
19 dezanove
20 vinte |
30 trinta
40 quarenta
50 cinquenta
60 sessenta
70 setenta
80 oitenta
90 noventa
100 cem
200 duzentos
300 trezentos
400 quatrocentos
500 quinhentos
600 seiscentos
700 setecentos
800 oitocentos
900 novecentos
1000 mil |