Access to Furna do Enxofre leads through a tower around 37 metres high and down a spiral staircase with 183 steps. Graciosa, the northernmost of the five islands in the central group of the Azores archipelago, offers more discoveries where landscapes, culture and tangible traces of island life come together.

Caldeira, Furna and trails

Caldeira da Graciosa is an elliptical caldera-type subsidence hollow. It covers around 119.87 hectares, is 270 metres deep and has been classified as a Natural Monument since 2008. Its size and shape give the landscape a distinctive character.

The Furna do Enxofre Visitors Centre serves as the entrance to the Furna. Information panels and screens explain the volcanic processes that led to the formation of the island, Furna do Enxofre and the Caldeira. As operating arrangements may change, check the visiting conditions in advance.

At Caldeirinha Pêro Botelho, also known as Algar dos Diabretes, you can walk around the crater rim. Entering the Algar requires climbing equipment and qualified personnel. The Grande Rota da Graciosa offers a different scale: the circular trail is approximately 40 kilometres long, crosses large parts of the island and is divided into two stages of around 20 kilometres each.

The linear PR04 Das Vinhas ao Mar trail runs through the parish of Santa Cruz da Graciosa. It connects the wine-growing landscape of Bom Jesus and Achada with the Barro Vermelho bathing area. Graciosa thus offers trails of different kinds: a long circular route in two stages and a linear route between two named landscape areas.

Coast, islets and water

Praia Islet is designated as a Special Protection Area and lies along the flight route of Monteiro's Storm Petrel, the only seabird endemic to the Azores archipelago. The species, whose scientific name is Oceanodroma monteiroi, breeds on the islets off the coast of Graciosa and is the smallest seabird in the archipelago. The protected area, flight route and breeding grounds also make the coast a special point of interest for nature enthusiasts.

Barro Vermelho Beach is made up of lava stones and is one of Graciosa's main bathing spots. You can explore the coast by kayak or boat. Conditions in the bays of Santa Cruz, Folga and Praia are suitable for rowing, sailing and windsurfing. The natural swimming pools of Carapacho, also known as Piscinas do Carapacho, have crystal-clear water.

Carapacho also brings together a coastal setting and history: it is home to a 19th-century spa complex with warm sulphurous water between 36°C and 40°C. This adds a historic destination to the options for enjoying the water, without conflating natural pools, a bathing spot and a spa.

Island history and crafts

The Graciosa Museum is housed in a former grain and wine storehouse. Exhibits include a typical island house, a wine cellar with pressing rooms, agricultural equipment, and tools used in traditional barrel-making, furniture-making and pottery. The Barração das Canoas is a museum that preserves all the machinery used in whaling. The two collections present different aspects of the island's history: everyday life and crafts on the one hand, and whaling technology on the other.

Water management is also part of Graciosa's cultural heritage. The water reservoir structures show how the population dealt with scarce water resources. The PR01 Arquitetura da Água I trail passes examples of water architecture typical of Graciosa, including collection and storage systems such as water tanks, cisterns, washhouses and wells. Here, water is not only a landscape feature, but also part of the island's architectural and historical heritage.

Santa Cruz Church combines Portuguese Manueline and Baroque styles in its architecture. Monte de Nossa Sr.ª da Ajuda is a viewpoint overlooking Santa Cruz and is home to three chapels. Nossa Sr.ª da Ajuda Chapel is considered an example of fortified religious architecture and has an attached pilgrim hostel. In Guadalupe, a 16th-century chapel was replaced by Guadalupe Church. Construction took around fifty years; earthquake damage to the parish extended the building period.

Queijadas da Graciosa, whose recipe is several centuries old, are among the island's characteristic flavours. White wines, aged brandies and aperitif wines are also produced on Graciosa. These culinary traditions add another dimension of island life to the discoveries of its landscapes and culture.

Places on Graciosa

More places on Graciosa: Luz, Covas, Faja, Guadalupe, Praia, Feiteira, Santa Cruz da Graciosa.

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