If you are considering Candelária as a place to stay, three specific themes can help you get your bearings: its rugged coastline without beaches, its church architecture and its religious festival calendar. This can help you decide before your trip whether to focus on the landscape, architectural styles or a particular celebration.
Coast, Hills and Views
The high rocky terrain keeps the land above sea level and explains why there are no beaches in Candelária. The landscape is shaped by hills, with valleys and numerous grotas breaking it up. The Cumieiras area on the eastern side offers sweeping views of the sea. The coastal landscape and the viewpoint are distinct features: the coast describes the terrain by the sea, while Cumieiras is a specific place for broad sea views. If you expect a beach-lined coast when choosing a destination, bear this distinction in mind; Candelária’s coastal character lies in its rocky terrain and its views.
Churches and Traditional Architectural Styles
The Igreja Paroquial de Candelária has whitewashed and painted façades with high plinths, corner stones and cornices made of natural stone. Inside, whitewashed and painted surfaces are covered with polychrome patterned azulejo tiles; a painted high altarpiece stands on the end wall. The exterior and interior can thus be distinguished by their different materials and design features: natural stone articulates the bright façades, while patterned tiles and the altarpiece define the interior.
The Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Candeias is a 19th-century parish church. Its polygonal plan comprises a nave, chancel and attached outbuildings; the bell tower stands on the right. The traditional Casas de Bico are also defined by specific features: they have three to five windows, two of which are aligned with the main entrance door. The houses are unadorned and have small gardens and quintas. Their window arrangement and simple design offer a different architectural point of reference from the stone details of the Igreja Paroquial.
Religious Traditions and Festival Dates
The Ermida de Nossa Senhora do Socorro was built about 430 years ago, after sailors vowed that if they were rescued from a shipwreck, they would build a chapel in honour of Nossa Senhora do Socorro. At Fonte do Socorro, pilgrims from the island still make an exception to the usual Ave Maria, replacing it with their own sung invocation.
Candelária preserves four Impérios of the Divino Espírito Santo: Império da Ascensão, Império de Pentecostes, Império da Trindade and Império de São Pedro. The festival of the Divino Espírito Santo takes place each year at the home of the newly appointed Mordomo and is supported by the community. Two other dates provide a clear framework for the festival calendar: the celebration in honour of the patron saint Nossa Senhora das Candeias takes place on 2 February; Candelária’s main festival in honour of the Santíssimo Sacramento falls on the second Sunday in September. When planning your trip, it makes a difference whether you are working around a fixed calendar date or a recurring day of the week in September.
Planning Your Journey on Route 206
AzoresBus route 206 is useful for getting your bearings along the route: it runs between Mosteiros and Ponta Delgada via Várzea, Ginetes, Candelária, Feteiras and Relva. If you plan to use the route for your arrival or onward journey, check the current timetable before travelling; route details may change.
Discover more destinations: Faja de Cima, Lagoa, Capelas, Ribeira Cha, Remédios, Ribeira Grande, Achada, Pico Da Pedra
Back to the main travel overview: S.Miguel.
