Angra do Heroismo

Angra was laid out in the 16th century as a stopover for ships crossing between Europe and the Americas, and the plan shows: a regular grid of streets sloping to a sheltered bay, houses in ochre, blue and white with iron balconies, and churches at the corners of the grid. Two fortifications stand over the water, the small Sao Sebastiao and the very large Sao Joao Baptista spread across the neck of Monte Brasil, the wooded volcanic cone that closes the harbour and can be walked in an afternoon. An earthquake in 1980 badly damaged the town and the restoration that followed is why the facades look so uniform now. UNESCO listed the central zone in 1983.

What you actually see

• The grid of painted streets - ochre and blue facades on the 16th-century layout.
• Monte Brasil - the volcanic cone above the bay, with walking trails and viewpoints.
• Fortress of Sao Joao Baptista - vast bastioned walls across the neck of the headland.
• The Duke of Terceira garden - a terraced public garden of Azorean plants above the centre.

When to go

Late spring to early autumn for the most settled weather, though Azorean cloud can sit on the island any month and change within the hour. June brings the town's street festival and fills every bed on Terceira. Bring a waterproof whatever the forecast says, and expect cool evenings.

Honest expectations

Getting here means a flight, and inter-island connections are weather-dependent and cancel at short notice. The town is quiet, with little open on Sundays and a short list of sights - two days covers it comfortably. Rain arrives without warning. Parts of the large fortress are closed to visitors and access to the rest changes without notice.

Nearby

Terceira's Algar do Carvao lava cave and the Biscoitos coastal pools are both a short drive.