Ponta Delgada

Set beneath the rising volcanic ridges of Sao Miguel Island, Ponta Delgada is the favoured entry point for travellers eager to hit the Portuguese Azores. But this pretty little city of churches and jetties and countless cruise ships is much more than just a transport hub. Its history is peppered with tales of colonial wars and romantic explorations, where white washed buildings with black stone trim characterise the city’s architecture all the way from the welcoming archways of the Portas de Cidade to the Igreja de São Sebastião. Cobbled streets lead further to areas like Praça 5 de Outubro dominated with the likes of the Fort Sao Braz and the Convento da Esperança. There’s also one exquisite town hall to see, and the 100-year-old Carlos Machado Museum, which chronicles the curious Azorean culture and its place in the history of Europe as a whole. Away from the town, the magnificent backcountry of Sao Miguel reigns supreme, complete with soaring calderas and verdant massifs. That means Ponta Delgada tour guides offer trips out to the great Lagoa das Sete Cidades, split in the midst of a dormant volcano cone, not to mention the area’s famous hot springs at Vale das Furnas and the lagoons and beaches at Lagoa do Fogo.