Quiz: How much do you know about the Azores?

The Azores is an autonomous region of Portugal. The archipelago has three capitals (administrative cities of the regional government). Ponta Delgada (in São Miguel) is home to the president and executive branch of the government. Angra do Heroísmo (in Terceira) is home to the judiciary power and Horta (in Faial) is home to the regional assembly and legislative branches of the government.

The Azores is a Portuguese archipelago of nine islands (São Miguel, Santa Maria, Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Fogo, Faial, Corvo and Flores) located in the north Atlantic ocean, about 2 hours from Europe and 5 from North America.

The Cozido das Furnas is a traditional dish in São Miguel, which is cooked underground, taking advantage of the heat of the volcanic soil of the region. It consists of several kinds of meat as well as vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots and cabbage.

The highest point of the Azores, and also the highest of Portugal, is Mount Pico which stands at 2,351 metres and is located on Pico Island. The mountain is a dormant stratovolcano, whose most recent eruption dates from 1720. At the summit of the mountain (Piquinho) are active fumaroles that emit water steam.

After the Capelinhos volcano’s eruption, in 1957/58, Faial got 2.4 km2 of new land. The eruption started at sea on the 27th of September and lasted for 13 months, finally ending in October 1958. During this period, the eruption triggered hundreds of earthquakes, spread tonnes of ashes, destroyed 300 houses and caused the evacuation of 2,000 people. There were no casualties to be mourned.

São Jorge is a long slender island, and its fissure eruptions formed many fajãs (flat land, which results from lava flows). Often the fajãs are the only contact point with the sea.

Tourada à corda (rope bullfight) is a centuries-old tradition, in which the bull is led along the streets on a rope, held by six people – the pastores – and anyone who dares, taunts and teases the bull. In practice, most men venture ahead of the bull, trying to run and hide whenever the animal approaches too closely

When you are driving to Fajã Grande, and approaching the Ribeira do Ferreiro Waterfall, the very first drop that you see, standing alone on the wall, is the Ribeira Grande waterfall. We drove past this fall a couple of times, but, if you can choose, visit the waterfall after a day of strong rain, so that the water flow is even stronger. You can approach the waterfall at its bottom or from the top. Both views are impressive.

The Império (which translates as Empire) looks like a small chapel, and it is where the Holy-Spirit crowns and insignia are kept from one year to the next.

The Holy-Spirit soup is a simple recipe of bread cut into slices and covered with cinnamon and leaves of mint. The secret of this recipe is the broth, rich in flavour, after having spent hours cooking the meat. Once the broth is poured over the bread it is ready to be served! This soup is served during the Holy-Spirit celebrations, after Easter.

The Horta’s marina is one of the most visited ports in the world, because of its location, in the Atlantic Ocean, halfway between Europe and the Americas.

Volcanic stone was used to build the tiny walls that protect the vines in Pico. This special architecture has been recognised as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

Azoreans are an ingenious people and masters of reinvention. They have become Europe’s sole producers of tea and coffee. After a plague that ruined all the orange crops, the Azoreans found an alternative crop in tea. That was back in the 1870s, and tea production has thrived ever since. As, for coffee, Azoreans believe the first beans came from Brazil and adapted well, because of the low altitude of the terrain, together with the high humidity of the climate. The tiny farm of Sr. Nunes, in São Jorge, is the largest coffee plantation in Europe, although it has a mere 700 plants, which produce approximately 700 kg of coffee beans each year.

The Terra Nostra garden was started when an American Consul, Thomas Hickling, decided to build a summer house and garden in 1775. Since then, the property has passed through different hands, each owner adding something new (a new house, a new flower bed, a new water pool, more land, or many new species, imported from all over the world). Nowadays, the garden is one of the most beautiful in the Azores, and one of the most beautiful we have ever visited. In the mid XXth century, the entire property was acquired by the Terra Nostra Company, and is managed by the Bensaude family, who renovated and expanded the park to what it is today.