Sao Miguel Island: topics
The largest of the Azores, San Miguel, has long begun to attract curious travelers. People come here to see its priceless historical monuments, have a scenic stroll and relax at charming beaches untouched by civilization. San Miguel owes its unofficial name, "Green Island", to picturesque landscapes and a huge number of unique natural attractions. Travelers preferring to devote considerable time to strolls through historic sites would find a lot of pleasant surprises.
The capital of the island is the city of Ponta Delgada; old streets survived there represent its main treasure. Strolling through the city, you can see beautiful buildings everywhere; most of them were erected in the 18th century. However, main sightseeing sites of San Miguel are its natural attractions. The starting point of many excursions is Sete Cidades lake. It’s situated in the crater of one of the extinct volcanoes; climbing to the top of it would be an unforgettable adventure. It’s certainly worth to see Lagoa do Fogo , whose name fully reflects its main feature. There are natural pools being among the most visited sites on the island in the immediate vicinity of the volcano.
Tobacco and tea plantations have been undisputed symbols of the island for many years. It’s noteworthy that San Miguel is the only one among the Azores, where tea is grown. Ribeira Grande is the local center of cultivation, where guests can stroll through the old plantations and learn many interesting things about national fields. Very unusual objects are Mosteiros pools formed of lava flows. They look very impressive; it’s believed that water in pools has healing properties.
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