Ponta Delgada, Azores

Uncovering authentic local finds and having experiences that make you feel like you’ve really connected with a place are important elements in ensuring an extraordinary vacation. We’re taking advantage of our partnership with Travel + Leisure to get their editors’ recommendations and insider tips on the places you will want to visit. Here are their picks for just one of the 150 destinations they covered.

Must-Sees from the Editors of
Travel + Leisure

Downtown Shopping
Stores are filled with local crafts and souvenirs at Solmar Avenida Center, a shopping area in central Ponta Delgada. For smaller boutiques, head two blocks up from the city’s waterfront to Rua São João, where local jewelers, designers, and gallery owners have set up shop.

Convento e Capela de Nossa Senhora de Esperança
Built in 1545, this chapel has beautiful Portuguese-tiled walls, but it’s best known for its gold statue of Jesus that the locals say washed up on the island’s shore. Try to arrive at 5:30 in the evening, when the nuns display the revered statue, now surrounded by a golden altar.

Lagarta Trolley
Hop on this dark-green three-car trolleybus for tours of the city and its surrounding area. Some trips focus on Ponta Delgada history, while others might take you to urban gardens, the city’s outskirts, or straight to the beach.

Be sure to visit our Shore Excursions page or speak with our onboard Destination Concierge for arrangements to any of these must-sees.

To learn more about this exciting port, please refer to our Port Explorer guide.