Nordeste

Nordeste, at the eastern end of São Miguel, is the green garden of the Azores: the oldest settlement of the island, in a country of high hills, waterfalls and viewpoints over the Atlantic. Its miradouros — gardens by the sea, with hydrangeas and views that stretch for kilometres — are among the most beautiful of the archipelago.

The village and its viewpoints

The village grew in the valley of the Ribeira do Guilherme, where the first settlers of São Miguel made their home in the fifteenth century. Above it, the coast road leads to the great gardens of the miradouros: the Ponta do Sossego, with its flowers and lawns, and the Ponta da Madrugada, famous for the sunrise over the sea — the coasts of the island, green and steep, falling from the viewpoints to the water.

What to see

• The gardens and views of the Miradouro da Ponta do Sossego.
• The Miradouro da Ponta da Madrugada, and its sunrise over the ocean.
• The village of Nordeste and its old streets.
• The waterfalls and green valleys of the north-east coast.

Visiting

Nordeste lies at the eastern tip of São Miguel, around an hour by road from Ponta Delgada, along the coast. The viewpoints are reached by the coastal road, with car parks at the entrances; the weather changes quickly on the island, so the visits are best planned with the official information of the municipality and of the Azores.

Nearby

The town of Vila Franca do Campo and the valleys of Povoação lie on the road back to the centre of the island.

Information: cmnordeste.pt.

Image credit: View from Miradouro da Ponta do Sossego, by Kritzolina, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.