Pinhal da Paz

Ett 49 hektar stort skogsreservat vid kanten av Ponta Delgada, med lekplatser, picknickgläntor och en tyst slingled.

Några minuter öster om centrala Ponta Delgada, a hillside of pines and tree ferns hides one of the island’s favourite afternoon escapes. The forest reserve of Pinhal da Paz offers playgrounds, picnic clearings and an easy loop trail — a calm patch of woodland that makes a gentle counterpoint to the volcanic lakes of Sete Cidades på andra sidan staden.

En skog för staden

Reservatet täcker omkring fyrtio nio hektar på sluttningarna över staden, på omkring 240 meters höjd. Äldre kartor känner det som Mata das Cria

Gläntor och leder

The path of Creations loop runs a short circuit through the trees, past tree ferns and flowering shrubs, in under an hour at a stroll. Families come for the large children’s playground and its maze, for the picnic areas with grills and for the fitness circuit that climbs the slope. Birds move through the canopy, and the shade keeps the air fresh even in the middle of summer.