Making the most of Praia da Victoria Terceira
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
The cruise terminal is conveniently located close to the downtown area of Praia da Vitória, typically within a 10-15 minute walk (1 km)
Taxis available.
Printable map to take along.
Cruise Schedule Choose Cruises and which port.
Terceira is one of the largest and more beautiful islands of the Azores. Originally called the island of Jesus Cristo, it was renamed Terceira (Third) due to the fact that it was the third island to be discovered in the Azores.
Praia was the capital of the Azores until the mid-15th century and the historic center still has many colorful old houses as well as a couple of interesting churches.
Terceira is the most populated island of the Central Group of the Azores archipelago, with an area of 382 sq.km (147 sq. miles) located 90 miles from São Miguel and 66 miles from Faial Originally Jesus Christ Island and populated from 1450.
The town boasts two notable churches, several public squares, and a number of hotels and restaurants. It is popular with wind surfers because of the constant stiff sea breeze. It edges up against a low mountain ridge called Facho (Portuguese for Torch, because in its top a primitive lighthouse and lookout place against pirates, and later a marine and military semaphoric signal station, operated for about 400 years), and a large public park atop the ridge affords excellent views of the surrounding countryside and the Atlantic Ocean.
Nearby places
The Port of Praia da Vitória is located at the Bay of Praia da Vitória, Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal, 20 Km away from the city of Angra do Heroísmo, which is classified as World Heritage by UNESCO.
Food and shopping
Explore the local markets for Azorean handicrafts, souvenirs, and local products such as cheeses and wines.
The tap water is not always drinking water, but it is suitable for tooth brushing. You can get cheap bottles of mineral water in each supermarket. One should not drink water from rivers and lakes.
Money
The Azores is a part of Portugal and the currency is Euro as well. Most of the restaurants, hotels and car-renting companies accept common credit-cards. But don't expect credit cards to be accepted in smaller restaurants and residencias. Be sure to carry small bills. There are places that it can be a problem to change bigger notes.
Most banks accept Visa/MasterCard's. Most banks have employees who speak English or French
Staying connected
The national language is Portuguese. Azoreans speak a special dialect. Sometimes the inhabitants understand also English or French, especially the younger ones.