Monte Mar Palace Hotel

Mercado da Graça (Free Market)

by Avieira67

This my favourite place when I need to buy fresh vegetables and fruits. Here you can find a well known shop, just on the right site of the main entrance, specialized in our regional products, namely cheeses, liquors and sweets.
Don't forget to visit the shops of our artisanat.

Address: Rua do Mercado (close to Teatro Micaelense).

Centro Municipal de Cultura

by mircaskirca

Centro Municipal de Cultura is located on a pleasant Largo Mártires da Pátria and was built in the 17th century. The building was originally a private home but now it houses several art collections and exhibits that add to the cultural soul of the city. At the back is a lush garden full of greenery and flowers.

There are three main exhibition areas. The first to the right as you enter the ground level is usually dedicated to historical objects of religious iconography and interest. Further on is a second gallery area for collections and exhibitions. At the time of my visit (June 2009) there was an exhibition of Fernando Flor de Lima collection of Santo António sculptures which I loved. The third space is on the upper floor where private collection of Azorean painter Victor Meireles was on display.

The place is open Mon-Fri 8:30am-12:30pm, 1:30pm-4:30pm and 6:30pm-8pm; weekends and holidays 2pm-8pm.

ponta delgada capital of sao miguel dos acores

by hanspeter_W.

"ponta delgada - capital of sao miguel dos acores"

S. Miguel (Sao Miguel), known as "The Green Island", is the largest and most populated island of the Azores as well as the home to the Presidency of the Autonomous Region of the Azores. S. Miguel island has a surface area of approximately 293 square miles (759 km2). S. Miguel's population is around 150.000 inhabitants.

Ponta Delgada had its beginnings as a simple village inhabited by fishermen attracted by its safe inlets. Due to its great location on the South Coast it became the main port of the island, thus justifying the transfer of the custom-house to Ponta Delgada in 1518 and its being made capital of Sao Miguel in 1546. Fortifications were built in the 16th and 17th century to defend it from corsair attacks. Economic expansion brought prosperity in the 18th and 19th centuries which led to the town's construction boom of palaces, mansions, churches and other monuments. In 1831 the constitutional forces landed in Pesqueiro da Achadinha in the north-eastern region, and Ponta Delgada became the port of departure of the liberal expedition that went ashore in northern Portugal in 1832 right after the siege of Oporto. Ponta Delgadas was promptly proclaimed the Constitutional Charter of Queen Maria II, daughter of D. Pedro IV. About 3,500 Azoreans, most of them from Sao Miguel took part in the successful expedition.