The Azores largest city is a hub showcasing the best products from the island chain.
Things to do in Ponta Delgada
Mercado da Graca
Every city in Portugal has a market of some kind. Some are weekly pop ups, others are daily covered markets.
In Ponta Delgada, there’s a great market called Mercado da Graca. Currently undergoing a renovation, the market is temporarily housed in an underground parking garage below where the permanent market will eventually be located.
What makes the market worth a visit is the variety of local Azorean produce. Lots of vendors have the delicious pineapple grown on the island. There’s also a local melon grown on the nearby island of Santa Maria called Meloa de Santa Maria Acores. It’s one of the juiciest and tastiest melons I’ve ever had.
Several food shops and cafes ring the area where the new market will be located. O Rei dos Queijos (the King of Cheese) is the star. The tiny shop has a great selection of Azorean cheeses including the black rind São Miguel Cheese.
Plantacao de Ananas dos Acores
Back in the day, Sao Miguel became very wealthy growing and selling oranges. Citrus was an extremely profitable crop, and traders took advantage of the demand for oranges in England. Then, in 1842 an insect called the colchanero hopped on a boat from Brazil and landed in Sao Miguel. Quickly multiplying, this pest decimated the orange trees on the island.
Looking for a new cash crop, growers turned to the pineapple. Due to the climate on the Azores, pineapples are grown in greenhouses, where they take 2-3 years to fully mature.
Azorean pineapples are smaller with a more compact crown than pineapples grown in Central and South America. There are sweet with far less acidity than the ones you might be used to. Another interesting thing about pineapples from the Azores is that they don’t have to be cored, the core is tender and edible.
These unique pineapples are also more expensive than the standard ones you find in the grocery store.
There are several pineapple farms on Sao Miguel. A few are open to the public. My favorite is
