The centre of Angra do Heroísmo was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in December 1983. It covers an area of around 6 square kilometres on the south coast of Terceira Island. Half of this area is made up of the old city centre and the other of the extinct volcano of Monte Brasil. There were two relevant criteria for the decision to include the city centre on the UNESCO World Heritage list:

1. The port of Angra was an essential stopover for the fleets coming from Africa and the Indies, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and is an emblematic example of its connection to the maritime function in the context of the great Discoveries;
2. Angra do Heroísmo is directly and materially linked to the Maritime Discoveries, which enabled exchanges between the planet's great civilisations, an event of universal historical significance

Furthermore, in the process of restoring the city in the aftermath of the 1980 earthquake, great care was taken to preserve all the material and intangible elements that express its identity, as well as the city's historical character. Angra do Heroísmo was the first Portuguese city to be awarded this title.

Known as the Island of Jesus Christ during the period when it was discovered by Portuguese navigators, its settlement began around 1450, when Prince Infante D. Henrique granted its captaincy to the Flemish Jácome de Bruges. The first settlements were located between Porto Judeu and Praia da Vitória and soon spread throughout the island.

With an economy initially focused on agricultural production, especially cereals and woad (a dye plant that was exported), Terceira began to play an important role in navigation in the 15th and 16th centuries as a port of call for ships bringing wealth from the Americas, which were joined by galleons from India.

During this period, Terceira Island became a trading post for gold, silver, diamonds and spices from other continents, which attracted the greed of French, English and Flemish pirates and made its coasts the target of constant attacks for several centuries.

The succession to the Portuguese throne of the Spanish king Filipe II in 1580 and the support given by the people of Terceira to the pretender D. António, Prior do Crato, who came to live on the island and coined currency there, led to Terceira suffering attempted conquests by the Spanish. The first landing of Spanish troops in 1581 was defeated in the famous Battle of Salga, in which the writers Cervantes and Lope de Vega took part. In 1583, much superior Spanish forces, commanded by Álvaro de Bazan, winner of the Battle of Lepanto, managed to take control of the island after fierce fighting.

Until 1640, Terceira was a port of call for Spanish galleons, bringing fabulous wealth from Peru and Mexico. With the Restoration, the Spanish were expelled and life returned to normal, with the island maintaining its position as the economic, administrative and religious centre of the Azores until the early 19th century.

The liberal struggles led Terceira to play, once again, an important role in the history of Portugal.

A supporter of the Liberal Party since 1820, and after several setbacks, a turning point came in 1828, when the absolutists were defeated and Terceira became the main stronghold of the liberals. Opposite Vila da Praia, a violent naval battle took place in 1829, in which the Miguelist forces were defeated, followed by the establishment of the regency in Terceira and the subsequent conquest of the remaining islands of the archipelago for the liberal cause. In 1832, the navy and army left Terceira for the mainland and, after landing in Mindelo, proclaimed the Constitutional Charter.

The end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century were marked by a progressive reduction of Terceira's role in the context of the Azores. However, the construction of a harbour in Praia da Vitória, the existence of an important air base and the commercial airport have opened up new prospects for the island's development.

Alcatra
The most typical dish on Terceira Island, usually made with beef, slowly cooked in a wooden oven and in a clay pot, using several ingredients such as bacon, onion, garlic, bay leaves, pepper and Verdelho wine. It is usually served with bread or sweet bread. This cooking method is also used with fish, chicken, beans, rabbit, octopus or broad beans.

Donas Amélias
The name of the cake, Dona Amélia, was chosen as a way of paying homage to Queen Amélia and King Carlos' visit to Terceira Island in 1901, thereby giving the cakes the queen's name. Its main ingredients are spices, which were very common at the time, brought by sailors on expeditions from India, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, among others. The cakes attract the attention of everyone who visits the island. They are considered by many to be a real delicacy.

Conde da Praia
A conventual pastry, much appreciated in Terceira, named after the 1st Count of Praia da Vitória, a notable Terceira native and great admirer of this dessert. Currently, it is also made in cheesecake form, and its main ingredients are potatoes, eggs, sugar, and spices.

Sopas do Espírito Santo
The traditional soups of Espírito Santo are made in all parishes on the island, using the same recipe, which includes bread, butter and the water used to cook the meat, which is poured over the bread, covered with cabbage leaves and flavoured with a sprig of mint although there may be some differences in seasoning in some parishes. The soups are served with meat, bacon, liver, sausage, black pudding, skin sausage, blood, potatoes, sweet potatoes and vegetables.

Vinho Verdelho
Wine produced in the parish of Biscoitos, on the north coast of the island, it is a fortified wine, predominantly dry, but also available in sweet and semi-dry varieties, produced from Verdelho grape varieties. It can be drunk chilled as an aperitif. They also produced table wines.

Queijo
There is a wide variety of cheese to choose from on Terceira Island, including buttery, soft and fresh cheeses. All of them are a treat for those who try them.

Mariscos
Limpets, barnacles, spider crabs, lobsters and cavacos can be enjoyed during a visit to Terceira.

Festas do Espírito Santo
Terceira is filled with a festive atmosphere in celebration of the Holy Spirit. These festivities take place on Sundays during the seven weeks following Easter. All parishes have at least one Império, which is distinguished by its architecture and bright colours, where the cult of the Holy Spirit is celebrated. These festivities have developed a sense of community and unity that is very typical of Azorean culture and its religiosity.

Impérios do Espírito Santo
The impérios are a unique type of popular architecture on Terceira Island, linked to the Festas do Divino Espírito Santo (Feast of the Holy Spirit) and dating from the 17th to the 21st centuries. They can be found in all parishes and are brightly coloured, standing out from the rest of the houses and attracting the attention of visitors. They are small in size, with two windows and a door on their façade, topped by a crown. Inside, at the back, and during the festivities, there is a pyramid shaped altar, decorated with the crown of the Holy Spirit and white flowers. Attached to the Império, there is usually a pantry where bread, meat and wine are stored and distributed to the people of the parish.

Location: All over the island
Dates: On the seventh and eighth Sundays after Easter
Responsible Entity: Brotherhoods of the Holy Spirit

Festas Sanjoaninas
Linked to the traditions of the S. João festivities, the programme includes an opening parade with the Queen of the Festivities, the famous S. João marches, an ethnographic parade and parades with different themes. At the same time, there are different sports competitions. The evenings are filled with performances by different bands, concerts and parades by marching bands. It is also an opportunity to sample the island's traditional snacks in the famous taverns that are also a feature of these festivities and can be found throughout the city. Equally emblematic is the bullfighting programme, with typical bullfights in the bullring (always featuring bullfighters on foot and on horseback), bullfights with ropes and bull runs.

Location: City of Angra do Heroísmo
Dates: Flexible dates, always covering 24th June
Responsible Entity: Angra do Heroísmo Town Hall

Festas da Praia
Commemoration of the elevation of Praia from village to city, featuring parades, concerts, taverns, bullfights, including one of the most unique on the island, which takes place on the city's beach, and a food fair, with the presence of some regions of mainland Portugal. The programme also includes different sporting activities.

Location: City of Praia da Vitória
Dates: Flexible dates, always covering 11th August
Responsible Entity: Praia da Vitória Town Hall

Danças de Carnaval da Terceira
The Danças do Entrudo (Carnival Dances), the name given by the islanders to their most important and well-known form of popular theatre, take place during Carnival, when thousands of people travel around the island, following the “dance itinerary” which can be linked to a wide variety of everyday themes. Whether performed in processions, on the streets or in courtyards, the dances consist of two wings of dancers, a master (armed with a sword, wand or tambourine) and a varying number of performers, all accompanied by music. The people find in the dances the necessary magic to tell what is known about the past, to denounce the suffering of the present and to express what is demanded of the future.

Location: Terceira Island
Dates: Carnival

Angrajazz
The Angra do Heroísmo International Jazz Festival is an annual event that aims to promote and develop an appreciation for jazz in the Azores. It was first held in October 1999 and has taken place every year since then, always around the 5th October holiday. The line-up includes local, national and international artists.

Location: City of Angra do Heroísmo
Dates: Flexible dates, always covering 5th October
Responsible Entity: Angrajazz Cultural Association

Touradas À Corda
Bullfighting with ropes is considered one of the most popular events in the Azores and is a traditional activity on this island. It takes place from 1st May to 15th October, every year. The bullfight consists of an arena, marked by three white lines painted on the ground at each end, where four bulls run, tied by a rope around their necks and controlled by seven to ten shepherds. At the end of the festivities, traditional snacks are sold in typical taverns or by “homens dos cestos” (men with baskets).

Location: Terceira Island
Dates: 1st May to 15th October
Responsible Entity: Festival Committee of each parish