In October, fly to the Azores and discover the sounds of jazz in an event that year after year has been establishing itself as one of the best and most interesting of its kind in Portugal.
The Angrajazz festival is organised annually in Angra do Heroísmo on Terceira Island. This town in the middle of the Atlantic is considered by UNESCO as World Heritage of Humanity.
As usual, it will take place in the Centro Cultural e de Congressos, the former bull ring which has been refurbished as a venue for cultural activities. The semi-circular auditorium becomes a great jazz club, with the musicians very close to the audience, which gives it a very authentic and intimate setting.
The programme alternates between major international names in jazz, North Americans and Europeans, and Portuguese projects of recognised merit. The line-up always has at least one national group and one regional group, thus fulfilling one of its main objectives which is to disseminate and cultivate the taste for jazz in the Azores.
The Associação Cultural Angrajazz has also organised a number of parallel activities for the festival period, including conferences, exhibitions, films and other events.
Some of the concerts held over the years of this festival made it onto the list of best concerts of the year in Portugal. This list is compiled by the national critics of the genre.
To be announced...
The third Azorean island to be discovered by navigators from the 15th century, Angra do Heroísmo, was the first city of the archipelago. It was very important as a commercial post and served as a stopover on the navigation routes between Europe, the Americas and India.
Angra has the special beauty of the islands of the Azores that results from the contrast between the exuberant nature and the dark stone used in the construction, revealing its volcanic origin. The long history and heritage built over centuries has led to the historic center of Angra do Heroísmo being classified as World Heritage.
It is essential to take a tour of the island and visit the black sand beaches of Praia da Vitória, the belvedere at the tip of the Cape, Algar do Carvão, Caldeira de Santa Bárbara, at the highest point of the island, and the natural pools in Biscoitos, where you can also taste the locally produced wine at the Wine Museum.
√ Be dazzled by the lava tube of the Gruta do Natal (a Grotto) or descend to the Algar do Carvão
√ Feel the heat of the earth in fumarolas of Furnas do Enxofre (a lava cave)
√ Take a boat trip to see whales, sperm-whales and dolphins
√ Dive in the natural pools that are found all over the island
√ Taste the verdelho wine
√ Eat the delicious rump, a local dish of beef
