Ribeirinha can be explored through a wide range of themes: distinctive rock formations, a route through a predominantly agricultural landscape, local history and a large recreational area. This presents a clear choice when planning your trip: should you focus on landscape and geology, or on cultural heritage? The annual festival dates offer concrete points of reference for a trip in January or May; check the current programme in advance.

Trails Through the Landscape and Rock Formations

The Pedra Furada da Serra da Ribeirinha route begins next to the Centro Etnográfico da Ribeirinha. It passes through a predominantly agricultural landscape and offers views of Angra do Heroísmo Bay and Terceira’s southern coast. Its distinctive features include seven groups of striking rock formations, including rocks with so-called “pias” and “marcas de corte”. The route details therefore identify both coastal views and notable formations as landmarks, without assuming a walking time or difficulty level.

The Passagem das Bestas route offers a different perspective on the landscape: crossing the pasture provides a view of the collapse caldera of Vulcão dos Cinco Picos. It lies between Serra da Ribeirinha and Serra do Cume and has a mean diameter of seven kilometres. The two routes can therefore be distinguished by their different landscape features: Pedra Furada focuses on rock formations and coastal views, while Passagem das Bestas offers a view of the caldera.

History and Cultural Traditions

The original patron saint image of the Igreja Paroquial de São Pedro da Ribeirinha is a remarkable 15th-century sculpture made of Ançã stone. It is now housed in the Museu Paroquial da Ribeirinha. The Ermida de Santo Amaro represents a different period in history: it already existed in 1589 and was rebuilt and enlarged in 1902. These dates mark two stages in its construction history without reducing the chapel’s long history to a single point in time.

The main festival of the Ermida de Santo Amaro takes place annually on 15 January. The traditions that remain an important part of the festivities include offering Alfenim and Massa Sovada. The annual opening of the Touradas à corda on Terceira takes place on 1 May at Fonte da Ribeirinha. If you would like to plan your trip around one of these festivals, check the current programme in advance. This keeps the fixed annual dates distinct from specific programme details.

The Museu Etnográfico da Ribeirinha recreates a rural house on Terceira. Its collection comprises more than 5,000 objects, some of them almost two centuries old, depicting everyday life in Ribeirinha in the 19th and 20th centuries. The focus is therefore on both the design of a rural house and the objects and daily life of two centuries. The Centro Etnográfico da Ribeirinha presents cultural heritage associated with the customs and traditions of the Freguesia. It is the headquarters and museum of the Grupo Folclórico e Etnográfico da Ribeirinha – Recordar e Conhecer.

Recreation in Ribeirinha

The Zona de Lazer da Ribeirinha is a recreational area of approximately 7,200 m² with panoramic views over the Freguesia of Ribeirinha. Its facilities include restrooms, an outdoor picnic area with barbecues and a wood-fired oven, a children’s play area and a large lawn for football or other sports. This offers a different kind of stay from the routes and museums: here, the focus is on the facilities listed and the open space. When planning your trip, you can therefore decide whether you are more interested in striking landscapes, cultural history or a recreational area with specific leisure facilities.

Discover more destinations: Vila Nova, Cabo Da Praia, Serreta, Quatro Ribeiras, Porto Judeu, Biscoitos, Porto Martins, Fontinhas.

For the broader travel overview: Terceira.