Ponta Delgada (Sao Miguel Island Azores Portugal)

Ponta Delgada is a port city on Sao Miguel Island, also the biggest municipality (population around 70,000) and the executive/administrative capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of the Azores Islands. The Azores' judicial capital is Angra do Heroismo (on Terceira Island) while the legislative capital is Horta (on Faial Island).

Ponta Delgada is also the cruise port to Vila Franca do Campo, located approx 26 km / 16 mi to the east via coastal road EN1-1A (at ~30 min drive distance). The historical city of Ponta Delgada is comprised of 3 civil parishes (Sao Pedro, Sao Sebastiao, Sao Jose) and has population under 20,000.

On shore excursions from Ponta Delgada is visited Ilheu de Vila Franca/Islet. This is a small uninhabited island located off Sao Miguel Island's south-central coast. The islet and its surrounding waters are designated a protected nature reserve. Vila Franca Islet is a popular destination for tourists who enjoy cliff diving and near-coast watersports (like swimming, snorkeling, boating, kayaking, wind surfing).

By both territory (land area approx 745 km2 / 288 mi2, coastline ~225 km / 140 mi) and population (around 135,000), Sao Miguel Island is the Azores' largest. The island is served by Joao Paulo II Airport, handling both domestic and international flights (most being seasonal). Regularly scheduled flights (by Azores Airlines) link to the USA (Boston, New York City), Canada (Toronto), Madeira Island (Funchal), the Canary Islands (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), Portugal (Lisbon, Oporto) and the Azores' Terceira Island (Praia da Vitoria). The Irish airline Ryanair also provides regular flights connecting Ponta Delgada with Oporto and Lisbon.

Regularly scheduled domestic flights connect Ponta Delgada with the Azores' islands Flores, Graciosa, Pico, Santa Maria, Sao Jorge, Faial (Horta) and Terceira (Praia).

Seasonal flights link to airports in Spain (Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid), Germany (Frankfurt, Nuremberg), France (Paris), Switzerland (Zurich, Geneva), Holland (Amsterdam), Belgium (Brussels), England UK (London), Canada (Montreal), the USA (Newark NJ/New Jersey).

Ponta Delgada was established in the mid-15th-century as a fishing village, when Vila Franca do Campo was the Azores' provincial capital and Sao Miguel Island's largest settlement and economic hub. Ponta Delgada became the Azores' capital in 1522, when an earthquake followed by a landslide devastated Vila Franca. Ponta Delgada was granted city status in 1546 and became the region's executive capital under Portugal's revised constitution of 1976.

In downtown are hosted the annual religious celebrations associated with the Feast of Lord Holy Christ of the Miracles. The festival is held in Campo de Sao Francisco (in front of Fort Sao Bras). The time-honored feast day occurs on the 5th Sunday of Easter. It attracts locals and other member islands, as well as groups from within Portuguese diaspora and numerous tourists.

One of the most popular non-religious events in Ponta Delgada is Noites de Verao (Nights of Summer). It is a summer event, that is normally held in the square of Campo do Sao Francisco, attracting family, friends and tourists, with a wealth of vendors selling refreshments, food, or small goods. This age-long festival features nightly musical events, from popular singers, folklore groups, concert bands, national and international stars. Noites de Verao is supported by the municipal government and usually starts in late June, as the "nights" run four months, until September.

In 2018, Azores Islands received a total of 180,000 cruise passengers via 136 ship calls (compared to the previous record year 2015 of 141,000 pax). Of those, Ponta Delgada handled 80 calls (124,000 pax), Praia da Vitoria 27 calls (30,000 pax) and Horta 29 calls (23,000 pax). For 2019 were booked total 145 ship calls with estimated 175,000 passengers. Maiden visits in 2019 included the newbuild ships Nieuw Statendam (2018), Celebrity Edge (2018), Roald Amundsen (2019), Hanseatic Nature (2019).

Ponta Delgada cruise terminal