Arcadas do Judeu

Arcadas do Judeu is a sheltered dive site with shallow waters, making it suitable for any level of experience, including those who prefer to stay at the surface for snorkelling. It is located in a small cove next to the fishing port of Porto Judeu, facing the Ilhéus das Cabras, on the island Terceira, and it is in its impressive rock formations that the unique character of diving resides.

Heading westward, you reach a first long archway, approximately 7 metres wide, where it is possible to encounter several species, such as the blackhead wrasse (Bodianus scrofa). From there, a corridor of about 10 metres opens the way between two vertical walls and leads into a small bay, where a remarkable stone staircase emerges, rising from the seabed to the surface.

This staircase is a geological phenomenon of volcanic origin, formed by a set of basalt columns fitted into one another, almost like a stone pavement. It originates from the prismatic disjunction of a large mass of basaltic lava and resembles, on a small scale, the famous Giant’s Causeway in Ireland.