Baía da Folga

Short and peaceful, this trail takes you through the south of Graciosa to Baía da Folga, a bathing area near the parish of Luz. The starting point is the heart of the parish itself, beside the church of Nossa Senhora da Luz.

From here, you follow the road towards Carapacho and, just to the right, you enter a dirt track. This is where you cross cultivated fields, pastures and especially the typical vineyard “currais” of the island. Past the last houses, the trail bends south, towards the coast. If the day is clear, it’s worth stopping to admire the horizon: in the distance you can make out São Jorge, Pico and Faial.

Along the way you’ll find some specimens of cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana), whose berries are edible and pleasantly flavoured. Closer to the sea, cubres (Solidago sempervirens) become frequent, a coastal plant covered in flores yellow flowers, and bracel-da-rocha (Festuca petraea), an endemic species also known as rock fescue, for the small tufts that emerge from the stone.

The trail ends at Folga harbour, a small bathing area where a dip in the Atlantic is tempting. It was at this location that an eighteenth-century maritime defence fort once stood, now disappeared. Before heading back, you can also peek at the hermitage of Santo António, nearby, and take a break at the local restaurant.