Graciosa Activities
Graciosa features two small beaches of soft sand at Praia and a natural pool at Carapacho. Formed by volcanic rocks, Graciosa satisfies the needs of swimmers and sunbathers with its sunshine and coasts. Praia and Santa Cruz da Graciosa offer good natural conditions for sailing, windsurfing, and water skiing.
However it’s the marine depths along the coast of Graciosa that provide the major attraction for those who like to spend their holidays with ocean activities. The transparent waters hide grottoes and rocks with strange shapes and varied colors covered with seaweed and mollusks. The wealth of fish of all sizes and colors thrills divers and making them feel they have plunged into a world made up of shining shoals. The whole coast of Graciosa provides excellent conditions for diving. Fishing from rocks or boats allows interesting catches of barracuda, oceanic bonito, scorpion-fish, conger eel, bream, amberjack, comber, fork beard, moray eel, grouper, wrasse, pork-fish, perch, octopus, and lobster.
Hunters can set their sights on rabbits, quail, and pigeons.
Gracisoa features a sulfur cavern called “Gruta do Enxofre” of rare volcanic phenomena. A winding staircase takes you down to an enormous vault featuring a lake with lukewarm sulfurous water. The vault has a diameter of 128 meters with a ceiling 81 meters high at a depth of 102 meters). Visits are best appreciated between 11am and 2pm when sunlight penetrates through a narrow opening, bathing the interior with beautiful light.
Graciosa also features rift-valleys for the hiker: Furna dos Bolos, Manuel de Avila, Cardo, Cao, Gato, Queimado, Labarda, Furada, Linheiro, Lembradeira, Castelo, Calcinhas, Vermelho, Luis, and Urze.