Ribeira Grande

São Miguel, The Azores (Açores), Portugal (March 2001)

Ribeira Grande, translates to “Large Stream” in English. It serves as the main town on São Miguel’s northern coast (map). A large stream runs through town as the name implies. It provided power for grain mills in the early days of settlement, and a town flourished along its banks.

An arched bride allows Rua do Estrela to traverse the ribeira grande. Here the stream completes its swift mountainous descent to the sea. If you look closely between the middle arches you can see the ocean at the mouth of ribeira grande.

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Waterfall

While this powerful stream still races downhill from the mountain, it has been tamed as it drops into the coastal plain and runs through the center of town. Here terracing restrains a portion of the brook to form a waterfall through landscaped parkland.

Readers who have an interest in waterfalls might also want to check my Waterfalls Index page.

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Scenic Overlook

The road leading out of town climbed the central highlands and provided a panoramic view of Ribeira Grande, below. This gave us an excellent perspective and appreciation of the relatively flat coastal plains where a town logically grew.

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• Index of All Islands Visited
• The Island of São Miguel
  • Ponta Delgada Scenes
  • Ponta Delgada Streets
  • Ribeira Grande
  • Caldeira Velha
  • Logoa do Fogo
  • Vila Franca do Campo
  • Furnas Scenery
  • Furnas Fumaroles
  • Miscellaneous Scenery