Azores Region

Azores: New Museum of Contemporary Art will have one exhibition of Serralves per year

Wednesday, 01 September 2010 00:00

The future Museum of Contemporary Art in Ponta Delgada will feature an exhibition each year from the Serralves collection in Porto, as part of a new partnership between the local museum and the Serralves Foundation, a big entry step for the Azores in the international network of museums. And, it will allow people in the Azores to explore the contemporary art collection from the Serralves at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Ponta Delgada. The museum, whose construction contract is to be launched by the City of Ponta Delgada in the first half of 2011, has Oscar Niemeyer (1988 Pritzker Prize) as project architect and is estimated at three million euros budget (funds of municipalities and communities). The museum will be located in the eastern part of the city, along the Avenida do Mar. There is also going to be a Contemporary Art Center of the Azores, in the Ribeira Grande and will be dedicated to dance and audiovisuals - financed by the regional government.

Azores Islands to be Climate Change Model

Wednesday, 11 August 2010 00:00

The Green Islands Project is the world's largest experiments in viable energy systems powered entirely by renewable sources. Sao Miguel and Flores islands were chosen because both currently use renewable energy sources in addition to oil. Sao Miguel generates about half of its electricity from two geothermal plants, and Flores has significant hydroelectric resources. The experts study when and where it¹s sunny or windy, seasonal shifts in winds and rains, which islands have the most geothermal power and how much electricity each can generate, and how the islands¹ agriculture wastes can be converted to methane to generate electricity. A plan for converting both public and private transportation to electric vehicles is on the Project's drawing board. The regional government is working with the project to convert municipal solid waste to energy, both to address waste removal problems and to reduce reliance on oil. Read more here.

SATA sees record passenger growth to the Azores

Monday, 09 August 2010 19:52

In month of July 2010, the airlines of the SATA Group recorded significant growth on most of the routes to and from the Azores.

Azores hiking trails are gaining popularity with visitors and locals alike

Friday, 06 August 2010 00:00

There are 60 hiking trails across the Azores archipelago. On the whole, hikers around the Azores are happy with the trails and not put off by the changeable weather. "Very nice landscape, very nice nature here, We come especially for the nature and to make walking tours here in São Miguel", said a Dutch visitor. For others, the absence of touristic pressure common to many island destinations is what keeps them coming back.

"We like the Azorean welcome and there are few tourists, especially in the islands of the Central group", said a French visitor.

"We were worried there would be too many tourists in São Miguel but there seems a nice balance", added his wife.

This week, a group of environmentalists from the Canary Islands travelled to São Miguel, Faial and Pico to assess the state of the trails. Their visit, which was part of a reciprocal agreement between various environmental associations in Macaronesia and locally-based Friends of the Azores, will end at the top of Pico mountain.

Tom Curren in the Azores

Thursday, 05 August 2010 17:14

Tom Curren, João Guedes and Luke Egan are the three of the stars of the Azores Islands Pro taking place between Aug 10-15 in Ribeira Grande, São Miguel.

Curren still surfs in contests on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS.) He is also often invited to surf in World Championship Tour (WCT) trials or contests as a wildcard. He has competed in the Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am Surf Contest for 3 years in a row, surfing on the Switchfoot team. The Billabong Azores Islands Pro will be held in São Miguel Island, the largest of nine islands that compose the Azores archipelago.

This event will take place in Ribeira Grande Santa Bárbara beach. The best surf spots in the Azores are found off the island of São Miguel, where its north coast provides powerful and uncrowded surf.

The surf generally ranges in size from 3-5 feet during summer, reaching up to 15 feet in the winter months. Under the influence of the Gulf Stream, the climate of the Azores is temperate, with a high rainfall and a narrow temperature range: an annual temperature of 14º, with an average summer temperature of 24º, when the sea temperature is 22º.