Fourteen new hiking trails are being created, which will soon be part of the Regional Network of Hiking Trails, along with three new trail proposals approved at the last meeting of the Hiking Trails Monitoring Committee (CAPP) in the Azores.
The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Berta Cabral, said: “These interventions fall within the destination qualification policy defined in the Strategic and Marketing Plan for Tourism in the Azores (PEMTA 2030), expanding and diversifying the Regional Network of Hiking Trails in the Azores.”
Currently, the Regional Network of Hiking Trails has 96 approved hiking trails, totalling 838km. These are signposted with internationally-recognised marks and codes that ensure safety conditions for hikers and environmental protection in the areas where they are located.
“For two consecutive years, we have been distinguished as the “Best Adventure Tourism Destination in the World” and these new routes allow us to continue the work of elevating the tourist experience and consolidating the Azores’ position as a destination of excellence for this type of tourism – active, silent, nature and adventure tourism,” Cabral said.
Two of the three proposals for new hiking trails are located in Terceira, and the other in São Jorge.
On the island of Terceira, the proposal to create the Lagoa do Cerro Trail, 5.5km long, was approved by the Angra do Heroísmo City Council. It highlights the Lagoa do Cerro, which gives the trail its name, a wetland of great ecological interest and a place for observing local and migratory birds. There is also the Ribeiras/Matas da Agualva Trail, about 8km long, presented by the Agualva Parish Council. It features a rich historical and cultural heritage linked to water architecture, with mills, waterfalls, gullies, stone sinks, washhouses and other structures that show the historical connection between the community and the local water resources.
On São Jorge Island, the Santo Antão Parish Council presented the Grutões Trail, which is around 6.5km long, taking visitors to the “Grutões” site and passing by Fajã de São João.
The promoters of these new approved trails will implement the routes by the beginning of next year. The Regional Directorate for Tourism will be responsible for the respective signposting as well as the installation of information panels and promotion on the Tourism Portal.
The Regional Network of Hiking Trails in the Azores is systematically monitored, supervised and improved by the Support Centre for Nature Tourism Activities of the Regional Tourism Directorate.
In 2024, 183 monitoring reports were produced, corresponding to more than 2,000km travelled and inspected on the various trails that make up the network, which resulted in 85 remediation actions. At the end of the year, eight routes were temporarily closed, mostly due to safety issues related to geomorphological instability.
In addition, significant work was carried out on signpost maintenance, particularly on the islands of Pico and Flores, where the signs and trailheads were improved.
This work is fundamental to ensuring the quality and safety of hiking trails, a pillar of sustainable tourism in the Azores.
Cabral said: “Hiking trails continue to be one of the region’s main tourist attractions, providing visitors and residents with the opportunity to explore the natural beauty, cultural richness and history of the islands by foot. This brings them into genuine contact with Nature and, often, with the human nature of the Azores.”
