When visiting the hermitage of Nossa Senhora da Paz on the hillside of Vila Franca do Compo in the Azores, there are two ways to go about it. You can reach the small chapel by car, or you can hike, like we decided to. Beware, it’s steep! Had we known it would be 2.5 km very much uphill, I’m not sure we would have made the same choice. Still, we had fun, following Google Maps, wondering if we would arrive at the top after the next curve in the road. A couple of cars passed, probably thinking crazy tourists 😀 When we finally found ourselves at the parking lot below the church, we were rewarded. Superb view of the town, and not least, the islet. And the chapel is lovely. Especially the 10 flight staircase. A good thing it was added to the existing shrine. Taking it from modest to extraordinary. What is looks like inside, I don’t know. Seems like it might be open to public at times, but closed when we visited, even though it was on a religious holiday (Immaculate Conception). After exploring the grounds, we embarked on the effortless descend. Departing Vila Franca do Campo, we saw the church lit up as the darkness began to fall.
Should you spend time in Vila Franca do Campo? From what I saw, I’d say the reasons for visiting are the Vila Franca Islet (when the ferry runs), and the above mentioned. Besides those two, it appeared uneventful. We grabbed ice cream at the marina, and lunch at an excellent waterfront restaurant. Some Vila Franca do Campo shots below.
Vila Franca do Campo
