The island of São Jorge, along with the eight other islands that form the Azores Archipelago, is impressive for its rich particularities.
This island, also known as the “island of fajãs”, presents unique places, as is the case of the place we will talk about here in this article.
Fajã da Caldeira de Santo Cristo is one of the places that characterize the maximum exponent of the beauty of the Azores and, therefore, it is one of the places of obligatory visit to all those who visit us.
It is located on the north coast of the island, in the parish of Ribeira Seca in the municipality of Calheta. It is classified, since 1894, as a Natural Reserve and a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. To get to this Fajã, you will have to follow one of these two trails: the trail that starts from Serra do Topo or the trail from Fajã dos Cubres.
Your search goes through its rich landscape, as well as the exceptional conditions it presents for water sports, such as surfing and bodyboarding. It is considered a privileged place for this purpose due to its “point break” waves.
In addition, the fajã presents a lagoon that is classified as a Natural Reserve. It is in this lagoon that the famous São Jorge clams are created. These clams, from the “ruditapes decussatus” family, are one of the most important gastronomic delicacies in the Azores, and their production is made in order to prevent their extinction. It is not clear how the clams ended up in this lagoon, but according to Aristides Silva, a fisheries technician, the hypothesis is that it was the British who, during the assembly of the submarine cable between Lisbon and the Azores in 1903, placed the mollusc there.
Also, in this Fajã, you will find the Hermitage of Saint Christ, which dates back to 1835. It receives an annual pilgrimage, mainly during the Feast of Saint Christ, which takes place on the first Sunday of September. Many are the pilgrims who, during this celebration, walk the trails in faith. During these spiritual walks, the same pilgrims bring numerous offerings as a way to thank the Holy Christ.
Come to know this wonderful landscape and take the opportunity to taste this wonderful gastronomic dish, you will not regret it. On the contrary, you will want to come back to repeat these experiences.