Azores Photo Gallery - Miradouro do Morro Das Velas

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The small town of Velas is wrapped around by mountains, and it's easy to hike up a small hill just to the west of the town centre for a nice view of the city. With a car, you can go further uphill for other viewpoints but I chose to walk to this one because it is so easy and close by.

The route begins just next to the Ermida Nossa Senhora do Livramento church at the bottom of the Morro Grande. It was built in the late 17th century with basaltic stone by villagers who believed the saint wished to protect them, so a small chapel was built.

It's an easy climb up a grassy dirt path as it zig zags up the mountain to a small tower ruin at the top.