This island is probably the most advanced of all the islands in terms of modern comforts and communications due to the American Lajes Airfield, an active military base on the north-east coast. The island is 29 kilometers long and 17.5 kilometers wide and has a population of 56.000.

This island in the Azores holds the most interest for tourists, with the historic centre of its capital town, Angra do Heroismo, having been classified as a Unesco World Heritage Site, this despite many of its architectural treasures having been destroyed in an earthquake in 1980.

From May to September Terceira is a permanent festival of colour and secular traditions. The Festas do Espirito Santo bring to every village in the island the ceremony of the crowning of the "emperor" followed by charity dinners where food and drink are enjoyed in abundance. The festas Sanjoaninas with their interesting parades and the traditional bullfights, often with hilarious incidents, are other events, which attract hundreds of visitors to the island. Festivals mean good food.

The traditional cuisine is famous, with its exotic aroma of rump of beef, blood sausage, and special octopus recipes. Deserts come in all shapes and sizes and are a gastronomic delight. Such cuisine wouldn't be complete without Biscoitos wine, a wine of such renown that museum was constructed in its honour to chronicle the pleasure it has brought to many a palate.