Ribeira Seca (Ribeira Grande)

Ribeira Seca (Portuguese for river) is a parish in the district of Ribeira Grande in the Azores. The population in 2001 is 2,550, its density is 203.8/km² and the area is 12.51 km². It is located in the southern part of Ribeira Grande.

*Location:
**Latitude: 37.8167 (37°43') N
**Longitude: 25.533 (25°35') W
*Altitude: 20 m (68 ft)

Ribeira Seca has a school, a lyceum, a gymnasia, a church and a square ("praça"). It's old narrow cobblestone walkways are a testament to its history. The beaches are lovely and along the main downtown road, one can find many old-fashioned shops and churches. Ribeira Seca is about a 10 minute walk from the main garden in Ribeira Grande. It is one of the focal points of the city and is surely one of the most beautiful places on the island of Sao Miguel. The high temperatures and great weather make it an ideal place to visit, although, it might be better to stay in Ponta Delgada and take a short taxi ride (which costs about 20 euros). The city itself is becoming increasingly modern, but some old buildings still remain such as the churches, the town hall (on its belltower, hangings used to be performed), and most of the houses are old. It is a nice place to get some nice Portuguese cuisine. Try a nice Laranjada (a kind of orange drink), and some bacalhau or pasteis de nata.

External links

*Map and aerial photos
** [http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=-25.533&longitude=37.81667&zoom=6 Street map from Mapquest]
** [http://terraserver.microsoft.com/map.aspx?t=1&s=14&lon=37.81667&lat=-25.533&w=750&h=500 Aerial photograph from Microsoft Terraserver]