The Viewpoint of Our Lady of Peace stands on the hillside above Vila Franca do Campo, on the south coast of Sao Miguel in the Azores. A staircase climbs to a whitewashed chapel at the top, its stations telling the story of Jesus along the way. The terrace beside the chapel looks out over the town, its harbour and the coastline, with the round islet offshore visible when the air is clear. Access is by car, up a steep and winding road out of the town.
Viewpoint of Our Lady of Peace
Local name: Miradouro da Nossa Senhora da Paz
Legend has it that a shepherd found a statue of the Virgin here during a storm; the villagers picked another site for her chapel, but the statue kept reappearing on this hill until they built it where she wanted.
- Accessibility
- No wheelchair-accessible entrance; the chapel and terrace are reached by steps.
- Parking
- Free car park about 60 m from the viewpoint, plus free street parking; a second parking area lies about 900 m away.
- Difficulty
- The road does the climbing; from the car park the chapel and the top terrace are reached by staircase.
- Transport
- The nearest bus stops are about 1.5 km away; nothing stops at the viewpoint itself.
What makes it special
The staircase does the work here. It climbs the hillside in zigzag flights to a whitewashed chapel, and the stations set along it carry the story of Jesus up with you. From the terrace at the top the whole of Vila Franca do Campo lies below — roofs, harbour, the coast running away on both sides — and on a clear day the islet offshore sits on the water like a dropped ring. Getting up is part of the visit: the road out of town ranks among the steepest drives on Sao Miguel, steep and winding, though two cars still pass each other on it.
Good to know
- The drive up: steep and winding out of Vila Franca do Campo, but doable in an ordinary car, and two cars can pass each other on the way.
- Clear air matters: the islet offshore only shows on a clear day; in cloud you get the town below and little else.
- Toilets stand right beside the viewpoint, about 75 m from it.
- A stop, not a destination: it pays off if you are already around Vila Franca do Campo; crossing the island for this view alone is a lot of road for one outlook.
Getting there
Nearly everyone arrives by car. The road leaves Vila Franca do Campo and climbs the hill in bends, steep enough to rank among the steepest drives on the island, though it is passable in an ordinary hire car and wide enough for two cars to pass. Parking sits at the top, beside the viewpoint, with a second parking area about 900 m back down. From there the chapel and the upper terrace are reached on foot, up the staircase.
Best time to visit
Better: a clear day, when the islet offshore stands out on the water and the coast reads in both directions.
Avoid: low cloud and haze — the hill that gives the viewpoint its reach is high enough to sit in the murk, and then there is nothing to look at.
The place offers one thing, the view over Vila Franca do Campo, and visibility decides whether the climb up was worth making.
Sun & daylight
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Frequently asked questions
What can you see from the Viewpoint of Our Lady of Peace?
Vila Franca do Campo directly below, the coast running in both directions, and on a clear day the islet lying offshore from the town.How hard is the drive up?
Steep and winding the whole way from town — one visitor called it the second steepest drive they made on Sao Miguel — but it is doable by car, and two cars can pass each other on the road.What is the staircase at the top?
A flight of steps leading up to the chapel, with stations along it that tell the story of Jesus. The chapel and the upper terrace are reached this way.Are there toilets at the viewpoint?
Yes. Public toilets stand about 75 m from the viewpoint.Is it worth a special trip?
It rewards a stop if you are already near Vila Franca do Campo. As a drive across the island for the outlook alone, it is a lot of road for one view.