Bullfighting is ancestral and the island maintains several active cattle ranches. The activity is divided into square bullfights and the typical rope bullfights, in which the bull runs through the streets of the town held by a long rope held by a group of men, known as the shepherds. The bull season runs from the 1st of May to the 15th of October.
Rope bullfighting in Terceira Azores
September 2026
Day 01 – Canada do Saco, Cabo da Praia – Praia da Vitória – 6:00 PM (vacada)
Day 01 – Estrada Regional, Raminho – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 01 – Terreiro Santo, Vila Nova – Praia da Vitória – 6:00 PM
Day 02 – Raminho – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM (vacada)
Day 02 – Largo da Igreja, Cabo da Praia – Praia da Vitória – 6:00 PM
Day 02 – Miradouro, Santa Bárbara – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 02 – Praça, Vila Nova – Praia da Vitória – 6:00 PM
Day 03 – Rua do Açougue, Santa Bárbara – Angra do Heroísmo – 4:00 PM (bezerrada)
Day 03 – Terreiro, Raminho – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 03 – Largo da Igreja, Cabo da Praia – Praia da Vitória – 6:00 PM
Day 04 – Ribeira Seca, Vila de São Sebastião – Angra do Heroísmo – 9:00 PM (night event)
Day 05 – Ribeira Seca, Vila de São Sebastião – Angra do Heroísmo – 5:00 PM (vacada)
Day 05 – Largo da Igreja, Santa Bárbara – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 05 – Rua das Pedras, Cabo da Praia – Praia da Vitória – 6:00 PM
Day 05 – Canada dos Rabos, Ribeirinha – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 06 – Canada da Ribeirinha, São Bento – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 06 – Fonte Faneca, Terra Chã – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 07 – Terreiro, São Bartolomeu – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM (vacada)
Day 08 – Achada, Altares – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM (vacada)
Day 08 – Largo da Igreja, Santa Luzia – Praia da Vitória – 6:00 PM (vacada)
Day 08 – Ribeira Seca, Vila de São Sebastião – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 09 – Achada, Altares – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 09 – Santa Luzia – Praia da Vitória – 6:00 PM
Day 10 – Ao Lugar, Altares – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 10 – Santa Luzia – Praia da Vitória – 6:00 PM
Day 11 – Santa Luzia – Praia da Vitória – 6:00 PM
Day 11 – Terreiro, São Bartolomeu – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 12 – Rua do Picão, Vila das Lajes – Praia da Vitória – 6:00 PM
Day 12 – Desterro, Conceição – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 12 – Terreiro, São Bartolomeu – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 12 – Arrebalde, Vila de São Sebastião – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 13 – Estrada 25 de Abril , Praia – Praia da Vitória – 6:00 PM
Day 13 – Ponta da Ribeira Seca, Vila de São Sebastião – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 14 – Serreta – Angra do Heroísmo – 5:00 PM
Day 14 – Penha de França, Pico da Urze – Angra do Heroísmo – 6:00 PM
Day 16 – Largo da Igreja, Serreta – Angra do Heroísmo – 5:30 PM
Day 17 – Serreta – Angra do Heroísmo – 5:00 PM (bezerrada)
Day 18 – Cruzeiro, Fontinhas – Praia da Vitória – 5:30 PM
Day 19 – Pesqueiro, São Bartolomeu – Angra do Heroísmo – 4:00 PM (vacada)
Day 19 – Largo do Império, Porto Martins – Praia da Vitória – 4:30 PM (vacada)
Day 19 – Amoreiras, Praia – Praia da Vitória – 5:30 PM
Day 19 – Casas Queimadas, Terra Chã – Angra do Heroísmo – 5:30 PM
Day 22 – Pesqueiro, São Bartolomeu – Angra do Heroísmo – 5:30 PM
Day 22 – Largo do Império, Porto Martins – Praia da Vitória – 5:30 PM
Day 23 – Largo do Império, Porto Martins – Praia da Vitória – 5:30 PM
Day 23 – Canada das Mercês, Feteira – Angra do Heroísmo – 5:30 PM (vacada)
Day 24 – Largo do Império, Porto Martins – Praia da Vitória – 5:30 PM
Day 26 – Canada Nova, São Carlos, São Pedro – Angra do Heroísmo – 3:00 PM (vacada)
Day 26 – Estrada Santa Margarida, Porto Martins – Praia da Vitória – 5:30 PM
Day 26 – Canada das Mercês, Feteira – Angra do Heroísmo – 5:30 PM
Day 26 – Pesqueiro, São Bartolomeu – Angra do Heroísmo – 5:30 PM
Day 26 – Praça da Alegria, Biscoitos – Praia da Vitória – 4:30 PM (vacada)
Day 27 – Canada das Mercês, Feteira – Angra do Heroísmo – 5:30 PM
Day 27 – Porto dos Biscoitos – Praia da Vitória – 4:30 PM
Day 28 – São Carlos, São Pedro – Angra do Heroísmo – 5:30 PM
Day 28 – Outeiro, São Bartolomeu – Angra do Heroísmo – 5:30 PM
Day 28 – Figueiras do Paim, Praia – Praia da Vitória – 5:30 PM
Day 29 – Figueiras do Paim, Praia – Praia da Vitória – 5:30 PM
Day 30 – Figueiras do Paim, Praia – Praia da Vitória – 5:30 PM
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Rope bullfighting is considered the greatest manifestation of popular character in the Azores, being a show specific to this region, mainly from the Central Group, with particular expression on Terceira Island. Its central element is Toiro Bravo, which is idolized by our people and by all who visit us.
Rope bullfights are held on the islands of São Jorge, Graciosa, Pico and Terceira, the latter being the island with the highest number of shows per year, with more than 200 festivities.
Such is the importance of wild cattle in the popular imagination of Terceira that the victory at the Battle of Salga, on July 25, 1581, is attributed to the bulls, when they expelled the invading Castilian troops. Portuguese to resist Filipino rule. For this reason, they are also represented (bulls) in the coat of arms of the Autonomous Region of the Azores.
The first reference to rope bullfighting appears only in 1622, on the occasion of the celebrations, in Angra, for the canonization of São Francisco Xavier and Santo Inácio de Loyola. In these celebrations, rope bulls were “run” through the streets of the city. However, it is believed that these popular manifestations already existed much earlier.
Despite the origin of rope bullfighting being lost in the memory of the times, this spectacle of popular nature is currently duly legislated with a set of rules that guarantee its proper functioning, the health and well-being of the animal, as well as the safety of the population.
