Photo Paulino Pavão
Along with the Flemings, many other inhabitants settled on the islands from mainland Portugal, bringing with them their ways of life and their culture, including the Portuguese language.
Currently Portuguese is spoken throughout the archipelago, with very rich and peculiar accents, which vary from island to island.
Gothic elements from the early period of colonization appear in some churches and buildings. The Renaissance and baroque architecture is present in many Azorean monuments. The ties of the Azores and Flanders in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries influenced art in the Azores with their sculptures.
Cultural festivals are a way of life in the Azores and religious sentiments are expressed in celebrations such as the feast of the Holy Spirit. During the stay in the Azores, the visitor can enjoy wine festivals and religious processions and folk dances. The bullfight with the rope is a famous activity that takes place in the squares of several cities of the island Terceira.