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
July 2025
Day 01- 18h30 – Nossa Sra. da Ajuda – Vila Nova – Praia da Vitória
Day 02- 18h30 – Terreiro do Paço – Ribeirinha – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 04- 14h00 – São Rafael – Conceição – Angra do Heroísmo (Vacada)
Day 04- 14h00 – Urbanização Sta. Rita – Santa Cruz – Praia da Vitória (Vacada)
Day 05- 18h30 – Urbanização Sta. Rita – Santa Cruz – Praia da Vitória
Day 05- 18h30 – Cinco Ribeiras – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 05- 18h30 – Santo Amaro – Ribeirinha – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 06- 18h30 – Terreiro São Bartolomeu – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 06- 18h30 – Doze Ribeiras – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 06- 18h30 – Largo da Fontinha – Praia da Vitória
Day 07- 18h30 – Caminho da Salga – Porto Judeu – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 08- 16h00 – Casa da Ribeira – Praia da Vitória (Vacada)
Day 08- 17h00 – Terreiro do Paço – Ribeirinha – Angra do Heroísmo (Vacada)
Day 08- 21h00 – Ribeira Manuel Vieira – Sta. Bárbara – Angra do Heroísmo (Noturna)
Day 09- 18h30 – Largo de São Bento – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 09- 18h30 – Casa da Ribeira – Praia da Vitória
Day 10- 18h30 – Casa da Ribeira – Praia da Vitória
Day 10- 18h30 – Grota do Medo – Posto Santo – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 11- 18h30 – Refugo – Porto Judeu – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 11- 21h00 – Casa da Ribeira – Praia da Vitória (Noturna)
Day 12- 18h30 – Beiras – Casa da Ribeira – Praia da Vitória
Day 12- 18h30 – Corpo Santo – Conceição – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 12- 18h30 – Terreiro do Paço – Ribeirinha – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 12- 18h30 – Largo da Igreja – Santa Bárbara – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 13- 18h30 – Cova da Serreta – Serreta – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 13- 18h30 – Ribeira Manuel Vieira – Sta. Bárbara – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 13- 18h30 – Cales – Altares – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 14- 18h30 – Grota do Medo – Posto Santo – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 14- 18h30 – Caminho do Concelho – Biscoitos
Day 15- 14h00 – Poço D’ Além – Porto Judeu – Angra do Heroísmo (Vacada)
Day 15- 18h30 – Praça de Santo António – Biscoitos – Praia da Vitória (Vacada)
Day 15- 18h30 – Boa Hora – Terra Chã – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 16- 18h00 – Rua da Igreja – Ribeirinha – Angra do Heroísmo (Vacada)
Day 16- 18h30 – Porto de Pescas – Porto Judeu – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 16- 18h30 – Bairro de São Pedro – Biscoitos – Praia da Vitória
Day 16- 18h30 – Beiras – Casa da Ribeira – Praia da Vitória
Day 17- 18h30 – Porto de Pescas – Porto Judeu – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 17- 18h30 – Rua Longa – Biscoitos – Praia da Vitória
Day 17- 18h30 – Rua da Igreja – Ribeirinha – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 18- 18h30 – Estrada Regional – Porto Judeu – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 19- 18h30 – Estrada Pdre. Lourenço Rocha – Cinco Ribeiras – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 19- 18h30 – Terreiro – Porto Judeu – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 19- 18h30 – Beiras – Casa da Ribeira – Praia da Vitória
Day 19- 18h30 – Rua da Igreja – Ribeirinha – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 20- 18h30 – Largo de Santo António – Porto Judeu – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 20- 18h30 – Rua da Igreja – Ribeirinha – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 20- 18h30 – Largo da Igreja – Santa Bárbara – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 21- 14h00 – Rua da Fonte – São Sebastião – Angra do Heroísmo (Vacada)
Day 21- 18h30 – Porto de Pescas – Porto Judeu – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 22- 13h00 – Canada do Parada – Feteira – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 23- 18h30 – Largo da Fonte – São Sebastião – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 23- 18h30 – Rua da Guarita – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 24- 18h30 – Largo da Fonte – São Sebastião – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 25- 18h30 – Largo da Fonte – São Sebastião – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 26- 18h00 – À Cruz Regatos – São Bartolomeu – Angra do Heroísmo (Vacada)
Day 26- 18h30 – Largo da Fonte – São Sebastião – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 27- 18h30 – Largo da Fonte – São Sebastião – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 28- 18h30 – Caminho da Vila – Porto Judeu – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 28- 18h30 – Bairro Social – Terra Chã – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 29- 18h30 – À Cruz Regatos – São Bartolomeu – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 29- 18h30 – À Igreja – Fontinhas – Praia da Vitória
Day 30- 18h30 – À Igreja – Fontinhas – Praia da Vitória
Day 30- 18h30 – Doze Ribeiras – Angra do Heroísmo
Day 31- 18h30 – Santo António – Fontinhas
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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.
