Quinta da Oliveira

Welcome to Quinta da Oliveira—you are most likely reading this in one of our guesthouses: Laranjeira, Largo, or Canada. Here, ancient trees guard centuries of history, and every stone whispers stories of a golden age when the Azores were the crossroads of the world.

The Crossroads of the World

To understand why oranges grew here before they grew in Spain—why the Azores tasted tomatoes before Italy ever did—why tea still grows here as the only place in Europe, why pineapples ripen in Europe's only plantations, why potatoes grew here before Ireland, why corn was milled here before it fed the mainland—you must understand these islands' extraordinary position in history.

The Azores sit in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and for centuries they served as the last stop before Europe for ships returning from every corner of the world. Portuguese vessels sailing back from China, India, Brazil, and the Spice Islands would stop here to resupply before the final leg of their journey to Lisbon.

Christopher Columbus himself nearly perished in these waters. In February 1493, returning from discovering America, his ship the Niña was battered by fierce Atlantic storms. He struck the treacherous rocks at the Formigas islets and sought refuge at Santa Maria island—visible from our quinta's tower on a clear day. Charles Darwin stopped here too: in 1836, aboard HMS Beagle, he explored Terceira before anchoring off São Miguel to collect his mail, then sailed home to change the world.

Every ship carried treasures from distant lands—among them seeds, cuttings, and exotic plants. The sweet orange—a Chinese cross of pomelos and mandarins—arrived aboard Portuguese ships in the mid-16th century. It thrived so magnificently here that throughout Europe, sweet oranges became known as "Portuguese oranges"—a name they still carry in some languages today. Because these islands were the gateway to Europe, exotic plants arrived here first—years or decades before they reached the mainland.

The Golden Era

By the 19th century, São Miguel had transformed these Chinese oranges into an extraordinary industry. Victorian Londoners eagerly awaited their arrival each season—a luxury fruit that graced Christmas tables across England. At the height of this trade, in 1854, an astonishing 60 million oranges and 15 million lemons were shipped from the Azores to the United Kingdom.

Wealthy merchant families built grand Solares and Quintas across the island, filling their estates with exotic plants from around the world. Among the wealthiest was the do Canto family—formally known as Dias do Canto e Medeiros—and it is to this family that Quinta da Oliveira owes its name.

José do Canto & Quinta da Oliveira

José do Canto (1820–1898) was one of the richest men in São Miguel and a passionate botanist who imported exotic plants from five continents. His father, José Caetano Dias do Canto e Medeiros (1786–1858), was a powerful morgado (landed nobleman) and the most influential politician of his era—so prominent that King Pedro IV twice stayed at his palace in Ponta Delgada.

José do Canto established Quinta da Oliveira during his lifetime, building upon older structures that already stood on this land. He donated the land for the Church of Nossa Senhora da Oliveira in Fajã de Cima, which was constructed between 1856 and 1870. The church's magnificent Gothic-style façade, adorned with four marble statues of the Holy Evangelists, still welcomes worshippers today.

Quinta da Oliveira takes its name from this church—the estate and the sacred building forever linked through José do Canto's faith and generosity.

José do Canto also built the Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Vitórias on the shores of Furnas Lake—a neo-Gothic masterpiece inaugurated in 1886, created as a vow of devotion when his beloved wife fell gravely ill. He created the famous Jardim José do Canto in Ponta Delgada and the Mata-Jardim at Furnas—gardens with over 6,000 species that still astound visitors today.

Origins Older Than Memory

While José do Canto shaped Quinta da Oliveira into what it became, the land itself holds secrets far older. Parts of this building are ancient, and artifacts discovered on the property date back to the 1700s—evidence that structures stood here more than a century before José do Canto was born.

Most remarkably, the grounds hold magnificent Metrosideros robusta specimens—the Northern Rātā of New Zealand. Professionals have measured these trees at over 300 years old. Our documented connection to José do Canto spans approximately 170 years. The 1700s artifacts suggest human presence here for around 300 years. The trees confirm it.

What stood on this land before José do Canto built his quinta? Who planted these ancient trees, and when? These questions remain unanswered—and they deepen the mystery. Europeans only discovered New Zealand in 1642. If our trees are truly over 300 years old, they would have been planted almost immediately after Abel Tasman first sighted those distant shores. Do we need botanists with better-calibrated equipment? Or did someone here have remarkably fast ships? The archives hold their secrets, and the trees aren't talking.

When the Golden Age Ended

The prosperity was not to last. In the 1860s, ships from Brazil accidentally brought an insect called the "colchanero" that devastated the orange groves. Combined with competition from California and Florida—ironically, from orchards established with parent trees taken from these very islands—the orange trade collapsed.

Yet resilience runs deep in Azorean blood. The islanders adapted, turning to tea, tobacco, and pineapples. And here at Quinta da Oliveira, the spirit of that golden era never entirely faded.

A Living Heritage

Today, as you wander through our grounds, you walk in the footsteps of history. Our citrus garden flourishes with three varieties of oranges, mandarins, tangerines, clementines, and the Azorean native Limão Galego—living descendants of those "Portuguese oranges" that once traveled from China to grace the tables of Victorian England. Visitors between November and February can enjoy them fresh from the garden. The ancient Metrosideros robusta trees tower as witnesses to centuries we are only beginning to understand.

From the walls of this quinta to the church that bears the same name, you are surrounded by the legacy of José do Canto—a man whose vision, faith, and fortune transformed Fajã de Cima. We invite you to savor this history, to breathe in the fragrance of citrus blossoms, and to imagine the ships setting sail for distant shores, laden with the golden fruit of the Azores.

This history continues to evolve as more research uncovers the rich story of this estate. If you have any knowledge of the history of Quinta da Oliveira or the families who lived here, we would love to hear from you.