Pineapple Plantation A Arruda — Attraction in Ponta Delgada

Fascinating to see so much work for relatively little boon, considering each plant takes almost two years to grow and only yeild one fruit each. Garden is kept tidy, and the little cafe and shop area is right out of an English garden Magazine.

I had the little tasting menu, consisting of crackers, pineapple jam, pineapple chutney and pineapple mustard, alongside traditional pineapple liquor Im a huge foodie, a professional chef and I love pineapple, so very fascinating. Crackers we're storebought but nicer than they looked; clearly they were just tge vessel for the three toppings, which is as it should be. All three were packed with pineapple chunks of various sizes. The jam was very sweet, like caramelised pineapple. The two savouries were the real part, though; the mustard was sweetish, tangy and flavourful and the chutney was heavenly; very paprika-esqe fronting, then a bit of a spicy kick, though still reasonably, but enough for even a routine spice-junky like myself to notice, but in no way overtaking the sweetness of the pineapple.

The liqour was strong, very boozy, and heavy on a pungently fermented pineapple taste. Smelled a bit like a pineapple gone bad. I liked it, my father thought it was suspiciously too-fermented.

We actually spoke to a guy, unrelated, who had worked here as his first youth job, which was fun. Staff was...

Visiting a pineapple plantation is certainly an interesting and educational experience, especially for those curious about how these tropical fruits are grown. The lush fields of pineapples stretching into the distance and the chance to learn about the cultivation process, from planting to harvesting, are fascinating. Walking through the plantation, you might be struck by how low to the ground pineapples actually grow, compared to other fruit-bearing plants. You may also learn interesting facts about the challenges of growing pineapples, such as the lengthy time it takes for each plant to produce just one fruit. However, one surprising downside for many visitors—myself included—is the lack of opportunity to buy fresh pineapples directly from the source. While the plantation may offer even a gift shop, the expectation of picking up a freshly harvested pineapple to take home is sometimes unmet. This can feel like a missed opportunity, especially after seeing the fruit growing in abundance all around you. Despite this small disappointment, the overall experience is memorable, and it's a unique way to connect with nature and better appreciate where our...

This is one of a few pineapple plantations in this area but seems to be the largest and had organised tour groups arriving from late morning too. It is free to enter and there are about 10 parking spaces on the street next to the entrance. There are a series of greenhouses that one can enter and see pineapples at different stages. There is also a small 'museum' with 4-5 glass cabinets containing all kinds of pineapple-shaped objects. There is also quite a large shop (with pineappley merchandise including a free sample of a tasty pineapple liqueur) with a lovely entrance below two trees. Last but not least, there was a lovely stand between the shop and museum which sold pineapple tart (1.5 euros), an amazing pineapple jalapeno sangria (8 euros for a carafe) and also ham, cheese, pineapple sandwiches. The staff are all helpful and the only drawback was the lack of information about pineapple cultivation - for this Sant Antonio (?) plantation nearby is better...