23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Harmony on the Edge of the Volcano

Overlooking the UNESCO World Heritage city of Angra do Heroísmo on Terceira Island, Azores. This image captures the unique harmony between human life and volcanic nature — a city built on the slopes of Monte Brasil, an ancient volcano that once shaped the island and now shelters it from the Atlantic winds.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 08.2025
Date Uploaded: 10.2025
Photo Location: Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal
Camera: Canon EOS 6D Mark II
Copyright: © Mark Mettler