Lajes is a civil parish in the municipality of Praia da Vitória, on the Portuguese island of Terceira in the Azores.

Lajes is best known for being the location of Portuguese Air Force Base No.4, used for military, small inter-island, as well as scheduled and chartered flights from North America and mainland Europe.

It was burned by English privateers in 1587,[4] and destroyed during the 1614 Cáida da Praia earthquake, which caused considerable destruction to Lajes and surrounding parishes.

There are several references to the quantity and quality of the produce in the region, including fruit and wine, in addition to silk production.

Lajes is located on a vast fertile plain, divided by hedge rows and where many old seigneurial homes still reflect the importance of farming and prosperity of the traditional families of the island.

[3] Wood would normally be transported, burned to maintain the warmth during the winter, or for cooking bread in earthen ovens.

[3] Along with Santa Cruz, Lajes also became the site, during and after the Second World War, for British and American forces stationed at Area Base No.

The western frontier is delineated by the Ribeira da Areia that crosses into the interior, reaching the parishes of Vila Nova and São Brás.

Most of the auxiliary staff at the base are residents of Lajes, and many services in the parish support the international demands of the stationed personal.