The Ultimate 5 Day Guide to São Miguel Island in the Azores

The Azores, or Açores, is an archipelago of nine Portuguese volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean. São Miguel Island is the largest and most populated of the nine islands. São Miguel Island is worth spending a minimum of 5 days in order to truly explore its biodiversity and beauty.

Keep in mind, this blog post is aimed at travelers with their own vehicles based on a summer & shoulder season (May-September) perspective but could be used for any time of year. Flowers are everywhere on the island (particularly hydrangeas) and are in full bloom in the summer months. Also, weather on São Miguel tends to be nicer during the summer months due to better air & water temperatures with smaller chances of rain. The Azores are known to have unpredictable weather patterns so there are no guarantees any time of year though. The humidity can take a toll at times, but temperatures are generally milder year-round as noted below:

São Miguel Island has 6 Municipalities or subdivisions including: Lagoa, Ponta Delgada, Povoaçao, Nordeste, Ribeira Grande, and Vila Franca do Campo. I used these different regions to split up the ideal trip below into an itinerary in order to decrease driving time.

Common Portuguese words that are useful for this itinerary:

Miradouro – Viewpoint  

Lagoa – Lake

Parque – Park

Praia – Beach

Piscina – Pool

Day 1: Povoaçao Region (Southeast)

In the southeastern aspect of Povoaçao, the town of Furnas is one of the oldest of the island and is known for its volcanic origins and geothermal activity. 

Castelo Branco

“I’m on my way. Driving at 90 down those country lanes singing to ‘Tiny Dancer’ and I miss the way you make me feel; and it’s real and we watched the sunset over the castle on the hill.”

            -Ed Sheeran

Although I am not sure if this is the castle on the hill Ed Sheeran had in mind, this viewpoint gives you a view of Furnas valley and Vila Franca do Campo. You aren’t able to enter the mini castle, but it is such a fun stop with views on all sides.

Miradouro do Pico do Ferro

Make sure to stop at this viewpoint for the best view of Lagoa das Furnas. It is a more well-known overlook in the area so you will encounter others. Despite its popularity, it is well worth the stop to see the huge lake with surrounding green hills and smoking calderas of Furnas from above.

Miradouro do Salto do Cavalo

This viewpoint is the highest in the area and we found it to be the most remote. If you are looking for a quiet & peaceful viewpoint of Furnas valley even in the heart of summer, then look no further.

Calderas

The town of Furnas is located in the caldera of a dormant but active volcano. If you walk through the center of town you will find steaming calderas where pots of food are actually cooked in the volcanic heat. You can buy corn on the cob at food stands in the area, or you can try stews of meat & vegetables in the local restaurants. 

Miradouro do Lombo dos Milhos

For the best viewpoint of the town of Furnas, make a quick stop at Miradouro do Lombo dos Milhos. During the summer months you will find hydrangeas galore in the foreground. 

Capela de Nossa Senhora das Vitórias

One of the most impressive churches in the Azores, the Capela de Nossa Senhora das Vitórias is a must stop in Furnas. It is on Lagoa das Furnas and is a nice area for a leisurely walk along the lake. The church itself is a neo-gothic cathedral built with volcanic basalt in 1886.

Parque Terra Nostra

Parque Terra Nostra is known for its hot springs and botanical gardens. As soon as you enter the park, you will find a huge pool of thermal waters. It may appear dirty, but it is actually loaded with iron which gives it its appearance. Keep this in mind and make sure to wear your oldest/darkest swimsuit. The water temperature is suitable for year-round use.  

Aside from the natural hot springs, Parque Terra Nostra also has beautiful gardens with tropical flowers and plants. It is the perfect place for a relaxing walk amongst the palm trees and lily pads.

Day 2: Sete Cidades Region (West)

The Western region of the island is definitely one of the most popular areas of the island, so it is best to start your day as early as possible.

Miradouro do Pico do Carvão

On a clear day, make a stop here for panoramic views of São Miguel Island.

Miradouro da Grota do Inferno

This is the first and essentially only viewpoint in this itinerary that requires some hiking in order to get to the end destination. It is only about a 15-minute walk, but it does have a small amount of elevation gain on uneven terrain making it not as accessible. This viewpoint gives you incredible views of Lagoa de Sete Cidades, Lagoa de Santiago, and Lagoa Rosa. It is amazing to consider that these lakes were created in a center of a massive volcanic crater.

Lagoa do Canário

You will pass by Lagoa do Canário on the way to Grota do Inferno and it is worth the brief detour to view the green lake with surrounding hydrangeas.

Miradouro da Vista do Rei

If you only have time for one viewpoint in Sete Cidades, then this is the viewpoint you should visit. Although it looks like there are two separate lakes from the viewpoint, Lagoa de Sete Cidades is actually one lake with green and blue waters. The different colors of the lake can be attributed to the depth and concentration of algae on each side. The abundance of hydrangeas in the foreground make this viewpoint all the more stunning. This was one of the best views on São Miguel, but keep in mind that with its beauty comes tourism and difficulties with finding parking in the area.

Miradouro do Cerrado das Freiras

This viewpoint gives you another look at Lagoa de Sete Cidades from a completely different perspective, which allows you to see the magnitude of the lake and the bridge along the center. 

Igreja de São Nicolau

After the various viewpoints, it is nice to be able to drive or walk around the village of Sete Cidades. There is a beautiful church in the town called the Igreja de São Nicolau, which is pictured below. We had packed lunch with us for the day and we had a nice afternoon lunch on the lakeside. If you would like to explore the lake more, you can rent kayaks & paddleboards.

Piscinas Naturais Mosteiros

Along the Westernmost area of the island, you can find the town of Mosteiros. In the summertime, we tried to stop at the beach at Mosteiros but we could not find any parking anywhere. However, there are natural pools further away from the town center that are gorgeous. We had so much fun walking on the rocks and taking in the natural beauty of the ocean waves crashing. You can actually swim in some of the tidal pools here, but water shoes are highly recommended for protection and safety. Mosteiros is also an amazing place to catch sunset if you time it right.

Day 3: Ribeira Grande Region (North)

After a busy day 2, the day 3 plans are definitely more relaxed. Spend the morning checking out a few viewpoints, afternoon at a tea plantation, and sunset at the beach.  

Miradouro das Pedras Negras

To see cliffs, green hills, and ocean waves collide, stop at this viewpoint. We were here for about 30 minutes and barely encountered anyone, so the experience was quite peaceful and different from other areas of the island.

Miradouro do Cintrão

If you only have time for one northern coastal viewpoint, we would recommend Miradouro do Cintrão. You see steep rock cliffs up close with mountain views in the background. It is slightly off the beaten path, but we had the place to ourselves for quite a bit of time which made it an even better experience.  

Miradouro de Santa Iria

Of the Northern coastal viewpoints, this one is the most convenient and also the most crowded. Despite its popularity, it still is worth the stop. It is hard to believe that an island can have so many coastal viewpoints and yet they never seem to get old.

Chá Gorreana 

The Gorreana Tea Plantation is the oldest and most well-known tea plantation in all of Europe. You can walk on the property for free and there is a factory in which you can learn the whole process of making tea. You can also sample and buy a variety of teas. It was such a unique Azorean experience.  

We loved walking along the rows of tea leaves and found it even more incredible to see the organization of the fields from above using our drone.

Praia do Areal de Santa Bárbara  

Lastly, end your day 3 with a sunset at Santa Barbara Beach. Next to the beach there are rock cliffs on the sea you can explore and get a clear vantage point of the sunset and surfers below. It is the perfect place for a relaxing evening. It is easily accessible with a lot of parking. There is also a really nice restaurant on the beachfront there if you are interested. If we ever go back to São Miguel Island, sunset at this beach will forever be at the top of our must do list.  

Day 4: Nordeste Region (East)

On Day 4, you will be exploring the Easternmost coast of the island, which is a little further away from Ponta Delgada & most of the other attractions on the island.

Parque Natural da Ribeira dos Caldeirões

This park has multiple waterfalls and is beautiful in the morning when the early light hits the water just right. We visited around 10am and there was essentially nobody there which was very peaceful. When we were leaving, we did see a group of people getting ready to go canyoning here which you could also book as an experience if you are interested.

Farol do Arnel

There is just something about the contrast of this lighthouse on the bright blue ocean. It is the oldest lighthouse in the Azores as it was built in 1876. To visit the lighthouse, you have to go down an extremely steep and windy road. We parked at the top and walked down the road which we would highly recommend. There is barely any space for cars at the bottom of the road to park and the windiness of the road itself makes for blind turns. It is also 35% grade in terms of steepness which requires a good amount of car power in order to reach the top from the bottom. Honestly, I cannot imagine trying to drive up this road in any vehicle. As we walked, it was a very steep trek back up to the top which had us sweating & out of breath in the heat of the day.

Miradouro da Vista dos Barcos

If you wanted to opt out of the steep walk, but still wanted to view the lighthouse, make sure to stop at this viewpoint. It gives you another perspective of the Arnel Lighthouse from above.  

Miradouro da Ponta do Sossego

When you arrive at this viewpoint, there is a beautiful tropical garden full of flowers and trees to walk through. Once you get to the coast, the viewpoint gives you sweeping views of the cliffs meeting the ocean with flowers taking over the foreground. Sossego means tranquility in Portuguese and we found that the viewpoint lived up to its name.

Miradouro da Ponta da Madrugada

Continuing along the same road going south, you will find another coastal viewpoint. There are areas to grill and eat while admiring the beauty.

Day 5: Ponta Delgada, Vila Franca do Campo, and Lagoa Regions (Southwest & Southcentral) 

In the morning, we would recommend starting off your day with either a visit to the small islet of Vila Franca do Campo or going on a half day whale watching tour. In the afternoon, stop by a local pineapple plantation in Ponta Delgada for some yummy snacks. Then finish your day with a few stops overlooking Lagoa do Fogo.

Ilhéu de Vila Franca do Campo

This islet is about 500 meters off the coast of São Miguel. The islet is an ancient submerged volcano where its flooded crater forms an almost perfect circle from above. As the islet is a nature preserve, only a small number of people can visit per day and only official boats can disembark on the islet. If you do visit, please remember to leave no trace and be respectful in order to preserve its beauty.

Alternative: Whale watching tour out of Vila Franca do Campo

As an alternative to spending the morning on the islet, there are many different whale watching tours that embark from the town of Vila Franca do Campo. As you are in the middle of the Atlantic, dolphins and whales are more abundant in their natural habitat.

Plantação de Ananás dos Açores

Ponta Delgada was not our favorite Azorean city, but one thing that is not to be missed in Ponta Delgada is its pineapples. Upon arriving at the plantation, you are welcomed and allowed to walk through a few of the greenhouses to witness growing pineapples. You can learn about the process of growing pineapples in various stages.

Pineapple Juice

Then to end your visit, you can taste pineapple jam and pineapple rum for free. We chose to additionally try slices of pineapple, pineapple juice, and pineapple ice cream for a price in order to make the most of our visit. Everything was absolutely delicious and by far the best pineapple we have ever tasted.

Miradouro da Lagoa do Fogo

Towards the end of Day 5, head to the central Lagoa region of the island in order to witness the last incredible lake of your trip. Lagoa do Fogo is one of the largest lakes on São Miguel Island. It is surrounded by dense endemic vegetation and is located in the huge caldera of what used to be the Fogo volcano. Due to very limited parking, you have to take a shuttle bus if you visit between the hours of 9 am to 7 pm. If you time it right, you can visit this viewpoint right after 7pm for free in your own vehicle and have beautiful golden hour lighting.

Miradouro do Pico da Barrosa

A little further down the road, you will find another viewpoint of Lagoa do Fogo from a different perspective. This is another area that is only open for free before 9 am or after 7pm. 

Other Considerations:

Potential Alternative Locations

We spent most of our time stopping at the more accessible points on the island but there are plenty of other hiking and exploring options if you have the time. If you are interested, here are a few other hiking options and places to consider for your trip:

·      Serra da Devassa

·      Praia do Fogo

·      Cascata do Salto do Prego

·      Cascata do Salto do Cabrita

·      Caldeira Velha

·      Piscina de Caloura

·      Padrão das Alminhas

·      Ponta da Ferraria

·      Lagoa do Congro

·      Praia da Pedreira

Where to Stay

We stayed in both Ponta Delgada and Ribeira Grande for our time on São Miguel. Both areas are more centrally located on the island making it easy to travel to the various regions. We stayed at Quinta de Santana in Ribeira Grande and loved the peaceful stay that was further away from the crowds. In Ponta Delgada itself, we stayed at the Antillia Hotel which was a very nice option centrally located in the city within walking distance of markets and attractions in the area. It also had free parking included which makes a huge difference when you are in the middle of a city with very limited parking options. Both stays had full kitchen options making it easy to save money and prepare our own food which we appreciated. Both stays are unaffiliated with this blog, but we do recommend both options.  

Language Considerations 

We found that pretty much every vendor, accommodation, and customer service person on the island of São Miguel spoke at least some English. This made ordering and communicating on the island a breeze. That being said, it is always more respectful to ask if a local speaks English before assuming that they do. Oftentimes, we used the phrase, “Você fala Inglês?” in order to ask someone if they spoke English. Everybody we met on the island was nice and we felt welcomed overall in our time here.

Road Considerations

Keep in mind, the roads on São Miguel are very narrow at times. Sometimes roads that appear to be one-way are actually two-way roads and both cars essentially have to go off the road in order to pass each other. The towns on the island are no exception but do have one-way roads so make sure you listen to road signs. In addition to being narrow, the streets are very steep and windy at times which can lead to blind curves. 

We used Google Maps for our navigation most of the time, which was great as we had all the different destinations pinned on the map in preparation. However, the driving routes that Google Maps used to navigate from one place to another were sometimes more direct and took us on roads that were not the easiest to navigate.

Roundabouts are also a staple of almost all of the intersections on the island. We came across only a couple stoplights during our entire week there. Pay attention to mirrors used in some of the towns in order to see around the corner in areas. You will see cars parked on curbs & sidewalks everywhere you go.

You will also see cows and farmland all over the island, so do not be surprised to find cows in the road at times. Most of the time it is planned, and farmers will be accompanying the cows as they move from one field to another.  

Rental Car Considerations

In order to really explore the island in its entirety, having a rental car is a must. Make sure you book your rental early though as rental vehicles are limited. It can be difficult to rent a vehicle (particularly automatic vehicles) if you wait until right before your trip, so make sure to plan this out in advance. We would recommend making this one of your first priorities after booking plane tickets. Also keep in mind that rental car agencies on São Miguel may require a hefty security deposit on a credit card when you check in (ours was over $2,000). This charge will be returned to you after car return at the end of your trip as long as no damages are found, but is still something to consider nevertheless. All rental car options are generally very small due to the narrow roads on the island.

Currency Considerations

The Azores uses Euros for currency. Paying via credit card was an option everywhere we went so cash was not fully necessary during our time here. We did have a smaller amount of cash on us in case of emergency, but we really did not encounter the need to use it at any point.

Food Considerations

As a tropical island, you would expect food to be on the pricier side in São Miguel due to imports. However, due to the abundance of meat and produce directly grown on the island itself, we found the prices to be very reasonable overall in comparison to American food costs. This applies for both groceries and restaurants. 

There are picnic tables and grill stations all over the island so if you do pack food with you, there are locations all over the place to sit and enjoy a meal, oftentimes with a view.

Useful Apps 

In addition to Google Maps that was mentioned under the Road Considerations section above, you can use the app/website SpotAzores in order to visually check out weather conditions on various parts of the island. Oftentimes, it can be raining in one area of the island and sunny in another area, so this app can help to limit unnecessary trips. We tried a lot of different weather apps before and during our trip, but we were not able to find consistently accurate weather predictions. It appeared to us while we were there that there was a chance of rain essentially every day. However, it only rained a very small amount in reality in August when we visited.