| The ultimate photographer’s guide to São Miguel
Top 14 of the best things to see and do on a tour of ‘The Green Island’ of the Azores
With the knowledge of hindsight, we wished we’d mounted a camera on the front of our car. Driving around São Miguel, the largest and most populous island of the Azores, often felt like driving through a dreamworld.
Everywhere on either side of the road differently coloured hydrangeas were blooming. At night we would drive through small clouds, past green fields and rugged shores, both of them lined with volcanic rock formations.
A road trip on the Ilha Verde (‘The Green Island’) as it is nicknamed, is an absolute must do! But what are the places where you definitely want to get out of the car?
In this blog we use our experiences, research and tips acquired from locals along the way, to present you the top 14 best things to see and do on São Miguel.
We recommend to take at least 7 days for this tour.
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About São Miguel
São Miguel is the largest and most populous island of the Azores, an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean that forms an autonomous region of Portugal. The Azores is also referred to as Europe’s Hawaii due to its climate, volcanic activity and tropical green vegetation.
Unlike Hawaii, the Azores do not have beautiful white and yellow beaches, which means that this destination is not yet popular with mass tourism. It is more a destination for adventurers who love nature, photography and hiking.
The latter is certainly possible on São Miguel, the main island of the archipelago, which is known as the ‘Green Island’ of the Azores.
In our blogs we link to relevant pages and our favourite travel services that make this possible. For this we (sometimes) receive a small commission, without it costing you anything extra.
São Miguel tour map
Flying to São Miguel
Those who fly to the Azores usually fly to São Miguel where you land at the airport of Ponta Delgada. This is the capital of the island and a good starting point for a road trip. Direct flights from the North of Europe and US, both take about 4 hours.
From São Miguel you can then fly further or take a ferry to one of the other eight islands of the Azores.
We booked our flight tickets to Ponta Delgada as always with the help of Skyscanner.net. Tickets between the islands (from provider Sata Azores) can also be found here.
Information about ferries between the islands can be found here.
Arrange your car rental well in advance
On São Miguel, like the other islands of the Azores, it is good to be flexible as the weather can be unpredictable. Public transportation on the island is quite poor and tours can be a bit expensive. Hence, you definitely need a car to get the most out of your experience here.
Make sure you have arranged a reservation well in advance of your trip. Prices can be very steep upon arrival – and as a result of the pandemic it may even be that all car rentals are fully booked! In general you’d pay about 250 euros per week in the high season when you book 2 months in advance, whereas you’d pay up to 4 times that number when you wait until you’re (almost) on the island.
We booked our car with sunnycars and were very happy with their service, except for the long wait at the airport of Ponta Delgada when picking up the car. But we saw similar lines at the other car rental services. Alternatively, you could also compare offers from DiscoverCars.com and Rentalcars.com.
Follow current weather conditions via the visitazores webcams
The Azores have a subtropical maritime climate. This means that it is pleasant to vacation here all year round, but the weather is also very humid and unpredictable. It can often be cloudy and rainy on one side of the island and sunny on the other side.
Because of this unpredictability, the locals hardly pay any attention to official weather forecasts. Instead they use the visitazores webcams which are stationed all over the island to see what is a good place to head out to. You can also find these in the SpotAzores app, which we definitely recommend you to check before heading to any of our recommendations below. Especially if you go into the mountains of São Miguel, which are often shrouded in thick fog.
Plan your visit in June or July to see the hydrangeas in bloom
The islands of the Azores are known as flower islands, because of the many hydrangeas you can find everywhere along the roads and on the countryside. This is what makes touring the islands such a fairy tale experience.
If you want to experience the islands while the hydrangeas are in bloom, it’s best to visit in June or July. May and June tend to mark the beginning months of the blooming season within the archipelago. But the hydrangeas can also be exceptionally beautiful once they have finished flowering. This is when they turn colour – often from a clear blue to a deep purple (like in the photograph we made here below).
Our ultimate photographer's guide to São Miguel
14 things to do on a road trip on the Ilha Verde
São Miguel is an island that lends itself perfectly to a road trip. The most important sights are spread all over the island, but are easy to drive to. Besides that, São Miguel has an excellent road network, and we’ve experienced driving here as very nice and special.
Below we give you an extensive overview of the 14 best things to see and do during a road trip on São Miguel. These things are all based on our own experiences on the island. We’ve also included tips & tricks from the locals.
Tip 1: Plan your visit to Lagoa do Fogo
“Is that particular webcam broken?” I asked Maurits after days of seeing the same grey spotty image. We were peering at the visitazores webcam which was supposed to show us the scenery of São Miguel’s famous Lagoa do Fogo. “Perhaps… or maybe Lagoa do Fogo translates into foggy lake?” he answered.
It does not. The real translation is ‘lake of fire’, named so because it’s a crater lake formed from a volcano that last erupted in 1563.
Lagoa do Fogo is often foggy, however, just like the other mountains and crater lakes on São Miguel. You definitely need to plan your visit to them in between the clouds, so you can actually enjoy the vistas.
In the end we got “very lucky” – so said a local waitress upon seeing one of Mau’s photos. During our two week stay on São Miguel there was one day in which the clouds dissolved and (yes!) the webcam actually showed some colour! We raced up the mountain to the best viewpoint to see the lake, the Miradouro do Pico da Barrosa. The panorama from this point was simply amazing.
So it’s definitely worth persevering and seeing if there is a moment to see this beautiful place somewhere during your stay on São Miguel.
Tip 2: Visit Vila Franca do Campo and the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Paz
Lagoa do Fogo can be reached from Ponta Delgada, the capital of the Azores, in about 30 minutes by car. However, we made it there from the lesser known Vila Franca do Campo. This is a small port town with bright white houses that is built against the slopes of the Agua de Pau volcano.
Vila Franca was the original capital of São Miguel, until 1522 when almost all of its inhabitants were killed by a volcanic mudslide that came roaring from the Agua de Pau. This buried the city and its people in a thick layer of dust and debris. But it also set off a tidal wave that killed the fishermen in their boats.
A reminder of Vila Franca’s volcanic past can currently be found about 1km of the shore, where one finds the crater island Ilheu de Vila Franca do Campo.
We sailed around this island during our whale watching tour. But there are also ferries that depart from the harbour and allow you to visit the inner ring of the crater for a stroll or a swim. This is said to be a good place for snorkelling, with both fish and impressive rock formations to see from within the calm and crystal clear waters.
One of the best ways to see the crater island is, however, not from below, but from above: from the vista one finds at the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Paz. This offers an amazing view over Vila Franca and the countryside. But the small church itself is also something to behold, with its remarkable stairs and ceramics. For the best photography opportunities, this is definitely a place to visit during sunset.
Tip 3: Do a whale and dolphin watching tour
One of the best things we did in Vila Franca, was a whale and dolphin watching tour with Terra Azul. This tour organisation, which name literally translates into ‘blue earth’, offers eco-friendly tours on their zodiac boat, guided by a marine biologist.
The Azores are one of the best places in the world to see whales and dolphins. The seas here are known to have an abundance of marine life, which is why many marine biologists flock to this area. Reportedly there are up to 28 species of dolphins and whales that are spotted here throughout the year. As a result, tour organisations guarantee sightings year round. They are even so confident that they list a 98% chance for seeing these majestic creatures.
We ended up doing two whale watching tours during our road trip on São Miguel, with two types of boats from two different organisations. For the first one, we left with a zodiac boat from the harbour of Vila Franca, with the organisation Terra Azul. For the second one, we went out on a catamaran from Ponta Delgada, with Futurismo.
These were both wonderful and well-organised tours, led by a marine biologist. The catamaran is slightly better if you like to photograph the animals. This is because you sit higher, which gives a better perspective. But the zodiac boat is again very nice because you are close to the water and thus have the feeling that you are also closer to the animals. For both tours, however, it is important to keep enough distance from the animals to avoid chasing them.
Tip 4: Get up early to visit the Caldeira Velha hot springs
The route to the Caldeira Velha hot springs was one of the more magical ones we drove on the island. Before climbing the slopes of the Fogo volcano, we turned our car unto a small country road where steam literally came out of the lushly planted verge. The earth breathes on the Azores and you can see it everywhere! (see also our Furnas recommendation below).
Up the mountain the dreamy atmosphere continued with stunning flowers and tree ferns hanging over parts of the road. We parked our car at the new and spacious car park. Then we optimistically walked up the stairs, only to be stopped in our tracks by the ranger who warned everyone arriving that the waiting time for bathing in the thermal baths was about one and a half hours.
That was a bit too long for our taste. Luckily for us the Caldeira Velha hot springs also allow people in on a different ticket to experience the nature in the park without swimming. For this there was no waiting time. The walk isn’t too long though, but it is a beautiful place that resembles the amazing atmosphere of the Azores, with ferns, fern trees, wild strawberries and other tropical-looking vegetation alongside small creeks and waterfalls.
The waterfall at the end of the trail, which people are also allowed to bathe in, is quite spectacular and well worth visiting.
On our way back, I asked the same ranger if there’s a particular time to visit the baths without such an extended waiting time. “Yes!” he answered promptly “8:30 AM, we open at 9 AM! If you’re here well before opening you wait half an hour, anything beyond that you’ll wait an hour, hour and a half.”
We didn’t go for this option, but if you do, we advise to bring a bathing suit that is allowed to get a bit dirty. The water in the springs is high on iron and can make your bathing suit smell and a bit orange.
Tip 5: Combine a visit to the Caldeira Velha Thermal Baths with a visit to Salto do Cabrito
We continued our way down on the road we’d just climbed to take a sharp turn towards the Salto do Cabrito waterfall. This is a very beautiful, slim waterfall that is a bit off the beaten track and highly recommendable. When arriving near the waterfall, it’s possible to drive beyond the first, small, car park down the road, where a larger car park (on gravel) awaits. You’ll find the waterfall just beyond that, behind an old energy station.
Again this is a good place for a swim. In contrast to the thermal baths of Caldeira Velha, the water here is very clear, a bit cold, but above all, much less crowded.
Tip 6: Swim in a volcanic bath and take a stroll through the Terra Nostra Garden
Want to swim in one of São Miguel’s volcanic hot springs in a magical garden? Terra Nostra is the absolute best place to do this. This garden in Furnas, a small volcanic town in the eastern part of the island, has been chosen as the most beautiful in the world. It is a much larger place than Caldeira Velha, which goes for both the garden and the volcanic baths, which in Terra Nostra’s case is huge.
Here there’re no waiting lines to swim in the thermal pool, which, like the other hot springs in São Miguel, is high on iron. So, here too, you want to make sure you don’t wear your best bathing suit. We came out of the pool, looking as if we’d just received our very first spray tan 😉! Even after a good rub in the shower, I still had an orange line behind my ears for the first few days.
We took this shower at our room at the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel, to which the garden and thermal pools belong. This five star boutique hotel is a household name in the Azores, known by every local as the best hotel of the archipelago. It is quite expensive, but the experience of staying here has been unlike anything else we’d ever experienced.
For guests of the hotel, the thermal pools are open 24/7. So, as the night fell, you’d see small groups of guests in their robes take to the baths, to enjoy them underneath the stars.
Did we say this is an amazing experience already?!
At night we had the pool almost, and at times completely, to ourselves. Steam coming up from the water, which is always steady at between 35 to 40 degrees Celsius (63 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit). Terra Nostra is definitely a place that feels therapeutic and healing, especially when your experiencing muscle- and backpains.
It is also possible to visit the baths without staying at the hotel. You can get an entry ticket to the garden at the entrance for €10,-. Opening times are from 10:30 AM till 4:30 PM.
Want to have lunch or dinner at the garden? We can definitely recommend The Gardener!
Tip 7: Make a tour through Furnas
Did we say the earth breathes in the Azores? Nowhere can this be seen more clearly than in Furnas. Our favourite place on our photographer’s guide to São Miguel!
Furnas is located in the centre of an active volcanic crater in the eastern part of São Miguel. In this place you can see the hot steam coming out of the ground, feel the heath beneath your feed, smell the sulphur in the air, taste the iron that is in the water, an hear Mother Earth roaring from the deep. To avoid volcanic eruptions, the locals dig holes to make sure there won’t be any build-up pressure below the surface.
The volcanic water in Furnas contains so much iron that it turns stones orange – just like those bathing in its hot springs. Again, this is something you want to keep in mind when deciding on your swimwear.
The locals also make good use of their volcanic surroundings in their signature dish: Cozido das Furnas. This is essentially a stew that contains seven types of red meat, which is slow-cooked for 6 hours inside the earth. Personally we’re not big fans of stews, so we skipped this unique experience that’s traditional for the area.
If you do like to try this out, these are six restaurants that serve the Cozido das Furnas (reservations in advance are recommended):
If you’re more like us, and the idea of Cozido also doesn’t appeal to you, but you want to eat something cooked from the earth, you can also try the corn that is cooked in the geysers (see picture above). The corn is sold in stalls right next to the geothermal park, so you can hardly miss them.
We experienced Furnas as a highly unique and lushly planted area. As a photographer you definitely do not want to miss a tour through this place!
Tip 8: Visit Europe’s oldest tea plantation
Not far from Furnas, at about a 15 minutes’ drive, you’ll find the Gorreana Tea Factory, Europe’s oldest tea plantation. The Azores are the only place in Europe in which tea is grown.
The area of the tea plantation is huge and you can freely roam through the labyrinthine path, taking in the familiar aroma of the tea leaves alongside a sea breeze. The proximity of the coast is said to create a salty air that serves as a natural insect repellent.
We didn’t need more than an hour to walk through a good part of the plantation, from which we decided to continue our road trip.
But, if you like, it is also possible to visit the inside of the factory and experience how tea is made. Of course, this can be followed by a nice cuppa of the local goodness.
Tip 9: Watch the sunrise in Nordeste
Ok, it is a bit of an awkward one, this 11th tip in our photographer’s guide to São Miguel, as we haven’t had the chance to test it ourselves. But we have it from many locals we encountered on our round trip that the sunrise in Nordeste, on the east shore of the island, is absolutely epic. Below are four of the viewpoints you may well want to consider for viewing the sun come up from the sea:
Tip 10: View Sete Cidades from Vista do Rei and Miradouro da Boca do Inferno
The famous caldera (crater lake) Sete Cidades, is mostly referred to as two separate lakes: the Green Lake (Lagoa Verde) and the Blue Lake (Lagoa Azul). Island mythology has it that the lakes have the colours from a tragic love story between a green-eyed shepherd and a blue-eyed princess. But in truth the colour difference comes from differences in the depth of the lakes and the algae, which give Lagoa Verde its rich green colour.
We were very excited to view this phenomenon from the two popular vistas: Vista do Rei, which gives a wonderful panoramic view of both lakes, and Boca do Inferno, which offers a dramatic view of the caldera against the Atlantic Ocean.
Unfortunately for us, after days of viewing the visitazores webcams for a break in the clouds, we finally decided to give it a go, but the clouds were so thick at Boca do Inferno we could hardly see our own feet, let alone the lake and mountains beneath us.
As with Lagoa do Fogo, it is not a given that you will be able to witness this magnificent view. Try to keep an eye on the ‘weather cams’ as much as possible. And go out as soon as you get the chance!
Tip 11: Ponta da Ferraria
The picture above shows a part of the coastline of São Miguel where you definitely don’t want to go for a swim. Yet, it’s pretty close to the natural thermal pool Ponta da Ferraria. A unique place to visit. It’s where you can swim in the ocean, where the water gets heated by the volcanic activity from underground.
The black rock you see on this photo is basalt. It is formed by the solidification of lava. While Maurits was making this photo, the waves were slamming onto the rocks with a gigantic force. It was quite the challenge to make a long exposure shot in these windy conditions.
But for a photographer this truly is a wondrous place to experience.
Tip 12: Watch the sunset on Mosteiros beach
Where we missed the sunrise in Nordeste, we were lucky enough to witness the sunset at the best place on São Miguel twice: Mosteiros beach. And it was epic!
Mosteiros is a black sand beach, with immense basalt rock formations just of the shore. The two most impressive ones, according to legend, form the gates of Atlantis. What likely adds to this legend, is that at the right time of year, the sun sets exactly in between these. This happened when we were there in June. A natural spectacle we’re not likely to forget!
Mosteiros beach is definitely a hidden gem that is known by every local, but is not touched by tourism yet. It has easy (and free) parking just behind the beach and there’s a vendor where you can grab a drink and snack whilst waiting for the sun to set.
Tip 13: Have dinner at Õtaka
Technically, this is not a photography tip. But after some long days of photographing you, of course, will be in great need for some great food. And the best place for this, we found, is the Japanese-Argentinian fusion restaurant Õtaka, an absolute institute within Ponta Delgada. If you’re like us, you definitely want to try their tasting menu and wine pairings.
You definitely need to make a reservation to enjoy this hidden food gem, but it is absolutely worth it. We would consider going back to São Miguel, just to have dinner here again.
Tip 14: Create your own road trip using google maps
We created this road trip of São Miguel island by consulting some existing travel blogs and vlogs, but for the most part we improvised on the way, by consulting Google Maps. We particularly looked for the term ‘Miradouro’ which brought us to places that had not been on our radar before, but were absolutely breath taking.
Hi, we are Samira & Maurits, a travel-hungry couple with a passion for photography.
With our free travel guides, we hope to inspire you and help you plan your dream holiday. We also provide important tips and tricks for making new journeys, but also for capturing those precious memories in your own travel photos.
All the photos on this site were taken by us.
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| More on how we travelled The Azores?
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