Hiking in the Azores - São Miguel
Crater lakes, tea plantations, and hot springs on the Atlantic's greenest island
8 days / 7 nights
Hiking Self-Guided trip
01/04/2027 - 31/10/2027
Level 2
7 Breakfasts
São Miguel is the main island of the Azores and showcases the beauty of the entire archipelago in a convenient format. Called "the green island", it offers hikers vivid green pastures lined with electric blue hydrangeas and a magical interplay between the volcanic lakes and the deep blue ocean beyond the crater rims. It's like nothing else and gives a feeling of being wonderfully far away. You hike around the twin lakes of Sete Cidades, wild Lagoa do Fogo and in Furnas, where the ground steams from volcanic activity and the national dish cozido simmers buried in the warm earth. You also walk through Europe's oldest tea plantations, along levadas and to a volcanic beach where the Atlantic's cool waters meet hot springs. The tours are of suitable length and comfortable transfers take you around the island. You stay in three locations for a real deep dive into São Miguel's different faces: rural on the north coast, in the spa town of Furnas and finally in the small charming capital of Ponta Delgada.
Tour Highlights
The twin lakes of Sete Cidades, one blue and one green
The tea plantations in Gorreana and the water mills in Maia
Steaming fumaroles and volcano-cooked cozido in Furnas
The wild crater lake Lagoa do Fogo from the mountain ridge
A lukewarm bath at Ribeira Quente, heated by the volcano
Program
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7 Breakfasts included
Welcome to São Miguel, the largest island of the Azores, out in the middle of the Atlantic. A private taxi meets you at the airport and drives you to Capelas, a peaceful village on the island's north coast where you'll stay for the first two nights. The rest of the day is yours. Unpack, take a dip in the hotel pool, and breathe in the Atlantic air. From the village it's a short walk out to the black lava cliffs and the natural ocean pools, a fine first encounter with the island's lush volcanic landscape.
Level and standard
Easy to moderately strenuous hikes averaging 10.5 km, with approximately 275 m up and 430 m down per day and between 2 and 5 hours of walking time. Several tours end lower than they start, so your knees will work harder than your lungs, especially in Sete Cidades. The trails are usually marked and follow clear paths, gravel roads and sometimes small country roads. The terrain can be rocky and slippery, so boots with ankle support and poles are recommended. Suitable for those with normal fitness.
The first two nights you stay in a bungalow at a 17th-century manor estate in Capelas, with a botanical garden and pool. In Furnas, a smaller hotel awaits with a pool and views over the valley, a few minutes' walk from Terra Nostra Park. For the last nights you stay centrally in Ponta Delgada's historic quarter. All rooms have a private bathroom and breakfast is included.
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