Our Top 8 Experiences On Sao Miguel Island In The Azores
The Portuguese archipelago has been called Europe’s answer to Hawaii
To be totally honest, we had no idea where the Azores were when we committed our credit card to this trip for the first time a couple years ago. We weren’t really thinking about or looking to book any specific trips at the time but it was Cyber Monday and we of course had to peruse the airline websites to see what they were offering.
Delta’s one day only steal of a deal headine included, “One of the most beautiful and remote places in Europe, the Portuguese archipelago has been called Europe’s answer to Hawaii and the next big vacation destination.” (Quick search of our credit card account shows credit for nearly one round trip ticket free so….click….purchased! Now where exactly are we going?)
There isn’t a lot of mass tourism here, yet. I’ve read a few articles that the locals want to allow for developments to further their income from tourism but while preserving their history, beautiful landscapes and way of life.
Quick Facts from Wikipedia:
One of the most beautiful and remote places in Europe, the Portuguese archipelago has been called Europe’s answer to Hawaii and the next big vacation destination. These nine volcanic islands are situated in the northern Atlantic, about 1,500 km (950 mi) from the western edge of the Iberian Peninsula and about 3,900 km (2,400 mi) from North America. Seismic activity, though rare, still occurs on occasion.
The official language is Portuguese…but for those visiting the Azores on holiday, however, the good news is that most of the people involved with tourism speak at least enough English to be able to communicate with tourists. (we found that everyone we interacted with in Sao Miguel spoke enough English that we could communicate just fine)
There is very little crime in the Azores. What little crime exists is mostly drug related. There are no reports of crimes against tourists.
On most islands, you can rent a car. These being volcanic islands, in many places the terrain is steep and rugged. The roads wind around very steep hillsides. Cycling around the islands is possible if you are in great shape, and don’t mind a lot of hill climbing.
According to several local residents, there has been a significant rise in the number of tour operators providing active, adventure-focused experiences throughout the islands. These offerings may appeal to many; however, we opted to rent a car and secure an excellent apartment in Ponta Delgada via Airbnb. We embarked on a self-guided exploration of Sao Miguel Island for one week. Are there additional activities we desired to undertake? Of course. Nevertheless, we wish to provide you with our recommendations that everyone should consider when visiting Sao Miguel Island.
Go for a Swim at Ponta da Ferraria
A natural “hidden” hot springs in the ocean on the western coast. Ponta da Ferraria is a free swimming hole is spectacular to visit at any time really. There’s a ladder to climb down in the water and at high tide it’s maybe 6-7ft deep and there are many ropes criss-crossed under the water to give you something to hang on to and just enjoy floating your cares away. It’s shielded from the harsh waves of the Atlantic Ocean but still gives you a nice push and pull of the tide.
I do recommend bringing water shoes though since the area around the swimming hole is all volcanic rock. The bottom of the hole is sandy though once you can sit/stand on the bottom (it will make sense in a second, keep reading…..)
Here lies the real secret: plan your excursion according to the tide schedule. Arrive approximately one hour before low tide. Our visit took place in August; upon entering the water, we found it cool, refreshing, and deep enough to prevent our feet from touching the bottom. However, as the tide ebbed, the temperature of the water in the swimming hole gradually increased.
At this stage of the tide cycle, one will observe that those “in the know” will congregate at the far end of the swimming area. As the water level diminishes, a natural hot spring beneath the rocks begins to heat the adjacent waters.
At the tide's lowest, the water depth was only about two feet. Even when situated 20-30 feet from the rear of the swimming hole, the sensation resembled that of a spa rather than typical ocean water. The springs beneath the rocks emit water of such high temperature that standing in close proximity is not possible; hence, bathers tend to move outward toward the center of the swimming area. There, one experiences the perfect harmony of warm water from the hot springs at one's back and the cooler ocean water at the front.
Go Hiking Around Lagoa do Fogo
Loved this hike! Lagoa do Fogo (“Lake of Fire”) is a crater lake at the center of Sao Miguel island. Now there is a trail in to the lake that comes highly recommended but we decided to trek down a small, steep trail that began at the top of the rim of the crater at the Miradouro (viewpoint) da Lagoa do Fogo. Don’t start this one late in the day as you will want a good few hours of sunlight. There is a small parking lot there where you can park and get an amazing view of the lake on a clear day.
Going the way we did, how far you can make it around the lake is going to depend on the water level. We hiked about 2 hours, stopping for a number of photos and a couple geocaches. I think we made it about 1/2 way around before we had to choose either to wade through ankle deep water or turn back around.
Tour the Tea Factories
Thanks to the mild temperatures and rich volcanic soil on the island (typically between 50°F and 80°F), there are two tea factories and one plantation on the island. These are the only two tea plantations in Europe for industrial purposes. Both are open year round for visitors to tour the factories and learn about the tea plant and how the different leaves are harvested and processed. You can even walk around in the tea fields and sample the different tea types for free at both locations. I highly recommend bringing home some loose leaf tea as gifts/souvenirs from both locations! We sure did 🙂
Gorreana Tea Factory and Plantation – The busier of the two factories for tourists but still plenty of room to explore. Take a free self-guided tour through their traditional factory. See the fresh tea leaves being processed through the many steps and sophisticated procedures using 19th century equipment.
Chá Porto Formoso – This is the smaller of the two factories and produces black tea. Before taking your free tour, you’ll watch a short video about the process and history of the factory. (Video is available in English, Spanish and German). This factory has a more personal feeling than Gorreana and since the new owners began rejuvinating the factory in 1998, it’s become a more popular place of interest on the island.
Take in the Panoramic View at Boco do Inferno
If you do a search for Azores or Sao Miguel island, it’s very likely you will see many pictures posted from Boco do Inferno. Often called the best miradouro (viewpoint) in the Azores. The weather is key here. You definitely want to make sure you visit on a clear day for this part of the island. You can use the local island webcams on SpotAzores.com to see what the Sete Cidades area is like before you come.
TIP: Most people tend to park outside the gates on the main road but you can absolutely drive in and park inside the park. There is plenty of space and if you get up their early, you can literally park at the foot of the steps leading up to the viewpoint.
Enjoy the Lakes at Sete Cidades
A short drive down from the Boco do Inferno viewpoint is Sete Cidades. A parish in the center of a gigantic volcanic crater that, according to Azorean legend, the two lakes here – one blue, one green – were formed from the tears of a shepherd and princess who shared a forbidden love. The area offers a few different restaurants, parks, hiking trails and bike rental/tours too.
We highly recommend renting kayaks or standup paddleboards from Futurismo to enjoy the lakes and amazing panoramic views to the top of the crater.
While we didn’t have time to hike it during our week in the Azores, there is a 12km trail (Mata do Canario) that follows the rim of the crater and then down into Sete Cidades.
Tour the Arruda Pineapple Plantation
Now you may be a little perplexed when you plug the address in to Google Maps for this one since it will lead you to a spot well within the city. The pineapples from the Azorean islands are nicknamed the “king of fruits.” They came from a need to fill a void in export trading in the mid 19th century after a fungal disease, “gummosis” decimated the citrus crops on the island. The Azorean pineapple is a little smaller than what we are used to in the US but they are SO juicy and SO tasty, we had to go check out the plantation where they are grown to see what their secret is.
When you arrive, you can freely tour the Arruda Pineapple Plantation greenhouses and read about the 18 stages a pineapple goes through to get from rhizome to ready to harvest fruit. And all of this is done inside of glass greenhouses using traditional cultivation techniques. They also have a unique step in the process of applying smoke to the growing plants to enhance the aroma and flavor. This technique is unique to the Azores and can be found nowhere else in the world!
After your tour, be sure to stop in the gift shop to find unique products and gifts and even pick up some pineapple liqueur. And just outside the gift shop, you can sit on their patio, enjoy the breeze and sip on a number of pineapple drinks like these pineapple mojitos!
Swim/Snorkel on the Islet of Vila Franca do Campo
Now this is a little slice of paradise and basically an ocean aquarium that you can swim in! Just off the shores of the city Vila Franca do Campo is an islet that was created by an ancient submerged volcano. It is a main tourist attraction for its crystal clear waters that are ideal for swimming and snorkeling.
We spent about 2 hours on the island snorkeling and soaking up the sun. The snorkeling was amazing!! Plus, and this may have to do with the tides of course, we could stand on the bottom in almost the entire swim area which makes it very family friendly and safe for those new to snorkeling. The bottom is mostly soft sand but considering the island is a volcanic crater, once again I highly advise bringing water shoes for walking around when you are out of the water.
This islet is classified as a nature reserve and to protect the endemic vegetation, only 400 people are allowed out onto the islet each day. The ferry runs from June 1st through October 14th. The only way to gain access is by ferry and tickets are just 8€ per person. Many websites or local people may tell you that you can buy your tickets online from the ferry company but in reality most of you can’t. You have to have an Azorean debit card in order to buy tickets online. Tourist have to go down to the docking area and can get in line starting at 9:30am.
I’ve seen numerous reports of people waiting 2-3 hours in line to make sure they got a ticket for the day but that’s really going to depend on the day and time of year. We’ve also seen many posts of people, like us, that visited close to the off-season or on a cloudy day, got their ticket and jumped right on a ferry mid-afternoon.
Soak your cares away in Caldeira Velha
One of the highlights of Sao Miguel island is its hot springs and thermal pools. We visited Caldeira Velha in the center of the island to soak in the heated waters, surrounded by what feels like a tropical paradise.
I think it was less than 10€ per person to get in and gain access to the thermal pools. Tickets are valid for 2 hours and that was plenty of time for us. There are 3 different “hot” pools to choose from that are fed by a super hot one at the top. That one is too hot to touch and is roped off (literally the water is boiling). Each pool down from the top one is a little cooler but even the one furthest from the top is still plenty warm. I believe the range when we visited was 78-95° F.
There is also a “cold” pool up the trail a bit that is underneath a waterfall but it was still more like room termperature.
Have you visited Sao Miguel island? What was your favorite experience? Tell us in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
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