ESCAPE COMPLETELY
Essential São Miguel
- Information
- Tour Plan
- Location
- Gallery
- Additional Info
- Similar Tours
What's included
- 100% Local Storyteller
- 2 full-day tours
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Bottled water
- Lunches
- Pineapple plantation visit
- Tea factory visit
- Entrance fees to thermal pools
- Entrance tickets to monuments and museums
- Personal expenses
Island of Legends
Forget straight lines and simple stories—São Miguel doesn’t do ordinary. This is the beating, breathing heart of the Azores, shaped by fire and water, cloaked in mist, and echoing with ancient legends. Born from the explosive force of a hotspot volcano and sculpted over millions of years, the island is a patchwork of calderas, crater lakes, fumaroles, and waterfalls, all wrapped in rolling green that defies imagination.
Here, volcanoes whisper myths: like the tale of Sete Cidades, where star-crossed lovers shed tears that filled the twin lakes, one blue, one green. Furnas bubbles with steam and folklore, where hot springs cook cozido underground and the scent of minerals blends with basil in garden parks founded in the 18th century. Time slows down here—not as a loss, but a gift.
Volcanic Dreams
São Miguel may not shout its wonders, but it sings them in steam, silence, and the soft roar of Atlantic waves. This is a place where craters bloom with hydrangeas, volcanoes nap beneath tea fields, and legends soak the soil.
Good things and strange tales tend to start here—from the myth of forbidden lovers who wept twin lakes into existence, to the slow-cooked cozido bubbling in volcanic heat. São Miguel is a stratovolcanic marvel, part Jurassic jungle, part Atlantic daydream, and every part alive.
Grab your raincoat and a fearless heart and walk straight into this emerald fever dream. Goodbye, map; hello, magic.
Tapping into History
History on São Miguel doesn’t sit behind velvet ropes. It spills out of basalt churches, echoes through cobblestone streets, and blooms in every garden and festival. The first settlers arrived in the 15th century, bringing with them not just tools and livestock, but a fiercely independent spirit. What they built stands strong today: old world towns like Ribeira Grande and Vila Franca do Campo, tiled facades, and fortresses built to withstand pirate raids.
Cultural life here is vibrant and earthy. Traditional festivals unfold with music, dancing, flower carpets, and feasts. The people are warm, proud, and deeply connected to the land—farmers, fishermen, and artisans whose crafts have been honed over centuries. You’ll find azulejos that tell stories, embroidery that speaks of generations, and meals that carry the weight of time. Whether you’re sipping fresh pineapple juice in a family orchard or watching the sea turn gold at Mosteiros, São Miguel invites you to be more than a visitor. It wants you to belong.
- Essential São Miguel Tour Plan
DAY 1
West of São Miguel, scenic views
On the West Tour, start by visiting a pineapple plantation followed by the most scenic viewpoint in the Azores, the “Vista do Rei” viewpoint on the edge of the volcanic crater, witness the beauty of the blue and green lake.
Descend inside the volcano, stop at the “Cerrado das Freiras” viewpoint and Sete Cidades parish. Here you will have free time to explore the picturesque parish, walk along the edge of the lake or enjoy a typical buffet lunch if you have opted for the “Boock Lunch” option. Next, stop at Escalvado viewpoint overlooking the ocean, Ponta da Ferraria and Mosteiros Islets.
Departure to the north coast, stop at Santa Barbara black sand beach. Explore Fogo volcano with a stop at the “Lagoa do Fogo” and “Pico da Barrosa” viewpoints. The last one offers wonderful views over the lagoon and the whole western part of the island. Return to the starting point.
DAY 2
A leisurely trip to East of São Miguel
On the East side Tour, discover Furnas volcano & Nordeste (Ribeira dos Caldeirões Natural Park) starting with a morning stop at one of the most beautiful viewpoints on the north coast of São Miguel, Santa Iria.
Enjoy a tea tasting by visiting one of the only two industrial tea factories in Europe. Admire all the beauty of the tea plantation, traveling through valleys and mountains where goats clean the bushes. This is not just any plantation, it is the last one in the world where no pesticides or fertilizers are used, being 100% natural.
Head to the “Parque Natural da Ribeira dos Caldeirões” in Nordeste, here, the nature lives! An old water mill park converted into a Natural Park of great beauty with its enormous waterfalls.
In Furnas volcano village, explore the place locally called “Mouth of the Volcano” where you will find hot spring, countless sources of mineral waters and stroll among boiling waters.
Stop for a gastronomic adventure and try the “Cozido das Furnas”. Stewed in holes set in the volcanic soil for around 7 hours, this is perhaps the most “unique” dish in the Azores. Don’t forget to select the option to book lunch
Next, visit the “Parque das Caldeiras” close to the Furnas lake and learn how the locals cook, using holes in the volcanic ground (extra fee 3€ per person)
Pass by Vila Franca do Campo, which was the first capital of São Miguel, before its destruction in 1522.
More about São Miguel
More about this tour
São Miguel, the largest island in the Azores, is known as “The Green Island” thanks to its lush volcanic landscapes, rolling pastures, and crater lakes. Its dramatic terrain was formed by centuries of volcanic activity, now resting beneath a peaceful, emerald surface.
Home to iconic geological sites like Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo, São Miguel offers visitors a glimpse into the powerful forces that shaped the Azores. Steaming fumaroles and geothermal springs still bubble in the town of Furnas, where volcanic energy meets natural beauty.
