A Trip to the Azores: São Miguel Island
Sete Cidades, São Miguel, the Azores (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/40 s)
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**This post is the 1st of a 7-post series discussing what to see in this part of the Azores (You can check out the other parts in the list below, separated by each specific island/city. Everything is also summarized in another post here.**
The Azores islands are one of two autonomous regions of Portugal (the other being Madeira), located roughly 1000 miles from mainland Portugal. It is a 9-island archipelago that are split into three groups: Eastern (São Miguel, Santa Maria), Central (Terceira, Pico, Faial, São Jorge, Graciosa), and Western (Corvo, Flores). Their discovery dates back to the 14th century and were named ‘açor’, meaning Goshawk, which was a common bird known in that time. Each island is accessible either by plane or by ferry. For those who love nature and a bit of adventure, the Azores are an absolute must see.
In this blog post, I will cover the island of São Miguel. A Google Map of these places I will talk about can be seen at the end of this article. You can see all my Azores islands related blog posts below:
Ponta Delgada (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island)
São Miguel Island (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: São Miguel Island)
Horta (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Horta on Faial Island)
Faial Island (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Faial Island)
Madalena (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Madalena on Pico Island)
Pico Island (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Pico Island)
Summary (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: A Summary)
Getting to Sao Miguel Island
Getting to Sao Miguel island is quick easy actually. It is the main island of the Azores with the largest airport where you will likely arrive upon landing in this archipelago. The official airport name is Ponta Delgada - João Paulo II Airport.
If you’re on another Azorean island from the Eastern group such as Santa Maria, you can take a ferry using Atlantico Line. There are up to four departures weekly and the trip takes about 3 hours. To reach Sao Miguel from all other Azorean islands, you can take a flight with Sata Air Azores.
Ponta Delgada
Translating to ‘Thin Cape"‘, Ponta Delgada is the largest city within the Azores, located on São Miguel island, and is composed of the parishes of São Pedro, São Sebastião, and São José. The famous Portuguese chronicler Father Gaspar Frutuoso wrote about the origins of the Ponta Delgada name: ‘This city of Ponta Delgada is named for its situation located along volcanic lands, thin and not too considerable like on other islands, that lead to the sea, and where later, was constructed the chapel of Santa Clara (Saint Clare of Assisi), which was named the Santa Clara point.’ It has been populated since 1444.
If you decide to spend a few days in Ponta Delgada, or use it as your home base like we did, here are some awesome places you can check out:
Jardim Botânico José do Canto - Named after José do Canto, a known botanist and nature lover in the Azores, this botanical garden has some trees that are centuries old. There is a 5 euro fee to enter and the whole experience is so Zen-like.
Plantação de Ananás dos Açores (Azores Pineapple Plantation) - This pineapple plantation allows you to see the entire pineapple growth process from first planting, to the final product. You can order yourself a simple pineapple, have pineapple ice cream, even a pineapple liquor shot.
Igreja Matriz de São Sebastião - The Church of San Sebastian is located in the city center of Ponta Delgada and perhaps one of the most famous on the island. It was build sometime between the years of 1531 and 1547 and built in the Manueline and Baroque style.
Forte de São Brás - The Fort São Brás was designed by Tomaso Benedetti and is situated along the coastline of Ponta Delgada. The angles and polygons involved in the construction was used to maximize the safety of the fort if it ever came to be attacked. Its origins date all the way back to 1552.
Torre Sineira - The Torre Sineira is a bell tower, built in 1724, which gives you a great 360 degree view atop Ponta Delgada…well at least 30 meters up.
A Tasca Restaurant - This restaurant is highly rated and one of the more authentic places in Ponta Delgada. The menu was full of freshly caught seafood and the overall vibe of the place was extremely friendly.
Jardim Antero de Quental - This garden is close to the city center and honors Antero de Quental, who was a Portuguese poet born in 1942 in Ponta Delgada.
Igreja do Colégio dos Jesuítas - The Jesuit College Church can be found in the historical center of Ponta Delgada. It is part of the College of São Miguel (Colégio de São Miguel) and houses sacred art. It’s origins date all the way back to 1592, but has been rebuilt and renovated over the years.
Vila Franca do Campo
This was the first town on Sao Miguel that we stopped at that was outside of Ponta Delgada. The municipal motto of the town is ‘ Quis sicut deus?’, which is present on the flag and coat-of-arms of the city, meaning ‘Who is Like God?’. The area was founded in the middle of the 15th century but was victim to yet another terrible earthquake in 1522, which decimated the town.
Fast forward to present day, the town is exceptional. We did a walk through and found it to be very charming. It’s architecture is stunning and the locals were very friendly. We tried to find some pastries and tea to eat when we arrived but were told that the best place to go was Queijadas da Vila do Morgado.
Queijadas are a sweet pastry treat that are known throughout all the Azores, but are best eaten when in Vila Franca do Campo. That’s because this restaurant bakes them fresh in their own little factory behind the counter. You can also buy a dozen of them at a time here, or even at the airport on your way back home.
Vila Franca Islet
The Vila Franca Islet (Ilhéu de Vila Franca) is the uninhabited island just off the coast of Vila Franca do Campo. It is a protected nature research but remains a popular place for swimming. Red Bull has even used it as a stop during its Cliff Diving World Series Circuit. In the past, the island has several uses, including as a military fortification, a port, vineyards, for whale watching, and sadly as a cove for butchering dolphins. This last action gave the island the moniker, ‘Baixa da Cozinha’, which means ‘kitchen reef’. You can visit this island by boat, but if you are pressed for time like us, a simple drone fly by will do. Just park near the closest point on the coastline and walk to the water.
If you like some of my photos that you have come across, just know that I have many prints showcasing a variety of landscapes, including the Azores, available for purchase below! (Sold as Posters, Canvas, or in Metal-Frames).
Cascata da Ribeira Quente
I’m a sucker for waterfalls. I even have a blog post specifically talking about all the waterfalls I saw in Iceland (Post here: The Most Epic Waterfalls of Iceland). The Azores don’t have as many waterfalls as Iceland but there are definitely some around if you know where to look. The waterfall of Ribeira Quente stands 25 meters tall and can be found on the road taking you towards the town of the same name.
When driving from Furnas to the town (Road EN2-2a), you will encounter two tunnels in quick succession. The waterfall can be seen in between both tunnels to your right. If you find a place to park your car before reaching these tunnels, then you can hike to the waterfall yourself though keep in mind there is no official path. There was also substantial construction going on at the time when we passed through so we just decided to snap a few pics from the car on our way back. Not bad for a car shot!
Cascata da Ribeiro Quente, São Miguel, the Azores (ISO 250, 24 mm, f/4.0, 1/500 s)
Capela de Nossa Senhora das Vitórias
The Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Vitórias (Translated to ‘Church of Our Lady of the Victories’) is a small chapel located on the Lagos das Furnas (Lake Furnas). The church/temple is striking! I think it had to be one of our favorites while in the Azores. It was erected by José do Canto, the man who also has his own botanical garden in the city of Ponta Delgada. He built it in honor of his wife who had passed, writing in 1862 that:
Having, during the great severity of my wife's illness in 1852, vowed to build a small chapel to the invocation of Our Lady of Victories, and not yet having achieved my purpose due to circumstances beyond to my will, I command that you complete the actual building...
A panel was put together as well to construct the church according to do Canto’s aspirations and wishes.
To get here, there is a parking area at the edge of the lake and you can walk to the temple in 5 minutes. You can also walk further along Lagos das Furnas to check out more of the flora around. It was quite foggy when we got here which in my opinion, made my photos a bit more mysterious and dramatic. One of the only times where it can actually help the photo!
Furnas
Furnas is located within the province of Povoação and is one of the largest parishes on the island. It is known for its hot springs due to the active trachytic volcanoes in its vicinity (colloquially named the Volcanic Complex of Furnas). You can just follow your nose as the smell of sulfur will guide you to this spot. There are a handful of hot spring areas that you can tour here which offer pathways through the hot spring landscape. And don’t worry about the sulfur, you get used to the smell.
Parque Terra Nostra
The Terra Nostra Park is a development in Furnas that serves as a thermal spa and and resort. It is a botanical garden, with a large variety of different exotic vegetative species. The garden dates back to 1780. A US consul named Thomas Hickling built a summer home here in 1775, which is now known as Yankee Hall and is the centerpiece building of the park. Since then the park has been expanded and includes a variety of gardens featuring varieties of endemic plants, ferns, ginkgo trees, cedar, poplar, oak, azaleas, and rhododendrons to name a few.
There is also a swimming pool, heated geothermally, that patrons can use. PROTIP: bath with a suit that you don’t mind getting ruined. The iron-rich water is known to stain clothing.
Naturally there is an entrance fee for entering Terre Nostra Park, but it is easily worth it if you bathe and spend a few hours exploring all the gardens on the grounds.
Povoação
This town is located on the southeastern coast of São Miguel. I first heard about it when I saw its distinctive pier photographed by a drone, showcasing its large ‘X’ shaped concrete blocks that function as a barrier to the ocean waves. It was thought that this village was the first settlement on São Miguel in 1427. The adventurer Diogo Dilva writes:
Upon our arrival, we parked near the pier and took a walk through the town. The upkeep of the entire area is impressive as everything looked very clean and welcoming. As the sun came out more and the temperature increased, we walked down to the small lighthouse at the very edge of the pier. This required some walking and hopping over the concrete blocks but at no point did we feel that we were in imminent danger (but I urge you to be cautious!). This gave us a great view of the city from the water. We could have stayed there for hours basking in the sunlight, but we had stops to make.
Miradouro da Ponta do Sossego
The Ponta do Sossego viewpoint is a spot where you can check out the northeastern part of São Miguel. What is pretty cool about this spot is its landscaping; decorated with flowering plants and typical flora of Macaronesia. There are thatched roof dwellings here that offer respite from the occasional rain and punishing sun. As there are many miradouros in the Azores, this was one of our favorite ones.
Miradouro da Ponta da Madrugada
This is another viewpoint just down the road from Sossego, located in the Northeast of São Miguel. From here you can see places like Ponta da Marquesa and Fajã do Lombo Gordo. What I love the most about this area is the very dense, rich vegetation one would expect from the Azores.
Farol do Arnel (Arnel Lighthouse)
This lighthouse is located at the tip of the Arnel and first started operation in 1876. Fast forward to present day and it is still functioning as intended after a number of improvements and enhancements. It is known for its distinctive bright red/orange top, located above the rocky coastline. This is probably one of the nicest lighthouses in all the Azores (my personal opinion).
A word of caution however: If you intend on driving here, do NOT drive all the way down to the lighthouse (like I did). This is because the road leading down to the structure is incredibly steep. It didn’t hit me on the way down that the journey back up may be difficult. Luckily…while driving us back up the steep roads, I managed to keep the car’s momentum and took the turns as wide as possible to prevent the car from bottoming out. After getting back to the top, you can clearly see signs suggesting people park at an area nearby and walk down.
Gorreana Tea Plantation
This tea plantation has been a family run business since 1883. It is located in the Central northern part of São Miguel. It is in fact Europe’s oldest tea factory (140 years old) and has experienced a series of enhancements to maintain its ability to manufacture, even through economic hardships.
What I really loved about this landscape was that it is open to anyone, everyone, at any time. The tea fields are across from the main building and can be toured whenever you please. I had never seen these sloped terraces one usually associates with rice paddies. The drone photos I was able to snap from above really made me excited about this part of the trip. Whether you are a tea drinker or not, this is a cool place to see.
Miradouro da Covilhã
This is another viewpoint on the northern coast of São Miguel. Though not particularly popular it is distinct with its square shaped wooden pillars. Here we found a picnic area and a pretty great view of the sea.
Miradouro da Covilhã, São Miguel, the Azores (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 s)
Ponta da Costa
This particular spot was really fun to explore. Located in the Northwest of São Miguel, it was a former fishing port as one can see from the flat rocky terrain that extends right out into the water. From the parking area above, you can take a walk down a winding walkway, leading you down to the rocky coastline below. The landscape is very much volcanic with black, sharp rocks jutting out of the ocean water. We took some time here to admire the landscape as we had it all to ourselves.
Cascata das Lombadas
The Lombadas Waterfall is located near Ribeira Grande in the Lombadas valley, as obviously the name would suggest. From São Miguel, it takes about 45 minutes to reach the valley of Lombadas, via road Vale das Lombadas. The road itself is not in terrible condition, but parts of it are covered in vegetation so take caution, especially while raining (which it was while we were driving).
Once you reach the end of the road there is a very obvious parking area and many directions one could go to hike. We didn’t know where exactly to start so we just hiked down some of the valleys and turned back when we didn’t find anything. Nonetheless, we realized that the waterfall is situated next to the road from where we came from.
You can hike your way down the stream in this direction, but towards the end of the hike (before the waterfall), some climbing is required that a normal person may not be able to endure. Luckily I found this waterfall with the help of my lovely drone! I also found that on the road into this valley, there is a small place one could pull over and hike down to see the waterfall from there as well. But on second though, this trail is apparently quite dangerous so take your chances.
Aqueduto do Carvão
On our way to Sete Cidades, we stumbled upon these aqueducts, which were visible from the roadway. These were originally instructed to supply water from the high points of Canário and Empadades to low lying parishes like Santa Clara. There is a parking area nearby here and a path that leads you down to the aqueducts. What I really enjoyed was the moss and vegetation growing all over the stone structures.
Sete Cidades
Sete Cidades, meaning ‘Seven cities’, is a village, but also a 3 mile across volcanic crater located in the western part of São Miguel. The entire area is 110 square kilometers and is composed of a number of lakes and a few large calderas of varying diameter. Two of these crater lakes, in portuguese called ‘Lagoas das Sete Cidades’, are referred to by the respective water colors (Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde). According to legend, the differently colored lakes were created when a princess and her lover, a young shepherd, had to part from each other. The tears they shed at their farewell became the two lakes, with the water colored like their eyes.
There are a few trails you can take around this area, accessing different viewpoints of Sete Cidades. Two of the best ones are:
Miradouro da Boca do Inferno - If the main gate is closed, there is a parking area off the main roadway that you can park at before starting your walk to this viewpoint. If the main gates are open, you can drive towards the viewpoint with parking further down. Walking through the area, you will go through a lush forest for about 15 minutes, until you will take a few stairs up to a viewpoint overlooking the landscape. If you venture further along this path, you will then reach the end of the trail with the famed panoramic viewpoint that everyone is seeking to find. If the weather is terrible, you will not see a thing…sadly.
Miradouro da Vista do Rei - this area is a bit more populated due to its convenience. There are parking areas along the side of the road that you can park at and explore the surroundings. What is remarkable in this area is the now Abandoned Monte Palace hotel. You can access this hotel and make your way to the rooftop for the best, unimpeded views of the lakes and calderas nearby. We had especially good weather when here so we took in the sun and the view for quite awhile.
Abandoned Monte Palace Hotel
As mentioned above, this abandoned hotel is located at the Miradouro da Vista do Rei. It was one of the first luxury hotels in the Azores, built back in 1989, but was shuttered some years later due to a lack of interest. Since then, it was lied abandoned but you could never access it for the first 20 years. Guards ensured that the property could not be accessed by anyone. Since there are no more guards, it is open to the public and in a state of decay. Take caution when touring this hotel as there is plenty of hazards one can hurt themselves on.
Mosteiros
This village had to be one of my favorites on São Miguel. The parish is small with a population of 1100. It was settled back in 1480 as a fishing ground. The name Mosteiros means ‘monastery’ in Portuguese, inspired by the church-like shape of its largest islet in the sea. The village features as church dating back to the 17th century and called Our Lady of the Conception.
The coastline of Mosteiros proved to be quite gorgeous all three times we stopped by. The crashing ocean waves with the islets in the distance should not be missed. Further north from the beach area are natural pools, created by ocean water and an arrangement of volcanic rock that resemble small pools. At low tide, these pools are the safest to access since with higher tides coming in, one can still get whisked around and potentially hurt.
Miradouro da Ponta do Escalvado
The Miradouro da Ponta do Escalvado viewpoint is just a 10 minute drive south of Mosteiros. It is one of the high points on the island with excellent views of the São Miguel coastline. From here you can see Ponta da Ferraria , the islets of Mosteiros , Lomba Grande and Lomba da Fonte, and the town of Várzea. This viewpoint is also considered to be a ‘pyroclastic cliff’, which is obvious by the volcanic rock that surrounds it.
A Porta do Diabo
The Gate of Hell as this translates to is located south of the miradouro da Ponta do Escalvado on the Southwestern part of São Miguel. The area is littered with volcanic rock formations that are hammered by the sea waves. If you walk around a bit, you will find an archway of volcanic rock, and the sea spilling underneath it. This creates some pretty dramatic images!
Farol da Ferraria
This lighthouse is located at Ponta da Ferraria, and is about 14 feet tall. It is the largest lighthouse in the Azores, however it is not the oldest; that honor belongs to the Farol da Arnel (Arnel lighthouse). Even though it is 111 years old, it is considered one of the best preserved.
Farol da Ferraria, São Miguel, the Azores (ISO 1000, 47 mm, f/9.0, 1/2000 s)