Best 7 places to visit in and around Lisbon
03/10/2023
Travel guide for visiting São Miguel Island
The island of São Miguel is one of nine volcanic islands that make up the archipelago of the Azores, which belong to Portugal.
Resting in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, São Miguel is the largest island in the Azores group. It is also known as the "Green Island" due to its lush green landscapes. As someone who visited there - I can certainly testify that this nickname is accurate :)
To be honest, visiting São Miguel island is the perfect place for nature-loving travelers, who want to enjoy breathtaking nature, hot springs, caves, beautiful hiking trails, and animal encounters.
Because the island is characterized by unique volcanic landscapes, you can also enjoy some very special geothermal experiences that I will detail later in this post.
So if you are planning your trip to the Azores islands , it is very worthwhile to include the island of São Miguel on the list.
The guide below gives you all the comprehensive information about the island, but if you want a more compact summary, you can visit another post I wrote called, 12 best things to do on São Miguel Island :)
And now, let's go, because I have a lot to tell you about São Miguel..!
Best seasons to visit São Miguel Island
So I'll start by noting that the weather forecast will almost always seem alarming to you, but you don't have too much to fear.
The temperature in the Azores, and especially on the island of São Miguel, is quite constant throughout the year, which basically allows you to visit the island any month you want.
We found the most reliable forecast through the website AccuWeather, but the most popular app is SpotAzores which allows you to check the forecast at any given moment on the island.
Rain is a constant factor to consider on São Miguel. Upon arriving, we quickly learned that it would rain almost every day, but only for a short time. The weather runs over the island so fast, you're bound to get some sun and some rain every day. Rain will fall no matter what month you arrive, but some months are a bit more stable in this respect.
The most recommended season for most travelers is during the spring and summer months, from April to October. During this period the weather is more pleasant and stable, with average temperatures ranging from 18°C to 25°C.
But note that this is also the hottest season for most travelers, which means that the island is likely to be busier with travelers and it is advisable to book a car and hotels in advance in this case (and prepare not to be alone at all in the hot pools).
But no matter when you plan to arrive in São Miguel, bring a raincoat :)
Internet and Sim Cards are recommended on São Miguel
Most Portuguese telecommunications companies also allow good internet infrastructure on the island of São Miguel.
One of the leading companies is Vodafone, and you can find their SIM card in every possible shopping center and also at the airport.
Of course, if your phone supports eSim, I can definitely recommend this solution.
Furnas - suitable for visiting all year round
How to get to São Miguel
The easiest way to get to the island of São Miguel is by plane.
You can enjoy direct flights from places like Lisbon or Porto in Portugal, as well as flights with stops from various other destinations in Europe such as London, Amsterdam, and more, and you will be surprised to hear that even from the USA you can find flights to the island...!
The main airline of the Azores is called SATA, through which you can check prices, routes, and flight schedules.
When planning your trip to the Azores, I highly recommend that you take note of the times of your flights because it will make it much easier for you to plan the other details of your trip (especially if you incorporate other islands in your itinerary).
You can also check costs as mentioned through Skyscanner's search engine for slightly nicer prices sometimes.
Please note that São Miguel Island cannot be reached by ferry.
This is a question that is asked a lot by travelers, but the distance between the other islands in the archipelago to São Miguel is really far, and even more so from mainland Portugal
No matter how - just get there :)
How to get around in São Miguel Island
Without a shadow of a doubt, the best way to get around the island is by renting a car.
By car, you can easily reach any destination and attraction within the island, and since the distances are not very large, it will also allow you flexibility if the weather is less nice to you.
Public transport on the island is not very developed, and buses will mainly take you to more central areas.
If you cannot rent a car or just really insist on getting around by public transport, on this website you will find information about the buses around the island.
We booked a car through Economy Bookings but it is also worth checking through the Rental Cars search engine.
The rental company we rented through is called ANC and we got really good service, so can definitely recommend it.
Our vehicle on the island of Sao Miguel
Best Attractions on São Miguel Island
On São Miguel Island, you can enjoy many special attractions suitable for children, teens, families, couples, and of course solo travelers.
The island is especially suitable for nature-loving travelers since most of the best attractions on the island are connected in one way or another to the gorgeous nature everywhere.
In a separate post I have prepared a list of 12 things you should not miss on the island of São Miguel that you are invited to take a look at, but here too, I will note some of the best attractions on the island:
1. Hot springs and geothermal phenomena
It's impossible to go to São Miguel without connecting with the hot springs scattered around the island.
In the Furnas area, you will find Terra Nostra Hot Spring which is located within the Botanical Park area.
The temperature of the water is between 35-40 degrees Celsius, and you can spend half a day there, just be careful not to go there wearing a white bathing suit!
Another warm interesting park highly recommended is Caldeira Velha, which is considered quite a highlight of São Miguel.
But smaller hot springs like Termas das Caldeiras are also a great attraction, and I personally really liked it.
But absolutely, no matter what, there is a specific hot spring that you should not miss and that is Ponta da Ferraria, a hot spring in the ocean that is discovered at low tide and is going to give you a unique (and maybe turbulent) experience :)
Apart from hot springs, there is another very special place worth visiting. At Furnas Lake, you will find the Fumarolas Lagoa das Furnas, a geothermal phenomenon where you can observe bubbling mud.
What's really cool there is that among the bubbling plots of land, pots of stew sit for hours and are served in nearby restaurants.
The dish is called Cozido das Furnas and it is highly recommended for an authentic regional experience.
Hot Springs on Sao Miguel Island
2. Visit the city of Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada is the capital of the Azores and is considered the largest city on the islands and also the closest thing to an urban area on the island.
You can spend one or two nights in this city and wander through its cute streets.
Some of the nicer places to wander are the Portas de Cidade, arch-shaped gates built in the 18th century right on the main square.
In the same area, you can also see Igreja Matriz de São Sebastião, a beautiful and impressive Catholic church.
I also recommend taking a short walk on the beach promenade, where there are all kinds of nice food trucks to snack on, and there's also the ancient Forte de São Brás fortress, now a museum.
If you want to visit a farmer's market, in the city center you'll find Mercado da Graça, which is open every day except Sunday, at varying hours (check opening hours when you arrive).
In addition, of course, you can enjoy many restaurants, nice bars with live performances, festivals, and various events throughout the year within the city and enjoy a nice urban experience.
Ponta Delgada Town
3. Botanical gardens, tea farm and lots of pineapples :)
Throughout São Miguel you can find several botanical gardens that are really worth a visit.
If you're stopping for a few days in Ponta Delgada, try popping into Jardim Botânico José do Canto Botanical Garden.
In Furnas, you can find Parque Terra Nostra which, in addition to the hot spring, you can enjoy one of the nicest botanical gardens I've ever wandered through.
And although it is not exactly a botanical garden, I really recommend visiting the Gorreana Tea Factory, learning about São Miguel's tea production, and wandering among the beautiful tea fields around.
Learn more about visiting the tea factory>>
In addition, there is a cute place a little outside the city of Ponta Delgada called Plantação de Ananás dos Açores, where you can visit a pineapple greenhouse and learn about their cultivation and also drink pineapple liqueur..!).
The botanical garden in Parque Terra Nostra - Furnas
4. Beautiful lakes and vantage points + cats
São Miguel is an island filled with lakes and amazing vantage points overlooking them.
I'll start by noting that almost every point you stop at will have a pretty gorgeous view, but there are a few lakes and vantage points that are really worth a visit!
Fogo Lake
Lagoa Do Fogo is probably the nicest place we visited in São Miguel.
It's really worth stopping at the lower viewpoint of the lake Miradouro da Lagoa do Fogo, and you can also continue up to the next viewpoint, Miradouro do Pico da Barrosa.
Apart from the viewpoints, you should also go down to the lakeside, and there is a really nice walking trail that can be done (detailed later in the post).
The lake is appropriately named, so you may want to wait for a clear day. And the view is definitely worth the wait!
Lakes Sete Cidades
Also known as Green Lake and Blue Lake and one of the hallmarks of the island of São Miguel.
You can go down to the shores of the lake and also sail it if you want, but the most worthwhile views of the lakes (and the most touristy) are undoubtedly Miradouro do Cerrado das Freiras which is the lower vantage point on the lakes, and of course, Miradouro da Vista do Rei which is a higher vantage point.
They're both really nice and a visit to one of them will do the trick :)
Sete Cidades Lake View Point
Furnas Lake (Lagoa Das Furnas)
Beautiful lake surrounded by a nice park and walking trail (detailed later in the post). The whole area itself is very beautiful and it's nice to even spend one night there in the area.
Cat viewpoints
On São Miguel, many of the roadside viewpoints that you will visit, for some reason, all have a colony of happy cats!
The landscaping at the viewpoints is always very well taken care of, and so are the feline inhabitants :)
In these colonies, you can see the small houses they built for cats there, and these are really nice spots to stop by for a nice picnic as well.
The two most worthwhile spots to visit are Miradouro da Ponta do Sossego, a viewpoint with many hidden places to explore, and it is also worth stopping at Miradouro da Ponta da Madrugada, which is not far from the first.
Miradouro do Salto da Farinha picnic and observation point
A particularly worthwhile vantage point that can be reached with the car.
To get to it there is a descent that seems a bit disturbing with the vehicle, but it is worth going down anyway.
What's beautiful about it is that just after the observation point, there is a beautiful spot to stop for a picnic and an amazing view of the waterfalls on one side, and if you continue to the other side you will get to see the ocean view.
If you look closely you will even see some in the picture
5. Beaches and lagoons
Although the island of São Miguel is not the place for a sunbathing vacation, you can enjoy some really beautiful beaches and impressive lagoons.
So besides the beautiful lakeside around, such as the shores of the lake Lagoa do Fogo, there are some really nice beaches for lounging and strolling.
On the hot days, we popped into a nice beach to rest a bit called Praia dos Mosteiros. It is recognized by thethree towers that stand in the middle of the water.
A beach that is considered very popular among travelers is Praia do Areal de Santa Bárbara, located on the shores of the cute town of Ribeira Grande.
Another beach worth visiting is Praia de Água D'Alto on the south side of the island.
But one of the most beautiful places on the island is undoubtedly the lagoon of Islote de Vila Franca.
A small, uninhabited coastal island located just off the southern coast of Sao Miguel, that is reached by boat.
For more information, schedules, and booking tickets, click here >>
The wild shores of Lake Fogo
6. Whale, Dolphin, and Other Animal Cruises
Another wonderful attraction to do in São Miguel is whale cruising.
There are several companies that offer daily tours, and one of the best and most well-known is Moby Dick Tours.
Of course, whale watching is always an unpredictable experience, and I've already had a failed attempt in Iceland, but made up for it later on whale and dolphin watching tours in Mexico, but you can still watch dolphins and other marine animals if you're lucky.
It is possible not only to sail but also to swim with dolphins in certain parts of the island.
Check out swimming with dolphins tours here >>
In addition, of course, you can also enjoy the wildlife around you like the Cagarro, whose voices you must hear at night, it's completely alien.
For those who are interested, there are also tours to watch the special birds migrate in and out of the island.
And don't forget the cat observations I told you about a few paragraphs above :)
Whale watching Cruise on Sao Miguel Island
Best hiking trails in São Miguel Island
On São Miguel you can find some of the nicest hiking trails I've ever hiked (and if you're a longtime reader of the blog, you already know that I've done quite a few hiking trails around the world so far).
São Miguel of course has many other hiking trails besides the ones I mentioned. If you want to explore a little deeper, you can find a variety of trails on the Azores Trails website.
Lagoa Furnas hiking trail
A hiking trail that circles Furnas Lake and is about 8 km long.
The trail itself is light and nice and passes through many really beautiful spots, and if you want to extend it a little longer, you can combine the route to Cascata do Grená, a beautiful waterfall up 200 steps.
Also doing only the classic route is very nice and you can enjoy a perfect stroll around the lake, and about halfway, you will also find the beautiful cathedral Capela de Nossa Senhora das Vitórias.
Lagoa do Fogo walking trail
My favorite walking trail on the whole island. The trail starts at the lower viewpoint of Lagoa do Fogo and descends to the shore of the lake.
All along the route the scenery is just lovely, and it's a total of a 3km walk with a considerable ascent and descent but well worth it.
The walking path to Miradouro da Grota do Inferno viewpoint
One of the most beautiful viewpoints on the island in my opinion, overlooking the lakes of Sete Cidades, which requires a short walk of about a kilometer and a little in each direction.
The trail itself is relatively light and passes through the forest to the viewpoint. You can even bring your own tea and cookies and treat yourself to the summit with the view spread out in front of you.
Poço Azul and other waterfalls
A cute walking trail that can be done in all kinds of variations and takes you to several different waterfalls on the way between cute towns.
Because of the different variations, you can start the route really close to the falls or extend it to your heart's content and even do the full route between the towns and even reach a really cute beach.
The observation point I liked the most of all in this area
Best (vegan) food on São Miguel Island
I'll start by noting that the island of São Miguel is a kind of paradise, but not really for vegans.
In general, we didn't really stop to eat at restaurants other than in the town of Ponta Delgada when we went out for dinner there on our first day on the island.
The offerings aren't great, but it seems that slowly with the arrival of tourists, more and more vegan places will emerge.
(Let me know if you've eaten somewhere cool and new!)
For the most part, we decided to just cook so I could maintain a healthy diet and also because most nights we slept in a tent and just cooked independently in the field.
The best place to stock up on vegan food is the Supermarket Continente, which is a large supermarket chain that offers quite a bit of vegan selection (including tofu, vegan cheeses, and vegan milk).
But if you still want to try a few restaurants:
Terra Fogo
A 100% vegan restaurant, located in the southern part of the island, not far from Ponta Delgada.
You will find a small but constantly changing menu, which is probably the best vegan restaurant on the island.
To the restaurant page at Happy Cow >>
Intz48 Coffee Roasters Azores
One of the most recommended places for vegans and vegetarians on the island, although this is not a restaurant that serves only plant-based food.
However, there is a lot of consideration for the vegan and vegetarian crowd and a variety of good dishes to enjoy.
To the restaurant page at Happy Cow >>
Ramen Bambu
And if you're into ramen (I know I am), you should try the next place that also shows vegan ramen.
It's hard not to love ramen :)
Malcolm eating pizza in São Miguel
Best hotels on Sao Miguel Island
Most travelers simply choose to book a hotel in Ponta Delgada and hit the road from there. Overall, because the island isn't that big, it can be an option for most of your days on the island, so I've compiled some recommended places to choose from.
We preferred taking apartments around the island, both because it gives an opportunity to sleep in a regional style house, and partly because it allowed us to cook independently and find hospitality in every hole we reached.
Recommended hotels in Ponta Delgada
Casa do Vereador
Very good hotel for an even better price :) Breakfast is included in the price, Wi-Fi of course, and free parking.
For more information click here >>
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Hotel Do Colegio
A 4-star hotel in a 19th-century building at an affordable price for those exploring the Azores. There is breakfast included, free parking, a restaurant, and a pool.
For more information click here >>
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Casa do Campo de São Francisco
Very cute guesthouse with breakfast included (you can choose buffet and it's hard to beat).
To check out more accommodations through Booking click here:
Recommended hotels in the town of Ribeira Grande
Areal de Santa Bárbara Guest House
Cute guesthouse at reasonable prices. Serves breakfast included in the rate and free parking.
For more information click here >>
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Hotel Verde Mar & SPA
If you want a real pampering place, this is totally the hotel for you :) Just go to the link and look for yourself..!
For more information click here >>
Recommended hotels in Furnas
Terra Nostra Garden Hotel
If you want to sleep in the Furnas area and have a few extra dollars on the side, it's worth trying to check out accommodations at this hotel.
Accommodation at this hotel includes access to the beautiful warm springs and one of the best botanical gardens ever (also during exclusive hours).
To reserve São Miguel Island accommodation through Agoda, click on the following link:
Last Words
I hope this guide to São Miguel helped you understand a little more about what this amazing island has to offer.
If you have traveled to São Miguel and visited a special place that I did not write about, please tell us so that I can make it accessible to more people.
Of course, São Miguel has a lot more to offer such as cute towns, beautiful views everywhere you look and cool caves like Gruta do Carvão.
If you choose to incorporate another island into your trip, you should take a look at some of the things you shouldn't miss on Terceira Island.
If my content helps you during your travels, I would love for you to help me continue to grow and create more content. The most wonderful way, apart from continuing to visit my blog and use my links, is to follow me on Instagram..!
You can find a link to my Instagram page here >>
Thank you very much for the support and I wish you an amazing trip to Sao Miguel in the Azores :)
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All photos were taken by me, and may not be used without permission.
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