---
okf_version: "0.2"
type: "Article"
title: "São Miguel Island in the Azores – not your average green isle"
description: "São Miguel, the main island of the Azores chain is often called \"the green island\" because of the flora that covers it. Read my highlights and tips!"
resource: "https://travelmemo.com/portugal/azores/sao-miguel-island-what-to-see"
language: en
author: "Katja Birrer"
publisher: "Travelmemo"
photo_count: 48
tags: ["Experience", "Landscape", "Nature", "Azores"]
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  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/experience-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/landscape"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/nature-tourism"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/thermal-springs"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/golf"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/lake"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/air-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/resort"
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  - "https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer"
generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer", at: 2026-07-04T14:15:27+00:00 }
verified:
  - { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer", at: 2018-08-11T19:36:08+00:00 }
sources:
  - id: photos
    resource: sao-miguel-island-what-to-see.md#photos
    title: "Original photography by Katja Birrer"
    author: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer"
timestamp: 2026-07-04T14:15:27+00:00
---

# São Miguel Island in the Azores – not your average green isle

> São Miguel, the largest island in the Azores archipelago, is a volcanic nature lover's paradise of crater lakes, hot springs, hydrangea-lined roads, and dramatic Atlantic coastline — with weather as changeable as it is beautiful.

## Destination
São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal — located roughly 900 miles west of mainland Portugal in the mid-Atlantic.

## Getting there
TAP Air Portugal flies from Porto or Lisbon to Ponta Delgada (approx. 2.5 hours); direct flights also available from Boston and New York. A rental car (mid-size recommended) is the best way to explore the island.

## When to go
June to September is the best season with least precipitation, though weather can be changeable year-round. Winters are mild; summers average mid-70s°F. Pack a rain jacket regardless of season.

## Why visit
São Miguel offers dramatic volcanic landscapes, vivid blue hydrangeas, crater lakes, geothermal hot springs, Europe's only tea plantation, and rugged Atlantic coastline — an exceptional destination for nature and outdoor enthusiasts.

## What to see
- **Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde (Sete Cidades)** — Twin crater lakes — one blue, one green — set in a caldera, best viewed from the Vista do Rei or the harder-to-find Miradouro da Boca do Inferno, which also captures Lagoa de Santiago.
- **Lagoa do Fogo** — A nearly 100-foot-deep lake in the central highlands surrounded by volcanic peaks, considered unmissable.
- **Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas** — A lush botanical garden with exotic plants from every continent, a thermal iron-rich pool, lily ponds, and black swans.
- **Furnas geysers (Fumarolas da Lagoa das Furnas)** — Steaming volcanic vents on the edge of Lagoa do Furnas, used by locals to slow-cook cozido stew for up to seven hours; best viewed from Miradouro do Pico do Ferro.
- **Cha Gorreana Tea Plantation** — Europe's only tea plantation, producing up to 40 tons of black and green tea annually, mostly by hand, on hillsides between Maia and São Bras.
- **Farol da Ponta do Arnel** — One of the oldest lighthouses in the Azores, near Nordeste, with panoramic coastal views; the access road has a 35% grade — approach with caution.
- **Ponta Delgada Old Town** — The island capital offers a walkable pedestrian zone and a harbor promenade with restaurants and cafes.
- **Ilhéu dos Mosteiros** — Dramatic basalt rock spires off the coast near Mosteiros, visible from coastal lookout points.

## What to do
- **Bathing in caldeiras (hot springs)** — Natural thermal pools at Caldeira Velha and Poça da Beija in Furnas offer warm, mineral-rich soaking; the Parque Terra Nostra pool has high iron content.
- **Swimming at Ponta da Ferraria** — A small bay where Atlantic waters are naturally warmed by hot springs — popular with tourists.
- **Canyoning at Parque Natural de Ribeira dos Caldeirões** — A well-laid-out nature park near Nordeste with tree ferns, watermills, a river, and a waterfall; canyoning available for the adventurous.
- **Golf at Batalha and Furnas courses** — 27-hole Batalha on the north coast with Atlantic and mountain views; 18-hole Furnas set in volcanic tropical landscape.
- **Coastal miradouro hopping** — The island has numerous well-maintained lookout points and picnic grounds overlooking cliffs, inlets, and rocky islets.

## Good to know
Timezone is Central European Time minus 2 hours. A mid-size SUV-style rental car (e.g., Nissan Qashqai) handles the island's steep grades and narrow village lanes best. The Miradouro da Boca do Inferno is unsigned — park at Lagoa do Canário and walk 15 minutes. TAP offers a Stopover Program allowing easy combination with Porto or Lisbon.

## Photos

```yaml
photos:
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Sao-Miguel-Azoren-Atlantik-Kueste.jpg"
    caption: "Sao Miguel’s rugged Atlantic coast"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Azoren-Inselgruppe-Atlantik.jpg"
    caption: "Green, blue and white"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Sao-Miguel-Azoren-Strasse-Hortensien.jpg"
    caption: "Road lined by hydrangeas"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Hortensien-Atlantik.jpg"
    caption: "Hydrangeas as far as the eye can see"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Kuehe-Felsen-Mosteiros.jpg"
    caption: "Green pastures, rugged coast and black-and-white cows -- just like Scotland"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Kirche-San-Sebastian-Ponta-Delgada-Sao-Miguel-Azoren.jpg"
    caption: "The church of Matriz de São Sebastião in Ponta Delgada"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/St-Peters-Parish-Kirche.jpg"
    caption: "St. Peter's Parish Church in Ponta Delgada"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Lagoa-Verde-Lagoa-Azul-Panorama.jpg"
    caption: "On the left Lagoa Verde, on the right Lagoa Azul"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Walter-Schaerer-Timelaps-Lago-Azul-Azoren.jpg"
    caption: "Walter setting up a timelapse"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Vista-do-Rei-Lago-Verde-Lago-Azul.jpg"
    caption: "Vista do Rei lookout point for Lagoa Verde and Azul"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Aussichtspunkt-Vista-do-Rei.jpg"
    caption: "View on the Miradouro Vista do Rei with Monte Palace ruin (at left in the picture)"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Hotelruine-Monte-Palace.jpg"
    caption: "The once-upon-a-time Hotel Monte Palace"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Kratersee-Lagoa-de-Santiago-Azoren.jpg"
    caption: "Caldera lakes Lagoa de Santiago and Lagoa Azul behind it seen from Boca de Inferno"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Zugang-Aussichtspunkt-Miradouro-da-Boca-do-Inferno.jpg"
    caption: "The climb to Miradouro da Boca do Inferno"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Katja-Walter-Miradouro-da-Boca-do-Inferno-Sao-Miguel.jpg"
    caption: "Katja and Walter happy to have found the Miradouro da Boca da Inferno"
```