Day Trips from Ponta Delgada

Unwind at the hot thermal springs of an active volcano on an evening tour from Ponta Delgada. Head to the volcanic complex of Furnas in Povoação and bathe in the warm waters of Poça da Dona Beija.  Go for a guided nature walk to discover the beautiful surroundings and get plenty of opportunities to take souvenir photos of the dramatic landscapes. End the evening with a traditional stew from the region, cooked beneath the ground using the heat from the surrounding thermal springs.

Discover the diverse green vegetation, clear and fresh waterfalls and old water mills on this adventurous canyoning tour through the forest. Unless you choose the option with pickup from Ponta Delgada, your adventure starts at Parque Natural da Ribeira dos Caldeirões, one of the most popular natural areas in the Nordeste region.  The activity starts with you picking up your safety equipment, followed by a short walk of about 20 minutes. Once at the entry point to the stream, listen to a safety briefing.  Along the route there will be vertical challenges at waterfalls, which you will combat with the technique of abseiling. The highest waterfall is 8 meters in height. In between there are short walking sections, as well as a more playful area with a slide and jump of about 5 meters.

Your guide, an expert in the history and nature of the Azores, will meet you at your accommodation at 09:00. On this 9-hour excursion you’ll head straight to Sete Cidades, enjoying amazing views of the island along the mountain road. Stop at the famous King's View, and take in the panorama appearing on many postcards of the Azores. You’ll be amazed at the beauty of smaller, little-known lakes of the area. After you visit a small town by the lake, the drive continues to the west coast of the island and the beautiful rocks of Mosteiros. In the afternoon, the itinerary starts off with a visit to Fogo Lake, the highest and most untouched of the large lakes of the Azores. Next is Caldeira Velha, a natural monument featuring lush vegetation and thermal activity. Continue to Ribeira Grande, the largest town on the north coast and see the most beautiful cliffs in São Miguel. Your last stop on the tour is a visit to pineapple greenhouses, where you’ll learn the unique techniques used in growing this fruit that’s important to the Azores. The program is a perfect introduction to the Azores, with a great mix of mountain views, lakes, coastal lookouts and insights into culture and history.

After getting picked up from your hotel in the morning, cross the island to the north coast. Make your first stop at Samta Iria viewpoint, and head to the Tea Factory Porto Formoso. Enjoy a splendid view over the bay, a magnificent garden and a tea tasting. Head back to the road, and stop at the Pico do Ferro Lookout on top of the Furnas Volcano crater to admire the interior of the volcano, the village and the Furnas Lake. Begin your journey into the crater and stop for a hike or a dip in the botanical garden, and the Terra Nostra or Poça da Dona Beija thermal pool. Admire Furnas Lake, where Cozido das Furnas are made using the heat of the volcano. Taste this typical and famous food at a local restaurant. After lunch, hike in the area of the boilers and visit the many volcanic manifestations, taste some of the many mineral waters, or stop for a traditional liquor taste. See the Natural Park of Ribeira dos Caldeirões and its watermills, a magnificent waterfall, and the trail that winds along the river. Visit the Northeast Village, admire the Bridge of seven arches, and the Vista dos Barcos Lookout. Return to your hotel in the evening.

Begin your tour of Sete Cidades and the lakes of São Miguel with a visit to some pineapple greenhouses. See the plantation and production process of the Azores famous crop from start to end. Continue towards the village of Sete Cidades ("Seven Cities") stopping en route for some panoramic views of the west of the island of São Miguel. Marvel at a stunning scenery of small hills and green pastures, and see the peak of Carvão, from where both the north and south coasts of the island can be seen. Discover some of the island's smaller lakes such as the Lagoa das Empadadas, Lagoa do Canario and Lagoa de Santiago. Experience the island's most famous observation point, considered one of the "7 Natural Wonders of Portugal." Then, continue into the peaceful village of Sete Cidades, dramatically located at the bottom of a volcanic crater. Acclimatize to the serene way of life in this extraordinary place, and visit the harmonious church. Get stunning views of the fishing village of Mosteiros from the Escalvado viewpoint, from where you can admire the local summer houses, exquisite beach and natural pools created by lava formations.

Join the ultimate swimming experience on an encounter with wild dolphins in the clear blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Head out from the Azores in a Zodiac boat for an unforgettable adventure. This 2-hour activity is carried out in small groups and led by a qualified biologists or nature guides. Each swimming tour is preceded by a briefing in which one of the biologists explains how to swim with wild dolphins while respecting them. You’ll also learn how to enter the water and behave around the dolphins, how to use the mask and snorkel and how to get the most out of your swimming experience. Masks, snorkels and wet-suits are provided.

After either gathering at the meeting point or being collected from your accommodation, you will make your way to Parque da Ribeira dos Caldeirões, located in the north-east part of the island. It takes around 45 minutes to drive from Ponta Delgada. The half-day tour takes approximately 3 hours. During this time you will have the possibility of doing rappels, jumps, slides and rock slides. The highest rappel will be 15 meters, with the highest jump being around 6 meters. There will be some time for the equipment distribution with the help of your guides, before you take a short hike in order to approach the stream followed by a security briefing. On average it is about a 20 to 35-minute hike, depending on the pace of the group. Throughout the full-day option you will stop for a picnic, later finishing the tour by returning back to town by car.

Following pick-up, start the drive to Furnas. Enjoy beautiful scenery along the southern coast of the island until you get to the historical town of Vila Franca do Campo. Here, reach a secluded chapel in the mountains, Senhora da Paz, to enjoy a spectacular view of the town and small island before continuing to Furnas. In Furnas, walk along geothermal fields and observe smoking volcanoes (possible to swim in thermal pools for extra fee). Watch as your lunch, the famous local cozido, is pulled from the cooking holes in the volcanic soil. In the afternoon, get to the top of the volcanic crater at the viewpoint of Pico do Ferro, which offers views of Furnas and its lake. Next, head to the northeastern side of the island to see the coast of high cliffs and waterfall of Ribeira dos Caldeirões. Make your way back to Ponta Delgada along the north coast of the island with a final stop at the breathtaking lookout of Santa Iria.

This tour will allow you to explore the best locations of the island, including lakes sceneries within volcano craters, shore views, and even sceneries from the highest island's grounds including one of the 7 natural wonders of Portugal and an active but dormant volcano of Lagoa do Fogo.  Be picked up at any location in Ponta Delgada. Your tour guide will be pleased to pick you and to do a briefing of your tour. This is a good time to customize your itinerary, if you wish. One of the interesting initial stops are at the Azorean pineapple plantations where your tour guide will explain all the stages and where you can try a free sample of the local pineapple liquor. After this the group will go uphill to the large western volcano Sete Cidades and make a stop on Pico do Carvão viewpoint so you can enjoy one of the best views over the island.  Grota do Inferno viewpoint is just ahead. From there you have some amazing sceneries within the Sete Cidades caldera and you can see the most beautiful lakes (Rasa lake, Santiago lake and the twin blue and green lakes). Following next, your tour guide takes the group to Vista do Rei viewpoint, from where you can admire the most famous perspective over the twin lakes of Sete Cidades and it's population. Next, head down to the Sete Cidades settlement next to the twin lakes and explore the most interesting spots nearby the lake. On the way back, reach the south shore heading to the Fogo volcano. Your tour guide will take you to the highest point of this central volcano, up to 947 meters above sea level at Pico da Barrosa. From there, as you explore the inner crater you can enjoy and stop at Fogo Lake. Right next to the Fogo lake is Caldeira Velha, an outdoor garden with hot thermal pools that you may enjoy. Finally the last stops will be at Ribeira Grande where you can learn the local way of living and stop at Santa Bárbara beach, the most popular site for surfers, to refresh yourself and enjoy the local shore view.

The tour starts at our meeting point on the North Cost of São Miguel Island, where you will set off on your adventure. See breathtaking views of both the lakes and the sea. Drive along roads that offer great excitement and adrenaline. Visit Lagoa das Sete Cidades, the north ridge of the Sete Cidades crater, Miradouro e Lagoa do Canário, Vista do Rei, and the south ridge of the Sete Cidades crater.