Sete Cidades Island tours

The western half of São Miguel island boosts an incredible variety of amazing and varied scenic highlights. This tour offers you the chance to discover the very best of São Miguel on a dazzling 8-hour journey of pure natural beauty! Tour by van in comfort, as part of a small-group, with lots of personal interaction from our top-notch guides. Lunch is included! Start with a visit to Ribeira Grande, one of the most picturesque towns of the Azores and a great example of Azorean architecture. Then discover an amazingly beautiful set of little-known cliffs on the North coast. Move into more interior areas of the island, to reach the gorgeous waterfall of Salto do Cabrito. Drive up to the Fogo Volcano, which contains the most pristine and magical of the crater lakes of São Miguel. The views from the mountain top are breathtaking, allowing you to see a large portion of the island. After a tasty meal to restore your energy levels, head to Sete Cidades, to find out why this is considered by the postcard of the Azores.   End the day in Mosteiros, on the western end of the island, and discover enchanting small islets and natural pools formed in the black lava rocks.

1st Full Day tour to Furnas & Nordeste. (8 hours tour)) 2nd Full Day tour to Sete Cidades & Lagoa do Fogo. (8 hours tour) *The order of days tours may be changed. On the day of Furnas & Nordeste tour, we will have the opportunity to lunch the famous “Furnas Stew”, cooked in volcanic soil for 6 hours and also have the opportunity to see taking out our pot from the interior of the volcanic soil, and all the volcanic manifestations existing there. On the day of Sete Cidades & Lagoa do Fogo tour, lunch will be served as a “Buffet” with different meat and fish dishes. (Full lunch on both of 2 days of activities with starters, drinks, dessert and coffee can be added to your tour when booking) In these 2 days of activitiest, you will have the privilege of having a general view of the most iconic places of the entire “green” island, from which stand out the emblematic viewpoints such as Vista do Rei in Sete Cidades, (winner of the 7 Wonders of Portugal ) or Pico do Ferro, where you can see from the top of the crater one of the most active volcanoes in the Azores archipelago and learn all about its eruptive history with more than 100,000 years. You will also have the opportunity to relax in hot thermal pools, heated by Furnas volcano, at one of the biggest and best Botanical Parks in Europe, Terra Nostra Park. Also the visit to Pineapple and Tea Plantations will be a “must”. In the Northeast area, we will visit the Ribeira dos Caldeirões Natural Park with its 5 water mills and its imposing and majestic waterfall, entitled “Véu da Noiva”.

Your tour starts at Ponta Delgada with a safety briefing about the vehicles and how to manage them. You need to present to the guide your drivers license and credit card for the deposit. We have available 2 different itineraries Sete Cidades or Coast to Coast in Ribeira Grande and the full day or half day option. -Sete Cidades: drive around the crater witch was a volcano thar creates itself. Driving around the landscapes are unbreathing, stunning. The crater from one side and the ocean from the other side. You will also have the chance to drive down to the village and be involved directly with the nature. -Coast to Coast in Ribeira Grande: drive near the coast of Ribeira Grande next to the option. Then you will drive into small off-road trails and in the middle of the nature. Feel the adrenaline and feel yourself insie the adventure.

Embark on a journey through Sete Cidades, one of the most stunning volcanic landscapes in the Azores. Morning – Exploring Sete Cidades Travel along the Covoada route, entering the vast caldera of Sete Cidades, a geological wonder formed by volcanic collapse. Stop at Pico do Carvão Viewpoint, where you’ll witness a breathtaking panorama of peaks and the narrowest point of São Miguel Island (just 8 km wide). Pass by the Nine Windows Wall, an old aqueduct that once supplied water to Ponta Delgada. Visit Lagoa das Canárias, a hidden gem surrounded by lush greenery. Stop at the famous Vista do Rei Viewpoint, where King D. Carlos I (1901) once declared, “Yes, this is a view fit for a king.” Explore the largest collapse caldera in the Azores, a nature reserve and geosite, and one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Portugal. Continue to Serrado das Freiras Viewpoint and Lagoa de Santiago, a deep-green volcanic lake nestled in the crater. Walk along the shores of the Blue Lagoon and cross the bridge separating it from the Green Lagoon. Midday – Lunch Break Enjoy a traditional Azorean lunch in the charming village of Sete Cidades. Afternoon – North Coast & Lagoa do Fogo Depart from Sete Cidades towards Cumieira Grande, stopping at Vista da Rainha and driving along a scenic rally route. Pass by the Nine Windows Wall before heading to the north coast. Follow the old riverside road to Santa Luzia Viewpoint (Miradouro do Palheiro) for a spectacular view of the northern coastline. Drive past the historic fort and cross the Eight Arches Bridge in Ribeira Grande. Stop at a local liqueur factory for a free guided tour and tasting of traditional Azorean liqueurs. Continue towards Salto do Cabrito, a picturesque waterfall next to a hydroelectric plant. Pass by the geothermal power plants, remnants of the island’s volcanic energy. Visit the Lagoa do Fogo, one of São Miguel’s most iconic crater lakes. Stop at the main viewpoint and ascend to Pico da Barrosa (875m) for a panoramic view of the island’s north and south coasts. A perfect blend of volcanic landscapes, history, and nature, this tour offers an unforgettable glimpse into the raw beauty of São Miguel.

Explore the volcanic landscape of the Sete Cidades, and the mountain scenery of the Lagoa do Fogo on a full-day sightseeing tour from Punta Delgada. Following a pick-up from your hotel, drive along a scenic road to the Vista do Rei viewpoint. Enjoy panoramic views of the blue and green waters of the two lakes in the crater of the Sete Cidades. Then, continue to different viewpoints before getting close to the banks of the twin lakes. Go to the Mata do Canário, and marvel at the unique flora of the natural park. Drive along the Pico do Carvão road past numerous small lakes, including the “Empadas Lakes.” Get multiple perspectives of the north and south shores of the island of São Miguel. Break for a lunch of typical Azorean food in a local restaurant in the city of Lagoa. Next, explore the city of Ribeira Grande with its unique historic center that dates from the 17th to 19th centuries. Ascend the Pico da Barrosa mountain at the end of your tour and discover the protected natural landscape of the Lagoa do Fogo (Fire Lake). Marvel at the thermal pools, waterfalls, and different types of endangered plants of the area, before your return transfer to Ponta Delgada and a drop-off at your hotel.

This tour is exclusively for passengers of Cruise Ships arriving in Ponta Delgada. On this tour along the West Coast of the island of S. Miguel, we take you to visit the most iconic place in the Azores, the volcanic crater of Sete Cidades, and its Green and Blue Lakes. Before getting there, we pass by Pico do Carvão, where we can enjoy a wonderful view of the central part of the island and, at the same time, the north and south coast, with its Mountains of Fogo and Vara in the background. As we climb, we arrive at Vista do Rei, as it has been called since the visit of El-Rey D Carlos I, where we can appreciate the unique beauty of this dormant volcano. Going towards its interior, we make a brief stop at another Lagoon, Santiago's, the deepest and most hidden, until we reach the bridge that separates the Green and Blue of this lagoon. In the parish, simple and beautiful, time to walk to the side of the lagoon, visit the church of S Nicolau, or simply have a coffee with the local people. Leaving this paradise, we'll head back to Ponta Delgada in time to visit the pineapple production greenhouses and enjoy a tasting from the same fruit while learning about the history of its production. We finish our tour back to Ponta Delgada.

ITINERARY 1: Along the shores of the Lagoa Azul you’ll reach the Sete Cidades Tunnel. We return to the heart of the parish and visit the Church of São Nicolau. Cycle through the traditional rural houses to the bridge that divides the lake in two, Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul. Passing along the shore of the Lagoa Verde, we can find the showy cryptomeria trees until we reach the Bay of Silence. Returning along the same route to the bridge, you can enjoy the shores of the Lagoa Azul while getting to know the Peninsula and Cerrado das Freiras. ITINERARY 2: You'll cross the bridge that separates the Lagoa Azul from the Lagoa Verde. After observing the tranquillity of this place, we head back in the direction of Cumeeira Pequena, passing by the Lagoa do Santiago, Cerrado das Freiras and the Regional Road. You'll descend towards the Vista do Rei viewpoint for a panoramic view of the lakes, Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde, and also the abandoned “Monte Palace” hotel. You'll follow a more adventure trail that will take you along Cumeeira Pequena, where we can find several endemic species. We'll at the Lomba do Vasco viewpoint, where it is possible to see the islets of Mosteiros and its parish. We'll end the tour by descending into the heart of the town of Sete Cidades, which will lead us to the Church of São Nicolau. ITINERARY 3: Start the tour by cycling towards Cumeeira Grande, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the coast and the Sete Cidades caldera, where you can pass the Cumeeira viewpoint and the highest point, Pico da Cruz. Then, after passing the Nove Janelas Aqueduct, you'll have the opportunity to visit the Lagoa do Canário and Miradouro da Grota do Inferno. You'll continue along the Regional Road where you'll find a variety of hydrangeas with their different colors, Lagoa do Santiago, and the opportunity to stop at the Cerrado das Freiras viewpoint. To end this tour pedal along the shores of Lagoa Azul. ITINERARY 4: Start the tour with a relaxed warm-up, crossing the bridge that separates the Lagoa Azul from the Lagoa Verde. We head back towards Cumeeira Grande, passing through the parish of Sete Cidades. Along the Cumeeira Grande, you'll be amazed by the view over the sea, lakes, pastures and where you’ll stop at the highest point of the Sete Cidades volcanic complex, with a height of 845m. Back on the road, you'll pass throught the Nove Janelas Aqueduct, with a stop at Lagoa do Canário and the most emblematic viewpoint on the island of São Miguel, Miradouro da Grota do Inferno. You'll descend towards the Vista do Rei viewpoint for a panoramic view of the Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde, and also abandoned “Monte Palace” hotel. We then follow a more adventure trail that will take us along Cumeeira Pequena, arriving at the Lomba do Vasco viewpoint, where we can see the islets of Mosteiros and its parish. We will end the tour by descending into the heart of the town of Sete Cidades, which will lead us to the Church of São Nicolau.

Sete Cidades Lake is the largest natural freshwater reservoir of surface water in the Azores, and is considered one of the 7 wonders of Portugal. Enjoy a kayak trip and let yourself be fascinated by the fauna and flora of this volcanic complex. Savor breathtaking natural scenery aboard your canoe on a lake located in a crater of an amazing volcano. Admire the mystical colors of the 2 lakes located on the western part of São Miguel Island, and paddle your canoe out on the Blue Lake. Have fun canoeing for 1 hour or more.

Get ready to have fun driving one of our Side by side vehicles. This activity is ideal for families or couples looking for adventure and fun. This tour will take you to the highest points that surround Sete Cidades Volcano. The itinerary is On and Offroad and If the weather is good, you can count on awesome views to the lakes and the ocean. Our team of expert guides will ensure your safety and provide brief explanations at each stop. Driver`s license is mandatory for drivers and remember that this is a tour to enjoy the landscapes, not a rally competition.

Starting from the parish of Pico da Pedra, take the wheel of a powerful all-terrain vehicle and embark on an exciting journey through São Miguel Island. Cruise along paved roads before venturing onto dirt paths along the picturesque coastline. Guided by our experts, ascend to the highest peaks of the surrounding mountains, immersing yourself in the beauty of the Sete Cidades Volcano. Traverse a mix of thrilling on and off-road trails,. Next, Pico da Cruz offers a viewpoint at 845 meters above sea level. Marvel at the panorama, encompassing the Lagoa Rasa, Lagoa de Santiago, Lagoa Verde, Lagoa Azul, and the entire crater of the Sete Cidades volcano before concluding your tour.