Sete Cidades

Private tours

Explore the highlights of the western half of São Miguel island on this guided tour by van. Discover the famous crater lakes of Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo, picturesque waterfalls, amazing cliffs, and stunning rock formations around the coast of the island. Start with a visit to Ribeira Grande, one of the most picturesque towns of the Azores, followed by a surprising view of some amazingly beautiful cliffs on the North coast. Then travel to the inner areas of the island to see the gorgeous waterfall of Salto do Cabrito, surrounded by wild vegetation. Drive to the top of Fogo Volcano to enjoy views of the most pristine and magical of the crater lakes of São Miguel. From the top of the mountain, enjoy the stunning views over a large portion of the island. After a tasty meal to restore your energy levels, head to Sete Cidades, to understand why this is considered by the postcard of the Azores. Enjoy views from two completely different perspectives over the famous twin lakes.  End the day in Mosteiros, on the western coast of the island, where the lava rocks have formed enchanting small islets and natural pools.

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”.

Get off the usual tourist trail on a 3-hour 4WD tour of the Sete Cidades (Seven Cities) region of the Azores island of São Miguel, departing from Ponta Delgada. Traveling by 4WD vehicle, you will experience the dramatic scenery of the volcanic crater and its flora and fauna in a more immersive fashion.  Drive to the mountain top to look down on the 2 impressive lakes of the caldera (basin), one with blue water (Lagoa Azul) and the other with green water (Lagoa Verde). Along the way, take in many other picturesque spots of São Miguel, including the peaceful lakes of Lagoa das Empadadas, Lagoa de Santiago, and Lagoa do Carvão.  Enjoy stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean, volcanic cones, and stretches of green, and go to villages that have played a vital role in the story of the island.

Using the covoada route, we enter the large complex of the collapse caldera of the 7 cities. Stop at the viewpoint of Pico do Carco, where you can see the complex of peaks, where you can see the narrowest point on the island, 8km. Passage through the old water aqueduct (wall of 9 windows). Stop at the Canary Lagoon. Stopping in view of the king. The largest collapse caldera in the Azores, nature reserve, geosite 1 of the 7 natural wonders of Portugal. View of the king, during the visit of King D. Carlos 1 (1901) to the viewpoint, he said: Yes, it is the view of a king. Stop at the serrado das freiras viewpoint, stop at Santiago lagoon. Pass through the serrado das freiras and a bit of a walk, blue lagoon. Crossing the bridge and green lagoon. Lunch Departure from the 7 cities towards Cumieira Grande, stopping at "Vista da Rainha", passing through the rally section, Cumieira Grande. Exit at the wall of the 9 windows. Go towards the large river on the north side Entrance via the riverside old road, go to the Santa Luzia viewpoint (Miradouro do Palheiro) North view of the waterfront, Passage through the old fort, Passage over the 8 arches bridge. Go to the liqueur factory (free guided tour). Go out towards the goat jump. Stop to see the waterfall and hydro plant. Passing through the geothermal plants, passing through the old boiler and stopping at Lagoa do Fogo. Stop at the main viewpoint, heading towards Barbosa peak. (875m altitude) panoramic viewpoint over the south and north side of the island.

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.

Drive a quad or ATV on this adventurous tour and experience the beauty of São Miguel Island. Reach the highest peaks of the mountains that surround Sete Cidades Volcano, dash along dirt roads, and absorb the incredible views of the lakes and ocean. Take the opportunity to visit some of the trails that are part of the Azores Airlines Rallye and enjoy both on-road and offroad moments. Expect adventure and stunning natural sights as your guides ensure your safety throughout the tour.

Starting Time for this Shore-Excursion is personalised for every Cruise Ship Arriving in Ponta Delgada. STARTING TIME ACCORDING TO SHIP LOCAL TIME ARRIVAL TO PORT SHIP ARRIVAL before 09:00am Starting time 08:45am SHIP ARRIVAL after 09:00 am Starting Time – AFTER SHIP ARRIVAL to PORT and CLEARED TO DESIMBARK 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 liqueur from the same fruit while learning about the history of its production. We finish our tour back to Ponta Delgada.

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.

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.

Sete Cidades Volcano Route (Green Route) - The route lasts approximately 4 hours.Departure at Rua do Paím in Ponta Delgada, explore the South coastal area of the island with passage on the grass rock. Pass by the Muro das Nove Janelas and glimpse the view of Pico da Cruz. Go around the volcano and enjoy the descent to Sete-Cidades, then you get to the base. An unforgettable tour through the island's wild nature, you will have the best experience of your life, enjoying the calm and tranquility of the island, with some adrenaline.