São Miguel, the largest and most diverse island in the Azores, is full of natural beauty, from crater lakes and hot springs to tea plantations and viewpoints. If you’re short on time, this 2-day São Miguel itinerary will take you to the top sights and show you the best free things to do on the island.
The Azores can get expensive, but with this guide you’ll be able to enjoy São Miguel and keep costs low. Perfect for budget travelers who want to make the most of their trip.
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Table of Contents -
- Where is São Miguel
- How to get to São Miguel in the Azores
- Getting around São Miguel Island
- When to visit São Miguel Island
- Where to stay in São Miguel
- 2-day São Miguel itinerary for budget travelers
- Other free things to do in São Miguel
- Finishing thoughts about this 2-day São Miguel itinerary
- FAQ about visiting São Miguel in the Azores
Where is São Miguel
São Miguel is part of the Portuguese Azores archipelago, located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It’s part of the Eastern group of islands, along with Santa Maria, and is known for its lush landscapes, volcanic lakes, and charming towns. The island sits about 1,500 km west of mainland Portugal, making it one of Europe’s most remote yet accessible destinations.
How to get to São Miguel in the Azores
Basically the only way to reach São Miguel Island is by plane. The island is fairly remote, and the only ferry connection is with nearby Santa Maria, so most travelers fly in directly from mainland Portugal or other European cities. If you’re coming from the U.S., you’re in luck! São Miguel is surprisingly accessible. João Paulo II Airport in Ponta Delgada↗ has direct flights from Boston, New York (JFK), and Newark, and the flight time is just under six hours.
Island hopping in the Azores? Inter-island flights are generally short and affordable, especially if booked in advance.
Getting around São Miguel Island
There is some public transport available on São Miguel, but it’s mainly designed for locals getting to work or school. This means that both the routes and the timetable are limited and it’s not a great option to explore the island.
For this 2-day São Miguel itinerary, renting a car is the only realistic way to see everything. Many of the spots on this route aren’t accessible by public transport, and even when they are, it would take much longer to reach them. Having a car gives you the freedom to hit the highlights at your own pace and makes the most of your short time on the island.
When to visit São Miguel Island
The best time of year to visit São Miguel is from April until early June. In summer the weather is nice, but the island gets crowded and prices soar. In spring the island is green, the weather is nice, and it’s not too busy. Starting from late May, the iconic hydrangeas will also start to bloom.
We visited mid-June and we really enjoyed this time. It was a little more difficult to find budget accommodation and a good deal on car rental, but the island didn’t feel too crowded. If spring doesn’t fit your plans, consider late September to early October. The weather is generally still nice and it’s much quieter.
Where to stay in São Miguel
If you only have 2 full days in São Miguel, I recommend staying in Ponta Delgada↗. It’s close to the airport and roughly in the middle between the sights I recommend you to see in this guide, meaning it’s easy to split them over 2 days.
2-day São Miguel itinerary for budget travelers
This São Miguel itinerary is based on 2 full days, so it doesn’t include your arrival and leaving day. Plan for 2 days and 4 nights in São Miguel if you want to follow this itinerary. If you’re super tight on time, you could technically also do it in 2 days and 3 nights if you want to split day 2 between your arrival and leaving day, but that’s going to feel super rushed, so I wouldn’t recommend it.
The days of the itinerary can be put in any order. I simply put the places in the order we did it, but you can start with day 2 as well if you like.
| Day & Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 – Morning | Sete Cidades | Visit Lagoa do Canario, Miradouro Grota do Inferno, Miradouro da Vista do Rei, Miradouro do Cerrado das Freiras & Sete Cidades Town. |
| Day 1 – Afternoon | Ponta da Ferraria | Natural thermal pool, best at low to mid-tide. |
| Day 2 – Morning | Lagoa do Congro & Lagoa das Furnas | Lagoa do Congro: quiet forest lake, scenic walking. Lagoa das Furnas: termal activity (fumaroles € 3 entrance fee), Miradouro do Pico do Ferro. |
| Day 2 – Afternoon | Gorreana Tea Plantation & Lagoa do Fogo | Visit the only tea plantations in Europe. Lagoa do Fogo: Restricted car access June–Sept (7pm–9am), but free at all other times |
💰 Free to visit | 🌿 Natural lakes, viewpoints & tea plantations | 🏝️ Best sights on São Miguel in 2 days
Day 1 - Western São Miguel
Morning: Sete Cidades
Start your day with the most iconic place in São Miguel: Sete Cidades. Lagoa Cidades is one lake, but it looks like two different lakes separated by a bridge. This is because both sides have different depths and the shallow, algae-rich side reflects a green color, while the deeper, clearer side reflects the sky, making it look blue. The distinction is so clear, that the shallow half is called “Lagoa Verde” and the deeper half “Lagoa Azul”. As if it were really two separate lakes.
From Ponta Delgada, drive about half an hour to Lagoa do Canario (parking lot across the road). Lagoa do Canario isn’t the most impressive lake of the island, but since you’re walking past it on your way to one of the most spectacular viewpoints the island has to offer, you might as well take the small detour and check it out. From Lagoa do Canario, keep walking until Miradouro Grota do Inferno. From here you have spectacular views over Sete Cidades, Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Santiago. Unfortunately Lagoa Verde is mostly hidden from this viewpoint, but don’t worry. You’ll see it later. Just enjoy the views from here first.
Next, continue along the same road to Miradouro da Vista do Rei. From here you do get to see both sides of the crater lake and the distinct colors clearly. It’s also where the Monte Palace Hotel ruins are located, right at this viewpoint.
Continue your journey to Sete Cidades Town, via Estrada das Hortênsias (hydrangeas road). The name is a little misleading, and this isn’t the only, or necessarily the best, place to see the hydrangeas on the island. There are many roads on the island which have hydrangeas planted along them and flower density varies from season to season.
The next stop is Miradouro do Cerrado das Freiras, the last viewpoint of the two-colored crater lake before reaching Sete Cidades. Sete Cidades town is very small, but there is a small shop (minimercado) where you can buy drinks and snacks before continuing your journey to Ponta da Ferraria. If you don’t feel like moving on just yet, you can relax at the lake shore, or go kayaking on the lake (paid activity).
Afternoon: Ponta da Ferraria
Ponta da Ferraria is a natural pool, but not just your average one. It’s heated by a thermal spring. And on top of that, it’s also completely free to access. How amazing is that! There is even free parking and changerooms and toilets (only 2 each, one for men and one for women, but still. Not bad for a free spot).
When I researched Ponta da Ferraria, I came across the advice to visit at mid-tide for the best temperatures. We tried to plan for this, but our timing didn’t completely work out and we arrived a little earlier. The tide was still closer to being low and rising. I have to say that the water was lovely though! At least about half way through the pool. But there were also plenty of people sitting much closer to the vents who seemed perfectly happy there. So based on my experience I’d say that anywhere between low and mid-tide is great for visiting, with mid-tide falling to low tide probably being the perfect time. When the tide rises you’ll get more cold water waves entering the pool so it can feel cooler.
Day 2 - Eastern São Miguel
Morning: Lagoa do Congro and Lagoa das Furnas
Start your day at Lagoa do Congro. There are more beautiful lakes on the island than this one, but what I really loved about Lagoa do Congro is that it’s hidden in a forest area and that it’s relatively quiet. We did cross some other visitors, but nothing compared to Sete Cidades for example.
From here, continue to Lagoa das Furnas. Lagoa das Furnas is a big lake which you can drive or walk along. It’s mostly famous for its thermal activity. This activity is best visible at the Fumarolas. To access this area you’ll need to pay a small fee of € 3. You can see the area from across the lake as well, and you can see some bubbles from underwater vents at some spots close to the shore. But it doesn’t compare to visiting the fumaroles of course. For better views without entering the site, I recommend heading up to Miradouro do Pico do Ferro. From here you won’t only see the fumaroles from above, but you also get great views over the lake in general.
Afternoon: Tea plantations and Lagoa do Fogo
Next stop: the Gorreana Tea Plantation. Yes, you read that right: a tea plantation! There are only two tea plantations in Europe, and both of them are located on São Miguel Island. Both can be visited for free, but Gorreana↗ is the oldest, biggest and most scenic one. So definitely stop here to admire the plantation.
You can follow one of two scenic trails that go through the plantation, wander around yourself, or join a free guided tour. Note that while the guided tours are technically free, it is customary to leave a small tip at the end of the tour. It’s not necessary to make a reservation if you want to join a guided tour, you can just show up, and guides are available in several languages. Gorreana also offers free tastings and of course you can buy tea on the spot to take home.
If Gorreana feels very crowded and you prefer a quieter, more intimate experience, head to the neighboring Porto Formoso factory↗ for a free guided tour and tasting. They only see a fraction of the visitors compared to Gorreana.
Our last stop of today is Lagoa Fogo. In summer months, from June to September, rental cars are only allowed to drive up to Lagoa do Fogo between 7 pm and 9 am. During the day, access is restricted and you’ll need to take a shuttle bus. A ticket is € 5 and allows you to hop on and off and return to where you came from, but we didn’t like the idea of this.
According to the reviews there is no official schedule for the bus so you might be waiting for a while on the next one. And of course there will be a bus load of people (literally) at the viewpoint at the same time as you. So we made sure that we visited after 7 pm. This way we could just stop off where we wanted and stay for as long as we wanted.
Another plus was that it wasn’t busy at all. We entered around about 7 pm so we were one of the first ones at the stops, but even as more people started to arrive, it didn’t get super busy.
Tip: Lagoa Fogo is not far from Ponta Delgada, so if you’re arriving early on the island, you could already visit it that same day. This is what we did. We checked into our accommodation, rested a little bit, and headed towards Lagoa Fogo just before 7 pm. This allows for more time on day 2 if you want to visit one or more other things on São Miguel.
Other free things to do in São Miguel
If you have more time to spend in São Miguel, there are plenty of other cool free things to do here. There are some really cool viewpoints along the east coast for example, like Miradouro da Ponta do Sossego and Miradouro da Ponta da Madrugada.
There is also Parque Natural da Ribeira dos Caldeirões, which many people love, but I found it a little disappointing. It’s called a natural park, but it’s more like a garden, an artificial park, with a waterfall. If you want to see a natural waterfall, it’s probably better to hike to Salto do Prego for example. Or go for a hike at Pico da Vara, São Miguel’s highest point, for views over the island on a clear day.
And while São Miguel is not known as a beach destination, there are some beaches on the island where you can relax and recover from this busy itinerary.
Finishing thoughts about this 2-Day São Miguel itinerary
Exploring São Miguel in 2 days is a little rushed, but it does allow you to see the main free top sights of the island. Are you island hopping and is São Miguel only part of your Azores itinerary? Make sure to include Pico Island as well. It’s very different from São Miguel, with lava tunnels, different lakes, a resident whale population and Portugal’s highest peak, Mount Pico. Check out my guide with the best things to do on Pico Island for more practical tips.
Have you been to São Miguel? What was your favorite experience?
| Guide | What You'll Find |
|---|---|
| Visiting the Azores: A First Timer's Travel Planning Guide | New to the Azores? This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know to plan your first trip to this stunning archipelago. |
| Best Things to Do on Pico Island | From hiking Mount Pico to exploring lava caves and whale watching, discover all the activities this volcanic island has to offer. |
| Hiking Mount Pico: Complete Guide | Planning to summit Portugal's highest peak? Get all the details on preparation, what to expect, and tips for a successful climb. |
FAQ about visiting São Miguel in the Azores
Most of the main viewpoints and towns are accessible by car and have parking nearby, but some lakes or lookout points involve a short trail and/or steep paths or stairs. If you have limited mobility, you can still enjoy many of the lakes, hot springs, and viewpoints from easier vantage points or by driving to accessible viewpoints.
Signal is generally good along the main roads and near towns, but it can be patchy in more remote areas, especially in forests or high mountain spots. It’s a good idea to download offline maps if you’re relying on GPS for navigation.
A minimum of two full days lets you hit the main highlights in a tight itinerary. For a more relaxed pace and to explore hidden spots, hike some trails and explore the east coast, a minimum of 3–4 days is ideal.
Ponta da Ferraria is the only free natural hot spring on São Miguel suitable for bathing. There’s also the Poça da Tia Silvina footbath in Furnas, but it’s far too hot to swim in. It’s just for a brief soak of the feet. Most of the other thermal pools on the island are around Furnas and require an entrance fee. Each has its own temperature and atmosphere, so it’s worth researching beforehand to see which one would be best for you.
Technically yes, but it’s challenging. Public buses are limited and slow, and many viewpoints or natural sites are inaccessible without a car. Tours are an alternative, but renting a car gives you the most flexibility and allows you to see the highlights at your own pace.
Hydrangeas grow along many roads across the island, not just the famous Estrada das Hortênsias. Flower density varies by season, so any rural road in spring and early summer can be full of these iconic flowers.
They were introduced from Japan and Europe, but over time they’ve become a signature part of the island’s landscape, especially along roads and fields when in bloom from late spring to early summer.
The name comes from an old Iberian legend, not from the number of lakes. According to the story, after the fall of the Visigoth kingdom, seven bishops fled Iberia and supposedly founded “seven cities” on a distant Atlantic island. When sailors later discovered this volcanic crater with its twin lakes, they associated it with the legend, and the name “Sete Cidades” stuck. You can find more about this legend here↗ if you’re curious.