3 days in São Miguel, a Sightseeing Itinerary

Start your day with a walk around Ponta Delgada, stopping at Portas Da Cedae and Jardin Botanico Jose do Canto, where you can enjoy the Botanical garden and the brunch cafe on the grounds. After this, you can start your excursions at Plantation A Arruda, enjoy the history of pineapples in the Azores, the sweetest pineapples you'll ever taste and pick up some sodas for your next activity. The shuttle bus drive through Lagoa do Fogo, Bela Vista Viewpoints and Pico da Barrosa.

On this excursion, you can enjoy the views and take a hike from the many options in the area. Depending on the time of year, car access is restricted through this road, therefore the shuttle bus, costing 5€. The bus takes around 30 minutes to take a full trip back and forth, so make sure to keep an eye on time if you’d like to have time left in the day for a beach stop. If you do, Praia Baixia d'Areia is the beach to go to. Absolutely stunning, tucked away between cliff sides, making for a truly unforgettable swim or nap in the sand to wind down for the day. After this, you can head back to Ponta Delgada and have dinner at Nonnas Teeth and Tomatoes Pizza, a delicious local pizza shop.

For the first activity, head to Miradouro da Vista do Rei, a view of the beautiful Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul! The most iconic tourist stop in Sao Miguel, two lakes almost touching, one blue and one green. Along the drive stop at Pico do Carvão and Lago do Canario both have stunning views as well, already along the road. Make sure you set aside enough time to enjoy and take in the views without feeling rushed. Driving down from Miradouro da Vista do Rei, head towards Sete Cidades, the charming small town nestled right between Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul.

On the way down, make sure to drive through Estrada Hortensia, an absolutely stunning road lined with hydrangea bushes and stop at Miradouro da Lagoa de Santiago, another viewpoint. In Sete Cidades, you can have lunch at Lagoa Azul restaurant, see the lakes up close and visit the Casa Grande museum and Igreja da Sao Nicolau, the local church. Before you head back to your stay, make one more stop at Ponta da Ferraria, a thermal bath along the coast and lined with volcanic rock. This is the perfect place to spend your sunset, with an opening to the sea. The tide creates a perfect flow between hot and cold water. Ponta da Ferraria was one of my personal favorites.

For your west island activity day, head to Furnas. Antigo Pomar das Caldeiras da Lagoa das Furnas, a park with caldeiras, a picnic area, restroom access, hikes and more views. As well as the Azorean specialty Cozido das Furnas- a stew cooked underground! It is right along the entrance into town, so it makes a perfect first or last stop, with a small entrance fee. Once you're in town, start at Parque Terra Nostra for around 11€. Here you can stroll around the grounds and admire all of the botanical gardens. It’s easy to spend a lot of time wandering, so make sure to account for that. Then you can relax in the thermal pool there. If you’d like, you can add another thermal pool into your Furnas day at Poca da Dona Beija for 9€. Poca da Dona Beija is popular because it has a bit more of a luxurious feel to it, however both thermal pools are worth visiting!