Crater Lakes and Thermal Baths on São Miguel Island

São Miguel is the largest of the Azores islands, and with 140,000 inhabitants it is also the most populous.

It’s big enough to have a few two-lane roads and even a stray chain restaurant around the city of Ponta Delgada, but it’s a decidedly rural place with an authentic character. Known locally as the green island, it’s covered in gently rolling hills, topped by three volcanic peaks.

I spent time mainly in two places: the lake of Furnas at the heart of the island, and the northwest point where the crater lake of Sete Sidades is the most iconic sight of all the Azores.

Miradouro De Santa Iria (viewpoint on the north side of the island)

Sete Cidades & around

The caldeira (crater lake) of Sete Cidades is without doubt the biggest attraction of São Miguel. If you research the island you’ll surely come across many selfies taken on a path along a ridge overlooking the conjoined twins that are the two adjacent crater lakes.

Besides the look-out points around…