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Azores Shore excursions

Our most recommended Azores Shore excursions

São Miguel West: Full-Day Van Tour with Lunch

1. São Miguel West: Full-Day Van Tour with Lunch

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.

Furnas Valley Full-Day Volcano and Tea Plantation Tour

2. Furnas Valley Full-Day Volcano and Tea Plantation Tour

Depart Ponta Delgada and journey along the south coast of São Miguel before heading towards the Furnas Valley to experience its dramatic volcanic landscape. Stop at the village of Lagoa en route and visit a traditional pottery. Marvel at the former capital of the island at Vila Franca do Campo. Upon arrival in the Furnas Valley, go to the lake to enjoy a lunch of authentic cozido na caldeira (traditional Portuguese stew) cooked using the heat of the volcanic soil. Savor the ingredients characteristic of this typical dish. Next, go to the belvedere of the Pico do Ferro for a panoramic view of the valley. Return to Ponta Delgada via the island's north road, and stop at the site of Europe's only tea plantations and tea factory.

Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo Full-Day Tour with Lunch

3. Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo Full-Day Tour with Lunch

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.

Azores: Sete Cidades Scenic 4WD Tour from Ponta Delgada

4. Azores: Sete Cidades Scenic 4WD Tour from Ponta Delgada

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.

São Miguel, Azores: Sete Cidades Half-Day Jeep Tour

5. São Miguel, Azores: Sete Cidades Half-Day Jeep Tour

Drive off the usual tourist trail on a 3.5-hour jeep tour of the Sete Cidades (Seven Cities) region of São Miguel, part of the Azores, departing from Ponta Delgada. Traveling by 4WD jeep, experience the dramatic scenery of the volcanic crater up close, and see unique flora and fauna. You will drive to the mountain summit where you can look down on the impressive lakes of the caldera, one called Lagoa Azul for its blue water, and the other known as Lagoa Verde (Green Water). En route, take in other picturesque spots of São Miguel, including the church of São Nicolau. Enjoy stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean, volcanic cones, and stretches of green, from Vista do Rei, and drive through villages that have played a vital role in the story of the island.

Lagoa do Fogo Half-Day 4WD Tour from Ponta Delgada

6. Lagoa do Fogo Half-Day 4WD Tour from Ponta Delgada

Explore one of the largest lakes in the Azores on a 3-hour tour of the Lagoa do Fogo by 4WD vehicle. After hotel pickup, first, stop at Pico da Barrosa viewpoint and enjoy panoramic views of Lagoa do Fogo. Surrounded by native trees and beautiful flowers, the lake is best accessed and appreciated by off-road vehicles, getting you to more remote and picturesque areas. During the tour, you will stop at a variety of interesting locations en route, with highlights including the Calderas of Ribeira Grande. See the fumaroles, geysers and a wonderful waterfall of the warm, iron water. Finally, visit the city of Ribeira Grande and taste local liqueurs.

Sete Cidades & Lagoa do Fogo: Full Day Jeep Tour with Lunch

7. Sete Cidades & Lagoa do Fogo: Full Day Jeep Tour with Lunch

Discover hidden secrets on São Miguel aboard a jeep, which takes you to places where others do not go with a friendly, english speaking local guide. Embark on a trip to Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo and get amazing views along the way. Dine at a local restaurant for a delicious lunch. Leave Ponta Delgada behind and travel to the Empadada Lakes. Be surrounded by the natural beauty as the sound of silence embraces you. Make many stops, while exploring the western craters of São Miguel. See the rim of the crater and get the best views in São Miguel. Visit the church of São Nicolau, and get breathtaking views from Vista do Rei. Eat a delicious lunch with drinks at a local restaurant. Discover the beautiful crater of Lagoa do Fogo, also known as Fire Lake in the afternoon. If the weather is clear, you can view the island of Santa Maria from afar. Enjoy an optional swim in the thermal waters and a visit to Caldeira Velha.

Full-Day 4x4 Nordeste Azores Tour from Ponta Delgada

8. Full-Day 4x4 Nordeste Azores Tour from Ponta Delgada

The Nordeste is one of the lesser-known destinations of Portugal, yet it remains one of the most beautiful areas of São Miguel Island. Spend a day exploring the area in a 4x4, traveling along the coast to Ribeira Grande and Porto Formoso, among others. The the 4x4 will climb to one of the highest peaks on the island: the Pico Bartolomeu. From here, you can see the highest mountain on the island, the Pico da Vara. After marveling at the sight, drive along the famous Tronqueira Mountain Trail to one of the oldest parts of the island, ending in Povoação Village.

Ponta Delgada: 4-hour Half-Day Sport Fishing Adventure

9. Ponta Delgada: 4-hour Half-Day Sport Fishing Adventure

The spectacular coastline of São Miguel Island is lined with reminders of his volcanic past, including caves and stunning rocky formations. As you cruise along the coast, be on the lookout for dolphins and whales as you learn about local fish species or work on improving your fishing skills. This half-day fishing program was created so that participants can learn different techniques and learn about fish species that live in the waters off the island. Several types of fishing are on offer, including deep-sea fishing, jigging, and trolling. There are many classes of fish in the area, such as barracuda, bluefish, greater amberjack, blacktail comber, red sea bream, chub mackerel, grouper, Atlantic bonito, and others. Before heading out your skipper will tell you a bit about the area where you’ll be fishing and about the various species you may find there. All are welcome on this fishing trip, and no previous experience is required. A maximum of 4 participants is recommended so that the skipper can ensure personalized attention to all, whether beginners or experts.

Sete Cidades Azores 4x4 Day Tour from Ponta Delgada

10. Sete Cidades Azores 4x4 Day Tour from Ponta Delgada

On this full-day tour, visit the Sete Cidades Massif, a field of alkali-basalt cinder cones and lava flows, and an area very popular for its lakes and surrounding hills. Departing from Ponta Delgada, travel up the mountain top that forms the caldera of a volcano where the lakes are located. Additionally, you will visit Empadadas and Carvão lakes, which will give you the opportunity to admire the beauty of untouched nature. Learn more about how volcanic activity formed the landscape. At lunchtime, stop off at a typical restaurant in the village of Sete CIdades, where you will eat a traditional meal. Then continue on, passing Vista do Rei, one of the island's top tourist destinations. Next, head to the Mosteiros, famous for its natural swimming pools, fishing harbor, and sandy beach of black basalt. On the way back to Ponta Delgada, you will also see the hot bathing spots caused by fumaroles on the coast.

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What people are saying about Azores

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 138 reviews

Amazing half-day tour when you have a long layover. It was fairly foggy at first up in the mountains but they started to fade as the day kept going. Rodrigo was an amazing guide that translated between English & Portuguese, and was incredibly informative of the sites we saw. Highly Recommend!

It was wonderful tour with the best guide we had! Fransisco told us a lot of interesting stories and information about island and all places which we've visited. Landscape and all views were great.

the trip was perfect. We had the best guide, very friendly with sense of humour and lot of knowledge.

Very entertaining guide. Saw lots of things that we would never have found on our own.

This tour was a wonderful introduction to the island!