Last Updated on June 23, 2023
This summer I celebrated my recent nuptials with four of my closest girlfriends on the island of São Miguel, the largest of the Portuguese Azores islands. It was actually a delayed bachelorette party. Except I was already married and the Azores are definitely no Las Vegas. Nevertheless, it was a perfect destination because it was more or less exactly halfway between Europe and the US, where three of my girlfriends were traveling from. São Miguel island and the Azores are known as the Hawaii of Europe due to their tropical climate and lush greenery. The Azores are a lesser known gem, perfect for adventure enthusiasts as well as those looking to relax in the natural hot springs. Read below for how to spend a long weekend on São Miguel and everything we did in 4 days on the island.
How to spend a weekend on São Miguel – How to get there
Flying from Berlin, there are unfortunately no direct flights. I flew TAP airlines to Lisbon and then had a connecting flight from Lisbon to Ponta Delgada, also with TAP. From most European cities you will need to have a layover in Lisbon. Flying from Boston, there are direct flights to Ponta Delgada with Azores Airlines. From Ponta Delgada, to get to the other islands, you will need to take another flight. However, be aware that there is sometimes only one flight per day to the smaller islands. We decided to stay on São Miguel the entire time as the island is HUGE and there are more than enough activities to occupy you for 4 days.
Should you rent a car on the island of São Miguel?
Absolutely yes. Having a car will give you great flexibility and allow you to access all parts of the island on your time. That being said, in August, renting a car in Ponta Delgada was incredibly expensive. We paid 730 EUR for 4 days with insurance for an automatic transmission 4-door 5 person car. That comes out to 182 EUR a day. Insane! A manual transmission you will save around 100 EUR. In Greece, for comparison, we paid 40 EUR a day. If you don’t want to spend all of that on a car (I wouldn’t blame you), you can also book activities leaving from Ponta Delgada that include transportation. For example, many of the activities on Get Your Guide include pick and up and drop off from your hotel. I would suggest to try to avoid travel during peak tourist periods in the summer if you don’t want to spend a ton on a car.
Read More: How to Have An Amazing Summer in Crete, Greece
How to spend a weekend on São Miguel – Where to Stay
We booked this Airbnb in Ribiera Grande for 3 of the 4 nights, which is about a 30 minute drive from Ponta Delgada on the other side of the island. The Airbnb is beautiful. It has 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, but can accommodate up to 16 people. Some of the rooms have a view of the ocean, which is particularly beautiful to wake up to and watch the sunrise over. The real highlight of the Airbnb, however, is the garden. We ate all of our breakfasts and one dinner outside in the garden, surrounded by beautiful greenery and flowers. The area is also very walkable with shops and restaurants, and you can walk to the beach (about 20 minutes). We ate at a great seafood restaurant in town called Alabote, which overlooks the ocean. Make a reservation ahead of time and try to time your dinner at sunset.
How to spend a weekend on São Miguel – What to Do
Day 1 – Horseback Riding and Furnas Hot Springs
Horseback ride with a view of Lagoa das Sete Cidades
I am an avid equestrian, so my best friend booked us an early morning horseback riding excursion on the westernmost side of the island. We slept the first night in an apartment from VRBO (like Airbnb) in Capelas, which is on the westernmost side of the island. From there, it is only a 30 minute drive to Quinta do Freio, where we rented our horses and guide. We did the 2 hour excursion for 40 EUR a person, which takes you to a viewpoint of the Sete Cidades lake. The view is spectacular and highly recommended! They have about 5 horses available in total, 4 for riders. If you want a full day riding excursion, Sete Cidades Horse Riders offers full day and half day options.
Have lunch at the hottest spot in Ponta Delgada
We ate lunch at A Tasca in Ponta Delgada. You cannot make a reservation, so be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes for a table. Even at lunch. The interior is very casual with wooden tables and chairs. The food is tapas style, so meant to be shared. We ordered many dishes, including açorda with shrimp, ceviche with tuna, octopus salad and a cheese platter. Everything was pretty delicious, though I still dream about the açorda we ate in Faro some years ago. For those who do not know, açorda is a very typical Portuguese dish made of bread, that is the consistency of baby food, and is usually served with seafood. Think of a risotto, but instead of rice, mushed up bread. It is a must try when in Portugal.
Read More: How to Spend 48 Hours in Faro & the Algarve | Portugal
How to spend a weekend on São Miguel? Hit up the hot springs in Furnas
The town of Furnas on the island of São Miguel is known for its natural hot springs. Therefore, we decided to make a visit after horseback riding to Poça da Dona Beija natural hot springs. We had to wait in line for around 10 minutes before entering. Entrance can only be purchased at the facilities and costs 8 EUR per person and 2 EUR extra for a locker. There are showers onsite but hot water has an additional cost (bring change). You receive a wristband which you use to enter and exit the facilities. Maximum amount of time permitted in the facilities is 1.5 hours. However, this is not so strictly enforced. There were multiple pools of different water temperatures. I would say that the facilities are more luxurious than Szechenyi thermal baths which we visited in Budapest. But not as luxurious as QC Terme Spa which we have visited in Milan, Bormio and Courmayeur.
Have a drink at the bar of Terra Nostra Hotel
Down the street from Poça da Dona Beija is the Terra Nostra Hotel complete with restaurant and outside garden bar. The bar is walk-in, so no need to make reservations. When we went there was also live music. It has small bites, think hummus and sandwiches, in addition to its cocktail menu. It’s a nice place to unwind and imbibe after soaking in the hot springs.
See the entire day 1 route by car below:
Day 2 – Whale Watching & Cooking Class
How to spend a weekend on São Miguel? Book a whale watching tour leaving from the Ponta Delgada marina
The Azores islands are known for their abundance of natural marine wildlife, so a whale watch is a must. We booked ours with Picos de Aventura departing from the Ponta Delgada marina. We booked with Picos because of the positive reviews on TripAdvisor and also because they are one of the few who go out in zodiac boats and not only huge catamarans. While out we were lucky enough to see three Sperm whales and a HUGE pod of bottlenose dolphins. The fun of being on the zodiac boat is that it’s like a rollercoaster! If you get easily sea sick, maybe not the best idea. But if you like an adrenaline rush than you’ll love riding the waves! It was maybe even more exciting than seeing the whales! The other plus with Picos is that they have staff stationed at lookout posts on the island, so you have a greater probability of seeing a whale.
Learn how to cook authentic Azorean cuisine with a local
Since there is no better way to connect with local culture than through food, we decided to book a cooking class that evening. The class was hosted by Maria in her home (so necessary to have a car). She has a beautiful garden and we spent the first half of the class with an open bottle of wine, getting to know each other and walking through her garden and learning about the produce on the island. We then prepared a typical Azorean meal of veggies and fish (we requested no meat). With six girls and bottles of wine, I think I probably did more drinking and talking than cooking, but we had a great time.
Day 3 – Tour the island by car and buy Portuguese ceramics
Drive to viewpoints of Lagoa do Fogo, Lagoa de Santiago and Lagoa das Sete Cidades
Besides the marine life and hot springs, the biggest attractions on the island of São Miguel are the volcanic crater lakes. Lagoa das Sete Cidades is the most spectacular, as one side of the lake is green and the other side blue in color. To get the best view of Lagoa das Sete Cidades, you should drive to Miradouro da Vista do Rei. From there, you can climb the Monte Palace Hotel ruins to get the best view of the twin lakes. But beware, the entrance of the hotel is non-existent, so you have to climb a tree to get in. Also, it’s not an actual attraction and is considered trespassing to enter the hotel. So enter at your own risk. If you do make it to the top, you will be treated to a spectacular view of Lagoa das Sete Cidades.
Make a stop at Cerâmica Vieira for Portuguese ceramics
Whenever I am in Portugal I make a point to pick up a few new ceramics. Portuguese pottery is world famous after all. And it is always more economical to buy in Portugal rather than abroad. We made a stop at Cerâmica Vieira to check out their selection. They had two rooms full of ceramics. I purchased a beautiful white and blue pitcher and a cow butter dish. Unfortunately, they did not have a second chance section like in Lisbon, but still a good selection. Be sure to bring cash with you as they do not accept credit cards.
See the entire day 3 route by car below:
Read more: Top 10 Lisbon, Portugal | Everything to See & Do
Day 4 – Swimming with dolphins
On our last full day on the island of São Miguel, we decided to go back to the Ponta Delgada marina to swim with dolphins in the ocean. We booked with Picos de Aventura again (we also booked our whale watch with them). A wetsuit was provided, plus we had a marine biologist on board. It was a small zodiac boat, so we went in groups of no more than 8 people. It was quite amazing but it all happens much faster than I expected. Once the marine biologist determines that the dolphins are willing, we slip into the water, three at a time, and watch the dolphins swim towards and then underneath us. Everything happens in a matter of minutes. It is not that the dolphins stop to play with you. But all in all an amazing experience!
After swimming with dolphins, we took it easy and cooked a meal at home in our beautiful Airbnb. Our flights left the following morning.
And so that’s how we recommend to spend a weekend in the Azores and on São Miguel. Have you been to the Azores? Tell us about your favorite island in the comments below!
