Vivid colors come into view on São Miguel, the largest island in Portugal’s Azores archipelago. There’s the green of the subtropical vegetation (for which the destination is nicknamed “Green Island”), the intense turquoise of deep crater lakes, the darkness of black-sand beaches, and the deep ocher of iron-rich thermal waters. Each of these traces back to the island’s volcanic history, and today geothermal energy still hums just below its surface.
Last spring, my family and I spent a week on São Miguel, and beyond hiking scenic trails and feasting on fresh seafood at rustic waterfront shacks, we spent a good bit of time submerged in steamy water.
With direct flights from New York and Boston clocking in at roughly five hours, it’s an easy trip. Rent a car when you land; roads are well-maintained, and you can drive tip to tip in about 90 minutes. From São Miguel’s capital, Ponta Delgada, you’re ready to start a hot spring crawl, whether you hit them all in one ambitious day or spread them across a long weekend.
The best way to appreciate the island’s colors, it turns out, is from the water.
Start in waterfall-fed, turquoise waters
At Caldeira Velha, the surrounding forest makes the whole place seem downright enchanting, even if you’re sharing the experience with strangers.
Photo by Liliana Marmelo/Shutterstock
Begin at Caldeira Velha, about 25 minutes by car from Ponta Delgada. This hot spring sits within a Natural Monument on the slopes of the Água de Pau volcano. Though it has a visitor’s center and basic facilities, it still seems a little wild, with warm water spilling over a mossy rock face, fern-fringed pools, and dense forest all around. Timed entry tickets (about $12) prevent it from being too crowded. Book a slot online in advance and arrive early to rinse off in the facility’s shower before getting in.
Next stop: an orange pool surrounded by a garden
The ochre-colored water in Parque Terra Nostra is said to be good for the skin.
Photo by Vitor Miranda/Shutterstock
From there, it’s about a 35-minute drive east to Furnas, a town shaped by underground caves, volcanic steam, and geothermal activity. Spend the afternoon at Parque Terra Nostra, set within São Miguel’s best-known botanical gardens. Its large thermal pool and two jacuzzis create a proper thermal bathing complex rather than a wild spring. The water reaches 108 degrees Fahrenheit, and its high iron and mineral content gives it that deep turmeric hue. The Terra Nostra website claims those minerals are especially beneficial for the skin, but at the very least, I left feeling exceptionally relaxed and a little softer all over.
Soak as long as you can stand it, but save time for a stroll through the gardens amid towering tree ferns, giant water lilies, and one of Europe’s largest and most comprehensive collections of camellias, a flowering evergreen shrub. Tickets for about $20 cover both the hot springs and the gardens.
Eat a thermal-cooked meal in a hot spring spa
The Octant Furnas is a sister hotel to Octant Ponta Delgada, which is a wonderful, central place to stay for this hot springs crawl.
Courtesy of Octant Hotels
Stay in Furnas for dinner and another round of thermal water at Octant Furnas. This hotel welcomes nonguests to book the property’s thermal circuit, costing about $46 for two and a half hours. A session includes the use of the sauna, the Turkish bath, aromatic showers, and indoor and outdoor pools fed by Furnas thermal water.
The geothermal heat in Furnas doesn’t just feed the town’s thermal pools; it also shapes one of São Miguel’s most famous dishes. For dinner, head to À Terra for the hotel’s cozido à terra, its version of the island’s signature stew (made with local ingredients including beef brisket, blood sausage, and yams) that’s slow-cooked underground by volcanic steam. Call at least a day in advance to book: The pot is lowered into a geothermal pit early in the morning, so it’s ready by dinnertime.
End with a night soak in highly designed pools
For one last dip, book one of the evening slots at Poça da Dona Beija. The minimalist, stone-edged pools stay open until 11 p.m. for 90-minute bathing windows; tickets start at about $14. After Caldeira Velha’s rainforest setting and Terra Nostra’s grandeur, these pools are a perfect close to the day, offering a quiet soak in iron-rich water, tucked into dense greenery.
Where to stay
Water is the theme everywhere, like at the Octant Ponta Delgada hotel in the capital of Ponta Delgada.
Courtesy of Octant Hotels
A natural home base for the adventure is Octant Ponta Delgada on the edge of São Miguel’s capital, 10 minutes from the airport and well positioned for exploring every corner of the island. The polished seafront hotel has soothing, earth-tone rooms and a lavish daily breakfast buffet with local cheeses and house-made bolo lêvedo, a slightly sweet Portuguese muffin.
