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Walking & wellness in São Miguel
    • Portugal - Azores
    • 8 days
    • Walking
    • Self-guided
      • From January to December
    • 2 - 10 travellers
      • Superior
      • Trip code : L1205
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About the Walking & wellness in São Miguel trip

The Green Island of São Miguel offers majestic craters, sinuous levadas and beautiful traditions.  The slopes of the Sete Cidades caldera are dotted with the emblematic blue hydrangeas. The village of Furnas is home to a magnificent volcano of the same name. The Lagoa do Fogo crater boasts a unique atmosphere. When put together, they form the perfect combination for an invigorating walking holiday. 

If you are looking for a full discovery of the island and some free time to relax, this itinerary is for you. You will enjoy days exploring sandy beaches and fishing villages, hiking along beautiful trails and admiring breathtaking views. This trip allows for plenty of free time to indulge in some treatments or massages in the beautiful accommodations we handpicked; the very best for your wellness escape.

Highlights of the trip

  • 4* and 5* accommodations with swimming-pool and spa
  • Active wild crater lakes, incredible volcanic fumaroles and lush tea plantation
  • 4 dinners included
  • Bathing in natural volcanic pools and hot springs
  • Perfect balance between hikes and relaxing time 
  • Wild nature : a paradise for nature lovers & hikers 
  • A "Cozido" experience in Furnas : typical Azores stew 



Customize your holiday by contacting us here 

From the blog

Walking & wellness in São Miguel : Day by day 

Day 1 - Your arrival in the Azores

  • Welcome to Ponta Delgada ! Taxi transfer from the airport to your first accommodation located in Fenais da Luz, on the north coast. The  hotel perched on top of a cliff will be your place of stay for the next two days. The breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean is sure to blow your troubles away!  We invite you to enjoy the coastal walk accessible from the hotel, and fall into step with the rhythm of the waves as they break onto the rocks. This location is perfect for a revitalising getaway.
  • Night in Fenais da Luz.
  • MEALS included : Dinner

  • ACCESS:
    By air to Ponta Delgada airport
    Regular airline companies TAP and SATA Air Azores fly directly to Sao Miguel or via Lisbon, the Portuguese capital

Day 2 - Sete Cidades

  • Walk - Vista do Rei > Sete Cidades
    3 hours  /  12 km - 7,4 miles / Ascent: +90 - Descent: -450m
  • Transfer to the starting point of your hike.  It is uncontestably the most emblematic site of the Azores. It is believed that this volcano has been active for the last 500 000 years. Its caldera was made 36 000 years ago and it is home to two unusual lakes, Blue lake and Green lake, separated by a bridge made of 7 arches, that represent the seven cities of the lost continent of Atlantis - supposedly located in the lake!
  • Night in Fenais da Luz.
  • MEALS included : Breakfast & dinner

Day 3 - Day at leisure

  •  After breakfast, take some time to enjoy the view and the magnificent garden as you relax in the outdoor swimming pool, or (if you havent already done it), take a walk along the coastal path starting from your accommodation, or enjoy a relaxing moment at the spa where you will find an indoor swimming pool, a massage area, a sauna and fitness room.
    . If you're looking to be a little more active today, we recommend adding the "Half day at the Caldeira Velha" option to your booking. 
  • Night in Fenais da Luz.
  • MEALS included : Breakfast & dinner

Day 4 - Tea plantation of Gorreana & Praia da Viola

  • Walk - Gorreana > Maia > Praia da Viola > Maia
    . Visit of the tea plantation : 1 hour 
    . 2 hours 30  /  5,5 km - 3,1 miles / Ascent: +300 - Descent: -230m
  • Today, you are transferred to the other side of the island and head to the Furnas valley in the centre . The taxi will drop you off first at the tea plantation in Gorreana, one of the two unique plantations in Europe. Here the tea is cultivated, collected, and manufactured according to ancestral methods. Then, we invite you to walk to Maia for the beginning of the hike. The path winds through the meticulously pruned green shrubs. We recommend following the path that runs through the plantations. Some elevated parts of the trail boast great views of the northern coast. A small country lane will lead you to the village of Maia. From here begins a beautiful coastal hike through nature and culture. The path overlooking the ocean passes through the basins once used by the women of the village to wash clothes before arriving at a set of water mills, witnesses to the island's glorious past in wheat farming.  Return via the wild beach of Praia da Viola which passes at the foot of the waterfalls.
  • Transfer to your next accommodation in Furnas.  We selected this new acommodation for its hot springs and thermal baths in the middle of a beautiful and natural area.
  • Night in Furnas.
  • MEALS included : Breakfast

Day 5 - Furnas and cozido

  • Walk - Furnas village > Lagoa do Furnas > Furnas village
    3 hours /  12 km - 7,4 miles / Ascent: +250m - Descent: -270m
  • Today, we invite you to walk to the crater of Furnas. Through lush vegetation, you will see the active volcano of the archipelago (fumaroles and sulphur springs) and its close links with the gastronomic traditions of this valley: the famous "cozido" stewed with geothermal heat from the lake. Bathing opportunity in the warm waters of Terra Nostra Garden.
    For dinner, we have booked a table at a traditional restaurant to taste the unique cozido.
  • Night in Furnas.
  • MEALS included : Breakfast & dinner

Day 6 - Faial da Terra

  • Short walk - Faial da Terra > Salto do Prego > Sanguinho > Faial da Terra
    1 hour 30  /  4,2 km - 2,6 miles  / Ascent: +265m - Descent: -265m
  • Long walk - Faial da Terra > Vigia da Baleia > Sanguinho > Faial da Terra
    3 hours 30 / 8 km - 4,9 miles / Ascent : -420m - Descent -420m
  • Transfer to the southern coast of São Miguel, east of the eroded caldeira of Povoação. The Faial da Terra Ribeira, also known as the Sanguinho hike (nicknamed because of the endemic tree that grows there: the frangula azorica). Two hiking loops to optimise your energy of the day.
    Transfer back to Furnas at the end of the day.
  • Night in Furnas.
  • MEALS included : Breakfast

Day 7 - Day at leisure

  • You deserve a little pampering ! Spend time and enjoy the marvellous garden of the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel, indulge in a heavenly bathe in sulphurous water or treat yourself to a massage.
  • Night in Furnas. 
  • MEALS included : Breakfast

Day 8 - End of your trip in the Azores

  • End of your trip in  São Miguel ! Private transfer to the airport.
  • MEALS included : Breakfast

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    Trip details
    Walking & wellness in São Miguel
        • Portugal - Azores
        • 2 adults (2x1255€)
        • 0 children (0x1255€)
      • 8 days
      • Superior
    Total 2510€
    Deposit 1200€
    Book now !