Arriving in the middle of the Atlantic, on the small islands of the Azores, you expect exactly what you find: lush vegetation and powerful geothermal activity. What comes as a surprise is finding, alongside all of this, communities that are remarkably efficient, well organized, and easy to navigate. In the Azores, wild landscapes and everyday comfort coexist in a balanced way. That combination is exactly what appeals to travelers looking for an escape—especially those interested in places that feel genuinely alternative to more predictable destinations.
One of the Azores’ defining characteristics is that each island has a clear natural and visual identity. Flores is shaped by waterfalls and dense vegetation; Pico is dominated by a single volcano and continuous lava fields; São Jorge is structured around its fajãs, narrow strips of cultivated land between cliffs and ocean, and so on. São Miguel, the largest island and the first stop on my itinerary, builds its identity around geothermal movement, which sets the pace for exploration. It is the most obvious entry point thanks to its size and main airport. But stopping here alone would offer only a partial view of an archipelago that reveals its full character through variety.
The Furnas Valley
From Ponta Delgada, the island’s capital and home to the international airport, it takes about 45 minutes by car to reach Furnas, the geothermal heart of São Miguel. As I drove inland, the greenery became denser and the air more humid. Then, almost without warning, the first wisps of steam appeared along the roadside—subtle signs of intense activity below the surface.
In and around the village of Furnas, the island’s geothermal activity becomes most visible: fumaroles, thermal lakes and streams, botanical gardens. Everything here is influenced by heat rising from underground, creating specific microclimates and distinct ecosystems. The warm water that surfaces in multiple locations is not just a natural feature—it is part of daily life, shaping a village that seems perfectly comfortable welcoming visitors for long pauses and unhurried moments of rest.
Walking Among the Fumaroles of Furnas
Caldeiras de Furnas is the central area of the village and concentrates an impressive amount of geothermal activity: active fumaroles, bubbling mud pools, and steam vents appearing almost everywhere. It is the most accessible area, and also the place where the island’s underground forces are most immediately visible.
Walking through the geothermal areas requires a bit of care. The ground is not always stable; some surfaces are warm to the touch, others give slightly underfoot. The fumaroles are not confined to a single protected zone—they emerge beside houses, along sidewalks, behind low fences. Wearing closed shoes is essential, as is paying close attention to where you step. The soil shifts in color and texture, from dark tones to yellowish hues, while the smell of sulfur intensifies or fades depending on wind direction.
The Thermal Stream
Still within the village of Furnas, beyond the better-known sites, there are stretches of naturally heated water that flow directly through town. The stream runs shallow, sometimes channeled between stone walls, sometimes freer in form. It is not a formal attraction and not clearly signposted—you simply come across it while walking.
Temperatures vary by location and season but generally remain moderate, around 85–95°F, significantly cooler than the thermal pools. The water level is low: this is not a place to swim, but to walk, with water reaching the ankles or slightly higher. It’s the bit I loved the most: walking in a thermal river! It is a simple but striking experience, offering a direct and unfiltered sense of how geothermal activity moves through the village itself.
Lagoa das Furnas and the Caldeiras for Cozido
Around Lagoa das Furnas, just outside the village, the relationship between geothermal activity and human practice takes on a concrete form. This is where cozido das Furnas is prepared—a traditional stew made with mixed meats, vegetables, and sausages, slow-cooked using the natural heat of the ground. Along the lake’s edge are underground geothermal pits, numbered holes where pots are lowered and left for hours.
It is one of the very few places in Europe where geothermal energy is still used daily for cooking. If you like meat, missing the chance to try cozido would be a mistake: the best approach is to reserve a table at one of the village restaurants, which coordinate the retrieval of the pots directly from the lake.
Thermal Parks in Furnas
Furnas also offers more structured options for soaking. The first is Parque Terra Nostra, which is far more than a place to swim. This roughly 30-acre botanical garden developed around a 19th-century estate holds one of the most extensive plant collections in the archipelago. Camellias, tree ferns, aquatic plants, and exotic trees coexist without a rigid hierarchy, giving the park an exploratory rather than purely scenic character. The park’s best-known feature remains its large thermal pool, fed by iron-rich water that gives it a distinctive rust-orange color. The water is warm but not extreme, making it suitable for longer immersions.
For a more informal and less structured option, there is Poça da Dona Beija, located nearby. This open-air thermal pool sits above the thermal stream, is smaller and hotter, and is especially popular toward the end of the day.
Praia do Fogo
Leaving Furnas—reluctantly—I headed south to encounter another way geothermal activity meets the landscape. Praia do Fogo lies just outside the village of Ribeira Quente, on São Miguel’s southern coast. It is a compact beach of dark sand, notable for water temperature. Here, geothermal springs flow into the ocean, warming the sea noticeably compared to other beaches on the island. The effect is immediate: even with waves and currents, the sense of warmth remains consistent.
Praia do Fogo works particularly well after Furnas. It shifts the thermal experience from the island’s interior to the coast, showing how volcanic activity continues to influence São Miguel right at the edge of the Atlantic.
Sete Cidades Channel
After time spent in Furnas and by the sea, I moved to the western side of São Miguel, an area that already hints—just by looking at the map—at a past marked by intense volcanic activity. Two large circular depressions reveal the presence of ancient volcanic craters now filled with water: Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde, located beside the village of Sete Cidades. From the viewpoint above the village, both lakes come into view, separated only by a narrow strip of land, offering a clear reading of the volcanic structure that formed them.
Once active and unstable, these craters are now fully integrated into the island’s landscape and function as one of its visual anchors. The differing colors of the water are not artificial effects, but the result of depth, light reflection, and surrounding vegetation.
How to Get There and Around
São Miguel is reached by air via Ponta Delgada Airport, the main hub of the Azores. Flights are frequent from mainland Portugal and seasonal from select North American cities. Inter-island flights make it easy to continue on to other islands. Once on São Miguel, renting a car is the most efficient option: geothermal sites—especially Furnas—are spread out and not always well connected by public transportation. Distances are short, roads are generally in good condition, and driving allows for flexibility and spontaneous stops along the way.
Off to the Next Island
As complete and compelling as São Miguel is, it quickly becomes clear that it represents just one facet of the Azores. Leaving the island, I continued my two-week journey with an inter-island flight to Horta, the main center of Faial. There, a drier, flower-filled landscape—hydrangeas everywhere—offered a different rhythm and opened up new perspectives across the rest of the archipelago.
