7-Hour Sete Cidades and Mosteiros Tour with Azorean Lunch

7 Hours Duration

Experiences

About This Tour

As a local, I've driven the road up to Sete Cidades hundreds of times, and it still amazes me. When the caldera opens up, you see the largest lagoon in the Azor...

Duration: 7 Hours · Tour type: Shared · Activity level: Moderate · Accommodation: Not included · Transport: Included · Wheelchair access: No · Cities: Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island · Languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish

Know before you go: Pick-up at your accommodation is between 09:00 and 09:15 (9:00 am - 9:15 am).; Drop-off at the same location is between 16:30 and 16:45 (4:30 pm - 4:45 pm).; Please be ready within your specified time range so we can avoid delays.; Accommodation pick-ups in Ponta Delgada and Lagoa are included for this tour.; Pick-ups in Ribeira Grande have an extra fee of 10€ (per booking, not per person), paid in cash at the end of the tour. If you wish to avoid this fee, we can arrange a meeting point in Ponta Delgada.; Pickup and drop-off at your chosen location are subject to conditions.

About São Miguel Island

Portugal

São Miguel Island

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What's Included

Local tour guide.
Van with A/C and panoramic windshield.
Lunch of regional food buffet at a local restaurant.
Water bottle.
Tasting of a sweet local delicacy.
Tour insurance.

Not Included

Extra options outside the chosen lunch menu.
Any consumption not mentioned above.

Itinerary

1

Day 01

Pico do Carvão Viewpoint and Island Coastlines

Start by driving up to the caldera wall through an inner road of the island. Stop at a viewpoint to see both the north and south coastlines, along with the vast hills and volcanic formations across São Miguel.
2

Day 02

Historic Sete Cidades Aqueducts

See the old Roman-style aqueducts that were used to carry fresh water among the western villages since the 16th century. Ponta Delgada was also supplied through this infrastructure until the beginning of the 20th century. Visit the popular Nine Windows Wall and the gate some say is the entrance to Narnia.
3

Day 03

Lagoa do Canário and Boca do Inferno Walk

Reach a secluded lagoon surrounded by trees at Lagoa do Canário, which can only be contemplated from a few access points. Take a moderate walk through this natural park to the Boca do Inferno viewpoint, where you can admire some of the valleys formed around the Sete Cidades lagoon, as well as the lagoon itself.
4

Day 04

Vista do Rei and the Twin Lakes

Admire the vastness of the Sete Cidades lagoon from high above. Commonly known as the twin lakes, or the blue and green lakes, it is in fact one massive body of water. Learn about the difference in its colours, hear the legend surrounding it, and admire the abandoned luxury Monte Palace Hotel.
5

Day 05

Lagoa do Santiago from Above

Descend into the caldera, contemplating the lush hydrangea bushes along the way, and discover Lagoa do Santiago from above.
6

Day 06

Traditional Azorean Buffet Lunch

For lunch, indulge your taste buds with regional-style food. You'll have meat, fish, and vegetarian options in this buffet of traditionally prepared local dishes. Starter, main course, drink, dessert, and coffee are included.
7

Day 07

Walk by the Sete Cidades Blue Lagoon

Take a short walk along the peninsula that stretches through the Blue Lagoon for a quiet moment and an authentic connection to the local ecosystem. Observe local wildlife and seasonal flora, admire the crater from the inside, and enjoy a gentle walk that also helps with digestion.
8

Day 08

Sete Cidades Village and Neo-Gothic Church

Enjoy a quick stroll around the village of Sete Cidades to see its typical regional architecture and local way of life. Visit the iconic neo-Gothic church, one of only two on the island, and find a nearby souvenir and gift shop.
9

Day 09

Escalvado Viewpoint over Mosteiros

Reach the top of a cliff at the westernmost point of São Miguel to appreciate the views over Mosteiros and its islets. Learn the story of the missing Azorean island.
10

Day 10

Mosteiros Beach and Basaltic Shore

Descend into Mosteiros, the westernmost village of São Miguel, and walk along its beach with a unique perspective over the islets. Admire its vast basaltic coastline, where natural pools formed by lava flows can be found. The seabed here is very rocky, and entering the water involves risky manoeuvring, so bathing is not recommended.
11

Day 11

Mosteiros Natural Pools

Mosteiros is one of the most unusual swimming spots on the island. Admire a vast and magnificent basaltic coastline shaped by lava flows hundreds of years ago. With the swells of the Atlantic Ocean, different pools appear where visitors can cool off, and your guide will know which ones are accessible. Free-entry natural pools can also be found here, including both open-ocean and more enclosed spots, where locals who are not fond of sandy beaches come to enjoy hassle-free ocean baths. Beware of the rocky surfaces. A quick dip is allowed as long as you can return dry to the vehicle, but towels and a change of clothes are not provided. The pools of Mosteiros are not part of the thermal ocean baths of Ferraria. Because the hot water there depends on low tide and changing tide times, that experience cannot be guaranteed.

Meeting Point

Meeting point: Hotel or meeting point at Ponta Delgada, Lagoa, or Ribeira Grande · Tour start: Pico do Carvão, 9500, Portugal — Tour ends at the same location as the start point.