São Miguel East Highlights: Furnas, Nordeste & Lunch
Description
Discover the highlights of eastern São Miguel on a small-group tour through volcanic landscapes, waterfalls, lush mountains, and dramatic coastal viewpoints. Explore Furnas, the island's famous geothermal region, where volcanic activity, thermal waters, and local traditions have shaped one of the Azores' most unique destinations. Enjoy a traditional Furnas lunch included in the tour, visit breathtaking viewpoints overlooking the crater lake and surrounding landscapes, and discover the natural beauty of the Nordeste region. Travel in the comfort of a modern 100% electric van and enjoy the personal attention of a local guide in a group limited to just 8 guests. Unlike larger bus tours, you'll enjoy a more relaxed pace, more time at each stop, and a quieter, more comfortable journey through some of São Miguel's most spectacular scenery.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Start the tour at Nossa Senhora da Paz, a hilltop chapel overlooking Vila Franca do Campo. Enjoy panoramic views over the town, the Atlantic Ocean, and the iconic Ilhéu de Vila Franca do Campo, a volcanic islet just offshore.
Explore the geothermal fields of Furnas, where volcanic activity is visible through steaming fumaroles, bubbling mud pools, and hot springs. Taste naturally carbonated mineral waters and experience the island’s volcanic energy up close.
Alternatively to Furnas geothermal fields, visit Terra Nostra Park to bathe in its famous iron-rich thermal pool. Guests choosing this option will have time to relax in the hot springs and enjoy the surroundings (entrance fee not included).
Enjoy sweeping views over the Furnas Volcano caldera from Pico do Ferro, one of the best panoramic viewpoints in the area, overlooking the lake, village, and surrounding volcanic landscape.
Visit Salto do Cavalo, a dramatic mountain viewpoint offering impressive views over the eastern part of São Miguel and, on clear days, both the north and south coasts.
Explore Ribeira dos Caldeirões Natural Park, known for its waterfalls, lush vegetation, and well-maintained walking paths set within a peaceful natural environment.
Travel through the Nordeste region and stop at an old whale lookout. From here, enjoy views over the rugged coastline, green pastures, and small villages that characterize this part of the island.
Finish the tour at Miradouro de Santa Iria, one of São Miguel’s most scenic coastal viewpoints, offering stunning views over the island’s north coast and the Atlantic Ocean.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick-up is available from main hotels and designated meeting points in Ponta Delgada. If you are staying outside Ponta Delgada, a transfer to our office can be arranged for an additional cost. Please be ready at the front entrance by 9:00 am. Pick-ups may take up to 20 minutes to be completed.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(1,298)
Great experience, friendly and knowledgeable guide, made the small group feel comfortable. A full day, yet not rushed at all. Highly recommended!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the small-group experience and found the pace comfortable throughout the day. It's great to know your guide helped create such a welcoming atmosphere. We truly appreciate your recommendation!
Marçio was a great tour guide! He was very knowledgeable and upbeat. We enjoyed all of the panoramic views throughout the day. We enjoyed the waterfall park and becoming part of a cow parade. My husband loved the cozido lunch!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the panoramic views, the waterfall park, and even your unexpected cow parade experience! It's great to know Márcio made the day enjoyable with his knowledge and upbeat personality, and that your husband enjoyed the traditional cozido lunch. We'll be sure to share your kind words with him!
A wonderful trip on the other side of the island if you don't have a rental vehicle. Had a tour in a comfortable AC van with Bernard, who does use a microphone so everyone can hear what he has to say. The lunch was amazing, and honestly the best food we had on the island. It had some beautiful viewpoint stops. The only thing I would have done differently was stay with Bernard at the Parque Terra Nostra stop instead of going into the park, because 1 hour is not enough for the price you pay.
Thank you for your thoughtful review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the comfortable van, beautiful viewpoints, and especially the local lunch. Terra Nostra Garden offers a different experience from the guided tour, so guests are free to choose how they prefer to spend their time there. We're glad you enjoyed your day exploring São Miguel with Bernardo!
This tour was a great complement to the West Tour. I highly recommend doing both, as they allow you to see many interesting and different things that complement each other very well. Once again, our guide Joao was amazing and very attentive to everyone’s needs. The small group and the very clean vehicle also made the experience even better. Amazing time!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the East Tour as a complement to the West Tour and appreciated the variety of experiences. It's also great to know João made you feel well looked after throughout the day. We'll be sure to share your kind words with him!
A must see! Local company, knowledgeable friendly guide (we love you Manuel!), who love to share their love of the island with everyone. Recommend doing each of the tours as each offer a completely different experience and there is so much to see. Manuel was prepared with everything we needed, was flexible, kind, and answered every question and had a lot to share. Thank you Pure Azores.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed exploring São Miguel with Manuel and appreciated his knowledge, kindness, and flexibility. We love hearing that our different tours gave you the chance to experience more of what the island has to offer. We'll be sure to share your kind words with Manuel!
I recently took this tour with Pure Azores and it was incredible! I had taken the west tour the day prior, and this was nothing short of amazing. The team is super professional and shows up on time - hotel pickup is so crucial especially since I didn't have a car during my time on Sao Miguel. I had Daniel as my guide and he was super informative and so funny. He made sure to keep the entire group entertained, but was also a wealth of knowledge. Our entire group decided to go to the Terra Nostra Garden for the geothermal baths and I honestly wished we had more time! The garden is BEAUTIFUL and expansive - but once you're in the thermal pools, the time to explore is a bit limited. Otherwise, the food is delicious (and a must try), and the scenery you get to see afterwards is unlike anything else I've seen.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed both tours with us and that Daniel made the day so entertaining and informative. It's great to know you loved Terra Nostra Garden, the local cuisine, and the incredible scenery. We'll be sure to share your kind words with Daniel. We hope to welcome you back to the Azores again soon!
Bring your bathing SUIT! OTHERWISE THE TOUR GUIDE WAS GREAT LUNCH WAS GREAT. I highly reccomend it, breath taking views!
Thank you so much for your review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the breathtaking views, the lunch, and had a great experience with your guide. And yes,bringing a bathing suit is definitely a good idea for this tour! We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back to the Azores soon!
Great experience with an excellent tour guide (João). Everything from the hotel pickup, to the narration, to the must see sights—we truly had an amazing experience. We couldn’t have experienced as much as we did without our expert tour guide.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear you had such an amazing experience with João and that everything, from the hotel pick-up to the sightseeing, made your day special. We'll be sure to share your kind words with him. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back to the Azores again soon!
We had a great time with Manuel! The mineral water tastings was a highlight. The scenery and lookout points were beautiful.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so happy to hear you had a great day with Manuel and enjoyed the mineral water tasting as well as the beautiful viewpoints along the way. We hope to welcome you back to the Azores for another memorable experience!
We had an amazing day trip with Daniel! He was incredibly professional, friendly, and enthusiastic throughout the entire tour. He was very informative and shared fascinating facts about the island, answering every question with impressive knowledge. His driving was also very safe, which made us feel comfortable and relaxed the whole time. If you’re looking for a guide who truly knows everything about the island and makes the experience enjoyable, I highly recommend Daniel!
Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We're delighted to hear you had such an amazing day with Daniel. His professionalism, enthusiasm, and passion for sharing the island's history and nature are qualities we're very proud of, and he'll be thrilled to read your kind words. Thank you for your recommendation, we hope to welcome you back to the Azores again soon!
