My Epic São Miguel Itinerary (5 days planned for you)

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The Azores’ Sao Miguel Island is one of the very first places I mention when people ask me for travel recommendations. I spent a week exploring the island and to this day, it remains one of my favorite places I’ve visited.

But with so much to see, it’s hard to plan the perfect itinerary. Sao Miguel Island may be small, but it packs a serious punch. From stunning crater lakes to lush greenery like you’ve never seen before, there are countless things to do in Sao Miguel.

This itinerary guides you through all the top sights and attractions, and suggests places to stay, eat, and drink along the way.

Let’s get planning!

Where to Stay for 5 Days in São Miguel Island

For a 5 day visit to São Miguel Island, these are my top picks for where to stay: 

• 🏆 Best Overall – Grand Hotel Açores Atlântico
• 📌 Best Location – Hotel Do Colegio
• 💎 Best Luxury – SENSI Azores Nature and SPA
• 💵 Best Budget – Ilha Hostel & Suites
• 🏠 Apartments – Browse rentals in Ponta Delgada (my top suggested area) 

For more, check out my full guide to where to stay in São Miguel Island.

5 Day São Miguel Island Itinerary

🖨️ Get a free, printable version of this itinerary here!

Day 1 – Sete Cidades & West Side of the Island 

📍 Google Maps 

Morning

For your first day in Sao Miguel, you’ll hit the ground running by visiting the Sete Cidades lakes.

After breakfast, drive up to the famous Miradouro da Boca do Inferno for an easy, 45-minute hike to this spectacular viewpoint. Afterwards, head to the next viewpoint, Miradouro da Vista do Rei for more natural beauty and a visit to the abandoned Monte Palace hotel.

Afternoon

At this point in the afternoon, drive from the abandoned Hotel Monte Palace down to the town of Sete Cidades. Make a stop along the way to see Santiago Lake. For lunch, go to Lagoa Azul. Spend the rest of your afternoon enjoying the shores of the blue lake and green lake. 

Evening

When afternoon rolls into evening, head to the town of Mosteiros for dinner and a sunset on the island’s west coast. For one more viewpoint on your way out, stop at Ponta do Escalvado.

👉 Pro Tip: To avoid crowds at Miradouro da Boca do Inferno, come early in the morning or evening. This attraction is extremely popular and it can be tricky to find a parking spot in the lot.

Day 2 – Furnas & East Side of the Island 

📍 Google Maps 

Morning

After breakfast, drive up to Miradouro da Pico do Ferro to see Furnas Lake from above. Next, drive down to the base of Furnas Lake. Walk around Caldeiras das Furnas and watch pots of Cozido be lowered into the natural volcanic boilers.

Then, drive along the lake to the parking lot at Jardim da Lagoa das Furnas where you can walk to Mata Jardim José do Canto.

Afternoon & Evening

By early afternoon, head into the town of Furnas. Find a place to park and enter Terra Nostra Park. It’s time for a dip in the thermal baths! For lunch, you can have Cozido at Restaurante Tony’s or Restaurante Terra Nostra. 

To finish up the day, drive to the natural park, Ribeira dos Caldeirões. This park feels like a true paradise with waterfalls and gardens. Your last stop is the stunning Miradouro da Ponta do Sossego in Nordeste. 

👉 Pro Tip: If you plan on having Cozido for lunch in Furnas, you will need to call and make a reservation at least 24 hours beforehand so your Cozido has time to be prepared.

Day 3 – Lagoa do Fogo, Caldeira Velha, and Ribeira Grande

📍 Google Maps 

Morning

If there’s good weather, spend your morning at Lagoa do Fogo, which is only half an hour from Ponta Delgada. Start at the viewpoints Miradouro da Lagoa do Fogo and Miradouro do Pico da Barrosa. If it’s really foggy, wait about 15 minutes. The fog will usually roll through, so you can get a clear view and snap a picture.

Then, hike the Lagoa do Fogo Trail which will take you to the base of the lake. Have a picnic and admire the views. Just don’t swim in the water, as it’s a protected reserve and swimming isn’t allowed.  

Afternoon

In the afternoon, head to Caldeira Velha for a dip in more thermal pools. Next, drive a little north to Salto do Cabrito waterfall. If you’re up for another attraction, head to Gorreana Tea Factory to tour the tea plantation and relax with a cup of tea.

Evening

By evening, head back towards Ribeira Grande. Here, you can stroll the beach at Praia do Areal de Santa Bárbara and explore the town. Enjoy a local dinner at Restaurante Faria.

Day 4 – Ponta Delgada & Whale Watching Tour

📍 Google Maps 

Morning

Start the day with brunch in Ponta Delgada. Intz48 Coffee Roasters Azores is a great spot. Then, spend time exploring the town and walking the “Avenida,” or marina area. 

Afternoon & Evening

Around noon, depart for one of these popular whale-watching tours. These tours depart from either Ponta Delgada’s marina, or nearby Vila Franca do Campo. Tours take about three hours. Seeing marine life is never guaranteed, however, whale-watching is a must in Sao Miguel.

Once you return to land, head up to the nearby pineapple plantation, Plantação de Ananás dos Açores. For the rest of the afternoon and evening, explore more Ponta Delgada attractions like Jardim Botânico António Borges or Gruta do Carvão.

For dinner, head to A Tasca for an Azorean dinner (lots of fresh seafood!) in a charming, laidback atmosphere. For something a little more contemporary, make reservations at the tasty Louvre Michaelense.

Day 5 – Adventure Tour, Ponta da Ferraria, and a Sunset 

📍 Google Maps 

Morning & Afternoon

The last day on this itinerary is all about doing whatever attractions and tours are left on your wishlist. Customize the day’s schedule accordingly.

Once you’ve had breakfast, spend your morning doing one of Sao Miguel’s many adventure tours. This could be paragliding or even paddle boarding on Sete Cidades lakes.

Another alternative is to spend the morning and afternoon hiking. Try Sete Cidades Caldeiras Trail for lake scenery. Salto do Prego Trail is beautiful for seeing greenery and the countryside. For lunch, head into the towns of Sete Cidades or Mosteiros.

Evening

To end the day, I highly recommend going to the natural swimming pool at Ponta Ferraria. This natural pool is in volcanic rock right on the Atlantic Ocean and is the most unique natural hot spring on the island. Just be careful driving down to Ponta Ferraria, as the road is quite steep and curvy.

If it’s low tide, go for a dip in the natural pool! Just be sure not to swim during high tide, as the rocky pool can actually be dangerous in these conditions. If it is high tide, you can still walk around and admire the unique natural formations. 

After this, finish up your trip with a nice dinner in Ponta Delgada.

São Miguel Itinerary Map

Here is a Google Map with all the stops, attractions, and hotels mentioned in this post.

How to Get Around in São Miguel Island

If you’re visiting São Miguel Island for more than a few days, I highly recommend renting a car since driving is the easiest way to get around. You can search and compare agencies on Discover Cars.

The island of Sao Miguel has a bus system, but having your own car will save you time and allow you to personalize your trip better. 

If you’re planning a shorter trip, not having a car is still doable. Instead, get around by taking guided full-day van tours. I personally did this East Full Day Van Tour and this West Full Day Van Tour and had an absolute blast. Tours like these are also a good option for visitors who are less mobile or don’t want to worry about directions and logistics. 

👉 Planning to Visit More of Portugal? Check out Sky’s full 10 day Portugal itinerary. You can get a free, printable version of the itinerary here.

São Miguel Itinerary Planning Tips

Tip #1 – Ponta Delgada is the Most Popular Place to Stay, But There are Other Options

For the sake of convenience, this itinerary is loosely based on staying in Ponta Delgada, which is the largest town and most popular place to stay in Sao Miguel. 

However, this itinerary can still be followed pretty closely if you choose to stay in another area.

Tip #2 – Check the Forecast, But Don’t Rely on It

The weather on Sao Miguel Island is tricky. Temperatures and conditions can change quickly, which makes the forecast unreliable at times. 

To make the most out of your trip, just keep an eye on the weather before hitting up places like Lagoa do Fogo, Sete Cidades, and Termas da Ferraria. You can also use this handy website, SPOTAZORES.com, which shows live webcam footage of popular places around the island.

Tip #3 – Pack Layers

As I mentioned, the weather here can vary and change quickly. Pack versatile clothing like transitional pants and a waterproof and wind-breaking jacket. Also, pack a bathing suit for the natural thermal pools and shoes with good grip. 

Tip #4 – You’ll Probably Want to Rent a Car

More likely than not, you’ll want to rent a car. Now, I didn’t rent a car and managed just fine by taking guided van tours and making hostel friends who had rental cars. But, if I were to return to Sao Miguel, I’d definitely rent one myself for more freedom and convenience. 

If you want to keep things simple, you should just rent a car from the airport in Ponta Delgada so it’s ready to go after you land. However, there are different car rental companies around the island if that makes more sense for your itinerary. You can search different pickup points and compare agencies on Discover Cars.

Lastly, renting a manual car is a good idea. The island has well-paved roads and highways, but a manual is better, as some places on the island have rougher terrain and steep inclines. Parking can also be tricky on some of the narrow streets. This isn’t a huge obstacle, but it’s something to keep in mind.

Tip #5 – Tweak this Itinerary, as Needed

Depending on the amount of time you have and what attractions you want to see, you may need to tweak this itinerary. The weather may also cause you to change plans. No matter the case, I just recommend sticking to attractions and sights within similar areas (i.e. north, south, central, etc.).

Tip #6 – Fly Into Lisbon, Or Direct from the US East Coast

If you’re flying from North America, there are a couple of flight routes I’d recommend.

You can fly into Lisbon and get cheap direct flights to Sao Miguel from there. I did this and enjoyed staying in Lisbon for a few days. It also allowed me to adjust to the time zone so I could hit the ground running once I landed in the Azores.

You can search flights to Sao Miguel on Kayak.

FAQs

How many days do you need in Sao Miguel?

At least a week in Sao Miguel is ideal to experience the island. However, you can pack in the top sights in five days if you follow this itinerary.

How long does it take to drive Sao Miguel Azores?

It takes about four hours to drive around the island of Sao Miguel. 

How much time do you need in Ponta Delgada?

I recommend spending at least one afternoon walking around Ponta Delgada’s city center. This includes the main downtown and seeing places like Portas da Cidade and strolling the marina. Grabbing a meal at a local restaurant is also a must. If you have more time in Sao Miguel, dedicate at least one day to the town, its botanical gardens, and attractions.

What is the best time of year to visit the Azores?

The summer months are the most popular time to visit the Azores since the weather is the best. However, spring and autumn are also good times, and less crowded.

What is the best island to visit in the Azores?

Sao Miguel is by far the most popular island for first-time visitors. It’s the largest island in the Azores and has varied scenery with lots to see and do. 

🖨️ Don’t forget! You can get a free, printable version of this itinerary here.

***

Sao Miguel isn’t just a place, but an experience. Whether you stay for a few days or an extended trip, a little planning goes a long way on this incredible island. There are tons of options here for things to do and where to stay, so take some tips from this guide and have a wonderful trip to the Azores!

For more travel inspiration, check out our full list of the best destinations around Portugal!