São Miguel
Visiting the island:
Go round the island (1 day)
Leave from the west part of Ponta Delgada, passing through Relva (stop at the belvedere), Feteiras, Candelária, Ginetes (visit Ponta da Ferraria), Várzea, Miradouro da Ponta do Escalvado (a belvedere over Ferraria, islets and Mosteiros parish); go down to Mosteiros, to the beach and natural pools, and return from the same road to Estrada Regional. Go through Bretanha (Joăo Bom, Pilar and Ajuda village-places), Santa Barbara, Santo António (stop at the viewpoint), Capelas (a fishing port), Oficina Museu (a museum to find the past), and Săo Vicente. Turn aside to the seashore, to visit an excellent belvedere nearby an ancient whale factory. Continue to Fenais da Luz, Calhetas, Rabo de Peixe and Ribeira Grande, where one can visit a museum and fumaroles. Cross Ribeirinha parish, and visit the lighthouse and the fishing port. Return to the main road, turn on the left and go to Miradouro de Santa Iria, Porto Formoso (Moinhos beach and a Tea factory), Gorreana (another Tea factory), Maia, Lomba da Maia, Fenais da Ajuda, Lomba de Săo Pedro and stop at the belvedere of Salto da Farinha. Continue to Salga, Achadinha, Achada, Feteira Grande, Feteira Pequena, Algarvia, Santo António Nordestinho, Săo Pedro, Fazenda and Nordeste. In Nordeste, you should visit Ribeira do Guilherme mouth, the fishing port, and the lighthouse. In direction to Povoaçăo, go through Pedreira, Lombo Gordo beach, and the belvederes of Ponta do Sossego and Ponta da Madrugada. In the road to Povoaçăo, pass through Água Retorta and take the road down to Faial da Terra. Get back by the same road and continue to Povoaçăo, an inviting village-place. Go to Ribeira Quente (a fishing port with an excellent beach) and Furnas where the fumaroles, the lagoon and Terra Nostra Park deserve a visit. Take the road on the south coast, go down to Amora beach, pass through Ponta Garça (lighthouse), Ribeira das Tainhas, and Vila Franca do Campo, where Vinha d’Areia beach, chapel of Nossa Senhora da Paz, yacht-harbour and islet are places to visit.
Leave toward Ponta Delgada passing through Água d’Alto (beach), and deviate to Ribeira Chă parish to visit the ethnographic museum and yard. Get back to the main road, stop in the belvedere overlooking Caloura, continue to Água de Pau and turn to the road to Caloura (seaside resort); return by the same road and continue then to Lagoa (natural swimming-pools, museum, blacksmith tent, pottery factory), pass through the beaches of Pópulo and Milícias, Săo Roque, arriving at Ponta Delgada. The visitor can choose to go round the island on the other way, departing in direction to Săo Roque, Lagoa, going through the south coast and returning through the north coast.
Sete Cidades and Mosteiros
Departing from Ponta Delgada toward Mosteiros, turn right after the belvedere in direction of Covoada; follow by the road of Pico do Carvăo and stop at the viewpoint over the north coast, and admire the lagoons of Carvăo and Canário; stop also at the belvedere of Vista do Rei, with a panoramic view over the lagoons and Sete Cidades parish. Go down to the village place and the lagoons, stopping at the belvederes of Cerrado das Freiras and S. Tiago lagoon. Leave the parish by the road of Seara, toward Várzea; stop at the belvedere of Escalvado, overlooking Ferraria, the islets and Mosteiros parish. Go down to Mosteiros, a seashore resort with a beach and several natural pools. Return to Ponta Delgada by the south coast, passing through Várzea, Ginetes, Candelária, Feteiras and Relva. You can also return through the north coast, passing the parishes of Bretanha, (Joăo Bom, Pilar, Ajuda), Remédios, Santa Bárbara, Santo António and Capelas.
Lagoa do Fogo, Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande and Lombadas
Leave Ponta Delgada through Lagoa, and take the road to Lagoa do Fogo (Fire’s Lagoon), which offers a panoramic view over the south and north coasts of the island. Stop at the top of Pico de Fogo, where you can admire Lagoa do Fogo. Go down toward Ribeira Grande and stop at Caldeira Velha, a heated natural pool, Ribeira Grande, Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande and Lombadas. Return to Ponta Delgada through the road of Ribeira Grande.
Furnas
Leave Ponta Delgada, pass through Ribeira Grande, Porto Formoso, Gorreana, Achada das Furnas road, and stop at the belvedere of Pico do Fogo. In the road descending to Furnas, stop at the belvedere of Salto do Cavalo, a viewpoint over the Furnas valley and Povoaçăo village. In Furnas parish, pay a visit to the fumaroles, the lagoon, park of Terra Nostra and a nursery area of plants and trout. In several restaurants, one can taste the famous hollow’s meat course. Get back to Ponta Delgada by the south coast, passing through Vila Franca do Campo.
Nordeste, Povoaçăo, Furnas, Vila Franca and Lagoa
Leave Ponta Delgada toward Ribeira Grande; stop at the Santa Iria belvedere, Porto Formoso, where you should visit the beach of Moinhos and the tea factory. Continue passing through Gorreana (another tea factory to visit), Maia, Lomba da Maia, Fenais da Ajuda, Lomba de S. Pedro, and stop at Salto da Farinha belvedere. Continue to Salga, Achadinha, Achada, Feteira Grande, Feteira Pequena, Algarvia, S. António Nordestinho, Săo Pedro, Fazenda, arriving then at Nordeste. In Nordeste parish, visit the Foz da Ribeira do Guilherme (the mouth of Guilherme stream), the lighthouse of Ponta do Arnel, the fishing port, and the forest park. Leave Nordeste village to Pedreira, visiting the Lombo Gordo beach and the belvederes of Ponta do Sossego and Ponta da Madrugada. Visit Água Retorta, Faial da Terra and arrive at Povoaçăo village. Take the road to Furnas; in Furnas you must visit the fumaroles, the lagoon and the forest park. Leave the village; pass through Ponta Garça (lighthouse), Ribeira das Taínhas and Vila Franca do Campo. Here you can visit the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Paz, the yacht-harbour, the islet and the pottery workshop. Take the road to Ponta Delgada, passing through Água D’Alto (a beach), Ribeira Chă, Água de Pau, Caloura (a seashore resort), Lagoa (municipal pools, museum and ceramics factory), Săo Roque, arriving at Ponta Delgada. The same itinerary can be done the other way around, beginning on the south coast and returning by the north coast.
Transportes
The visitor can rent a car, use a taxi or opt for the island bus lines. The itineraries of the buses are as follows:
Itinerary 1 - Ponta Delgada, Fajă de Baixo, Fajă de Cima
Itinerary 2 - Ponta Delgada, Ramalho, Relva, Feteiras, Candelária, Ginetes, Várzea, Mosteiros.
Itinerary 3 - Ponta Delgada, Ramalho, Relva, Feteiras, Candelária, Ginetes, Várzea, Sete Cidades
Itinerary 4 - Ponta Delgada, Fajă de Cima, Capelas, S. António, Sta Bárbara, Remédios, Ajuda, Pilar, Joăo Bom, Mosteiros
Itinerary 5 - Ponta Delgada, Fajă de Cima, S. Vicente, Aflitos, Fenais da Luz
Itinerary 6 - Ponta Delgada, S. Roque, Praia do Pópulo, Lagoa, Água de Pau, Água d’Alto, Vila Franca do Campo, Furnas, Povoaçăo
Itinerary 7 - Ponta Delgada, Pico da Pedra, Calhetas, Rabo de Peixe, Ribeira Grande
Itinerary 8 - Ponta Delgada, Ribeira Grande, Achada das Furnas, Furnas
Itinerary 9 - Ponta Delgada, Ribeira Grande, Lomba da Maia, Fenais da Ajuda, Lomba de S. Pedro, Salga, Achadinha, Achada, Feteira Grande, Feteira Pequena, Algarvia, S. António Nordestinho, Săo Pedro, Fazenda, Nordeste.
Itinerary 10 - Nordeste, Pedreira, Água Retorta, Faial da Terra, Povoaçăo.
Go round the island (1 day)
Leave from the west part of Ponta Delgada, passing through Relva (stop at the belvedere), Feteiras, Candelária, Ginetes (visit Ponta da Ferraria), Várzea, Miradouro da Ponta do Escalvado (a belvedere over Ferraria, islets and Mosteiros parish); go down to Mosteiros, to the beach and natural pools, and return from the same road to Estrada Regional. Go through Bretanha (Joăo Bom, Pilar and Ajuda village-places), Santa Barbara, Santo António (stop at the viewpoint), Capelas (a fishing port), Oficina Museu (a museum to find the past), and Săo Vicente. Turn aside to the seashore, to visit an excellent belvedere nearby an ancient whale factory. Continue to Fenais da Luz, Calhetas, Rabo de Peixe and Ribeira Grande, where one can visit a museum and fumaroles. Cross Ribeirinha parish, and visit the lighthouse and the fishing port. Return to the main road, turn on the left and go to Miradouro de Santa Iria, Porto Formoso (Moinhos beach and a Tea factory), Gorreana (another Tea factory), Maia, Lomba da Maia, Fenais da Ajuda, Lomba de Săo Pedro and stop at the belvedere of Salto da Farinha. Continue to Salga, Achadinha, Achada, Feteira Grande, Feteira Pequena, Algarvia, Santo António Nordestinho, Săo Pedro, Fazenda and Nordeste. In Nordeste, you should visit Ribeira do Guilherme mouth, the fishing port, and the lighthouse. In direction to Povoaçăo, go through Pedreira, Lombo Gordo beach, and the belvederes of Ponta do Sossego and Ponta da Madrugada. In the road to Povoaçăo, pass through Água Retorta and take the road down to Faial da Terra. Get back by the same road and continue to Povoaçăo, an inviting village-place. Go to Ribeira Quente (a fishing port with an excellent beach) and Furnas where the fumaroles, the lagoon and Terra Nostra Park deserve a visit. Take the road on the south coast, go down to Amora beach, pass through Ponta Garça (lighthouse), Ribeira das Tainhas, and Vila Franca do Campo, where Vinha d’Areia beach, chapel of Nossa Senhora da Paz, yacht-harbour and islet are places to visit.
Leave toward Ponta Delgada passing through Água d’Alto (beach), and deviate to Ribeira Chă parish to visit the ethnographic museum and yard. Get back to the main road, stop in the belvedere overlooking Caloura, continue to Água de Pau and turn to the road to Caloura (seaside resort); return by the same road and continue then to Lagoa (natural swimming-pools, museum, blacksmith tent, pottery factory), pass through the beaches of Pópulo and Milícias, Săo Roque, arriving at Ponta Delgada. The visitor can choose to go round the island on the other way, departing in direction to Săo Roque, Lagoa, going through the south coast and returning through the north coast.
Sete Cidades and Mosteiros
Departing from Ponta Delgada toward Mosteiros, turn right after the belvedere in direction of Covoada; follow by the road of Pico do Carvăo and stop at the viewpoint over the north coast, and admire the lagoons of Carvăo and Canário; stop also at the belvedere of Vista do Rei, with a panoramic view over the lagoons and Sete Cidades parish. Go down to the village place and the lagoons, stopping at the belvederes of Cerrado das Freiras and S. Tiago lagoon. Leave the parish by the road of Seara, toward Várzea; stop at the belvedere of Escalvado, overlooking Ferraria, the islets and Mosteiros parish. Go down to Mosteiros, a seashore resort with a beach and several natural pools. Return to Ponta Delgada by the south coast, passing through Várzea, Ginetes, Candelária, Feteiras and Relva. You can also return through the north coast, passing the parishes of Bretanha, (Joăo Bom, Pilar, Ajuda), Remédios, Santa Bárbara, Santo António and Capelas.
Lagoa do Fogo, Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande and Lombadas
Leave Ponta Delgada through Lagoa, and take the road to Lagoa do Fogo (Fire’s Lagoon), which offers a panoramic view over the south and north coasts of the island. Stop at the top of Pico de Fogo, where you can admire Lagoa do Fogo. Go down toward Ribeira Grande and stop at Caldeira Velha, a heated natural pool, Ribeira Grande, Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande and Lombadas. Return to Ponta Delgada through the road of Ribeira Grande.
Furnas
Leave Ponta Delgada, pass through Ribeira Grande, Porto Formoso, Gorreana, Achada das Furnas road, and stop at the belvedere of Pico do Fogo. In the road descending to Furnas, stop at the belvedere of Salto do Cavalo, a viewpoint over the Furnas valley and Povoaçăo village. In Furnas parish, pay a visit to the fumaroles, the lagoon, park of Terra Nostra and a nursery area of plants and trout. In several restaurants, one can taste the famous hollow’s meat course. Get back to Ponta Delgada by the south coast, passing through Vila Franca do Campo.
Nordeste, Povoaçăo, Furnas, Vila Franca and Lagoa
Leave Ponta Delgada toward Ribeira Grande; stop at the Santa Iria belvedere, Porto Formoso, where you should visit the beach of Moinhos and the tea factory. Continue passing through Gorreana (another tea factory to visit), Maia, Lomba da Maia, Fenais da Ajuda, Lomba de S. Pedro, and stop at Salto da Farinha belvedere. Continue to Salga, Achadinha, Achada, Feteira Grande, Feteira Pequena, Algarvia, S. António Nordestinho, Săo Pedro, Fazenda, arriving then at Nordeste. In Nordeste parish, visit the Foz da Ribeira do Guilherme (the mouth of Guilherme stream), the lighthouse of Ponta do Arnel, the fishing port, and the forest park. Leave Nordeste village to Pedreira, visiting the Lombo Gordo beach and the belvederes of Ponta do Sossego and Ponta da Madrugada. Visit Água Retorta, Faial da Terra and arrive at Povoaçăo village. Take the road to Furnas; in Furnas you must visit the fumaroles, the lagoon and the forest park. Leave the village; pass through Ponta Garça (lighthouse), Ribeira das Taínhas and Vila Franca do Campo. Here you can visit the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Paz, the yacht-harbour, the islet and the pottery workshop. Take the road to Ponta Delgada, passing through Água D’Alto (a beach), Ribeira Chă, Água de Pau, Caloura (a seashore resort), Lagoa (municipal pools, museum and ceramics factory), Săo Roque, arriving at Ponta Delgada. The same itinerary can be done the other way around, beginning on the south coast and returning by the north coast.
Transportes
The visitor can rent a car, use a taxi or opt for the island bus lines. The itineraries of the buses are as follows:
Itinerary 1 - Ponta Delgada, Fajă de Baixo, Fajă de Cima
Itinerary 2 - Ponta Delgada, Ramalho, Relva, Feteiras, Candelária, Ginetes, Várzea, Mosteiros.
Itinerary 3 - Ponta Delgada, Ramalho, Relva, Feteiras, Candelária, Ginetes, Várzea, Sete Cidades
Itinerary 4 - Ponta Delgada, Fajă de Cima, Capelas, S. António, Sta Bárbara, Remédios, Ajuda, Pilar, Joăo Bom, Mosteiros
Itinerary 5 - Ponta Delgada, Fajă de Cima, S. Vicente, Aflitos, Fenais da Luz
Itinerary 6 - Ponta Delgada, S. Roque, Praia do Pópulo, Lagoa, Água de Pau, Água d’Alto, Vila Franca do Campo, Furnas, Povoaçăo
Itinerary 7 - Ponta Delgada, Pico da Pedra, Calhetas, Rabo de Peixe, Ribeira Grande
Itinerary 8 - Ponta Delgada, Ribeira Grande, Achada das Furnas, Furnas
Itinerary 9 - Ponta Delgada, Ribeira Grande, Lomba da Maia, Fenais da Ajuda, Lomba de S. Pedro, Salga, Achadinha, Achada, Feteira Grande, Feteira Pequena, Algarvia, S. António Nordestinho, Săo Pedro, Fazenda, Nordeste.
Itinerary 10 - Nordeste, Pedreira, Água Retorta, Faial da Terra, Povoaçăo.