São Miguel Island: Highlights of the Azores’ Gem

Viewpoint Vista do Rei at Sao Miguel (Azores). Photo by hdamke/Depositphotos

The Portuguese island of São Miguel is the gem of the Azores islands and one of the most picture-perfect places on the planet.

Located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the “Green Island” offers visitors a bounty of beautiful natural sights to see and unforgettable places to visit.

Here are the best things to do on a trip to the island of São Miguel.

Visit a Hot Spring

The sulfuric volcanic waters of the island make the options to visit a hot spring numerous. One of the best hot springs to visit is Caldeira Velha, which is located inside of a rainforest.

Walk the Trail to Lagoa do Fogo

Lagoa do Fogo is a lake located inside of a massive volcanic crater. It’s easy to walk from the road down to the lake’s beach as part of an exhilarating 90 minute round trip hike that you’ll never forget.

Hike to Salto do Prego

São Miguel is full of beautiful waterfalls, but my favorite has to be Salto do Prego. Located on a 4-kilometer loop trail is this stunning cascade that falls into a small swimming hole that you can take a dip in.

View this post on Instagram

Salto do Prego #azores #saomiguel #saltodoprego

A post shared by Jamie Sutherland (@tekmonkey76) on

Look Out at the Lagoa das Sete Cidades

One must-do thing in the Azores is to find a viewpoint from which to admire the Lagoa das Sete Cidades. These two lakes have different colors and can best be marveled at from a spot like the Vista do Rei viewpoint.