The Azores sit far out in the Atlantic, a group of volcanic islands belonging to Portugal but closer in feel to a lost world of green craters and steaming springs. Sao Miguel, the largest island, is the easiest to reach and packs in much of what makes the archipelago special: lakes in old volcanoes, hot springs to bathe in, and hillsides so green they barely look real.
An island of craters
The landscape is the star. The twin lakes of Sete Cidades sit in a vast crater, one traditionally said to be blue and the other green, best seen from the rim above. Elsewhere, the valley of Furnas steams with geothermal activity, where a traditional stew is cooked slowly in the hot ground and you can soak in warm, iron-rich pools surrounded by lush gardens. Whale and dolphin watching trips run from the harbours.
What to do
- Walk the crater rims and the trails between the lakes for the best views, weather permitting.
- Bathe in the hot springs at Furnas or the coastal pools, a sublime experience in the cool island air.
- Try the cozido cooked in the ground at Furnas, lowered into the geothermal soil and dug up hours later.
Practical notes
Sao Miguel is reachable by direct flights from some UK and European airports, and a hire car is the best way to explore, as the sights are spread around the island. The weather is changeable and often damp, which is exactly why everything is so green, so pack layers and a waterproof whatever the season.
Spring is a fine time to come, before the summer visitors and with the hydrangeas that line the roads beginning to bud. The Azores are not a beach destination in the usual sense; they are for walkers, for nature, for hot springs and dramatic scenery. For something genuinely different within a few hours of home, Sao Miguel is hard to beat.