Outdoors · Azores · Portugal
8 best outdoor things to do in Azores
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: José Luís Ávila Silveira/Pedro Noronha e Costa, Public domain
Quick answer
Start with Sete Cidades and the Vista do Rei viewpoint, Furnas fumaroles and lake and Whale and dolphin watching. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 20–25 hours across 6 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 20–25 hours
- Areas
- Sete Cidades, Furnas and Ponta Delgada
Outdoors in Azores
Nature · Sete Cidades
1.Sete Cidades and the Vista do Rei viewpoint
Check the webcams or weather before you drive up; low cloud often fills the crater, so go early or wait for it to lift.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Nature
- Photo spot
Nature · Furnas
2.Furnas fumaroles and lake
Arrive at the lake fumaroles around midday to see restaurant cooks lifting the cozido pots out of the ground.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Nature
- Kids
- Food
- Photo spot
Experience · Ponta Delgada
3.Whale and dolphin watching
April and May give the best chance of blue whales; choose an operator with a marine biologist on board and dress warmly.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Nature · Pico Island
4.Mount Pico
Start very early, bring warm and waterproof layers and plenty of water; conditions at the summit can be freezing even in summer.
- Time needed
- 7–8 hours return
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
- Nature
Nature · Central São Miguel
5.Lagoa do Fogo
In peak summer, access to the viewpoints may be managed with parking limits or shuttles; check the latest arrangements locally.
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Nature
- Active
- Photo spot
Garden · Furnas
6.Terra Nostra Garden
Wear a dark swimsuit you don't mind staining; the iron-rich water leaves orange marks on light fabric.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Couples
- Nature
- Rainy day
- Outdoors
Experience · Furnas
7.Poça da Dona Beija
Go in the evening after the day-trippers leave; the pools are lit and stay open into the night.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- After dark
- Rainy day
- Nature
Nature · Ribeira Grande
8.Caldeira Velha
Visit early in the morning; visitor numbers are limited at busy times.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Sete Cidades | Sete Cidades and the Vista do Rei viewpoint | Half a day |
| Furnas | Furnas fumaroles and lake, Terra Nostra Garden and Poça da Dona Beija | 2 hours + 2 hours + 1–1.5 hours |
| Ponta Delgada | Whale and dolphin watching | 3 hours |
| Pico Island | Mount Pico | 7–8 hours return |
| Central São Miguel | Lagoa do Fogo | 1–3 hours |
| Ribeira Grande | Caldeira Velha | 1–1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 4 low cost, 1 mid-priced, 1 expensive. Book ahead for Whale and dolphin watching, Mount Pico and Caldeira Velha. The longest visit is Mount Pico; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Whale and dolphin watching: Book a day or two ahead in summer, and keep a spare day in case trips are cancelled for rough seas.
- Mount Pico: Climbers must register at the Casa da Montanha, and numbers are limited; book a slot or a certified guide ahead in summer.
- Caldeira Velha: Entry is by time slot with a capacity limit in high season; buy tickets online if you can.
How to fit them into 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Sete Cidades): Sete Cidades and the Vista do Rei viewpoint, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Furnas): Furnas fumaroles and lake → Terra Nostra Garden, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Furnas and Ponta Delgada): Poça da Dona Beija → Whale and dolphin watching, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Pico Island): Mount Pico, at least 7 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Central São Miguel and Ribeira Grande): Lagoa do Fogo → Caldeira Velha, at least 2 hours.
The best months to be outside
- July: highs of 25°C (77°F), about 3 rainy days, very busy crowds. Warm and drier, with hydrangeas at their peak and the best conditions for Mount Pico; book cars and rooms early.
- June: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 5 rainy days, busy crowds. Hydrangeas start to flower along the roads and walking conditions are good.
- August: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 4 rainy days, very busy crowds. Warmest month, with the warmest sea and peak demand from Portuguese and diaspora visitors.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Ponta Delgada — São Miguel's harbour capital of black-and-white cobbles and whale-watching boats
- Furnas — Steaming valley village of hot springs, fumaroles and botanical gardens
- Ribeira Grande — North-coast town of surf beaches and stone churches near Caldeira Velha
- Pico Island — Black-lava vineyards and fishing villages below Portugal's highest peak
More of Azores
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Azores?
Sete Cidades and the Vista do Rei viewpoint. In a vast caldera at the western end of São Miguel, the twin lakes of Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde look blue and green side by side.
+Which of these are free in Azores?
Sete Cidades and the Vista do Rei viewpoint and Lagoa do Fogo.