What to do in the Azores
The 9 islands offer different things. São Miguel has crater lakes and thermal areas, Pico has a vineyard landscape and a mountain, and Terceira has caves and a historic town. The other islands each have their own volcanic landscapes. This page gives you the overview and sends you to the detail pages.
Having a harbour does not mean a daily ferry. If you want to combine islands, read the island comparison and check dated connections before you commit.
On São Miguel
Most first trips are based here.
Sete Cidades
The twin lakes, Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde, lie side by side and are joined by a bridge. Vista do Rei is the viewpoint over them. The rim walk PR03SMI from Vista do Rei to the village is linear, easy, 7.5 km and takes about 2 hours on average, so plan your way back.
Sete Cidades guide →Furnas
Furnas has a lake, steam vents and thermal water. Stew cooked in the hot ground, called cozido, takes about 6 to 7 hours at 64 to 96 °C. The historic garden park is a separate site with its own ticket, €17 in 2026. Steam vents are not for bathing.
Furnas guide →Lagoa do Fogo
The crater lake sits in a nature reserve. In summer a shuttle controls traffic on the access road, and the 2026 season began on 1 August. Do not plan on swimming in the lake.
São Miguel guide →Ponta Delgada
The city gates, Portas da Cidade, have 3 arches and date from the 18th century. The cruise terminal is about 500 m from the historic centre.
Ponta Delgada guide →Our picks: things to do on São Miguel
The snorkeling hour is the easy water activity, the jeep tour gets you to the lakes in half a day, and the Furnas evening adds dinner and the hot-spring area after dark.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Furnas by nightfall with dinner
- Dinner with drinks and dessert
- Local guide
- Tasting of a local delicacy
A six-hour guided evening in the hot-spring area with a traditional dinner. Ask before booking whether a thermal bath entry is part of it.
Check availability →
Sete Cidades jeep tour off the main roads
- Experienced driver
- Insurance
- Hotel or port pickup
A half-day jeep ride to the twin lakes with an experienced driver. Pickup is at most hotels in Ponta Delgada or at the cruise terminal.
Check availability →
Snorkeling at the Vila Franca islet
- Mask and wetsuit
- Fees and taxes
A one-hour water activity at the islet, a gentle alternative to the ravine. Meet 30 minutes before the start.
Check availability →Things to do in the Azores, bookable
Boat trips, island tours and outdoor activities, with live prices and availability.
On Pico and Terceira
A mountain, a vineyard landscape and a historic port.
Mount Pico
The mountain rises to 2,350 m, with a small crater at the summit that has steam vents. A climb needs registration and a GPS device, and weather decides whether it goes ahead. The vineyard landscape has been a World Heritage site since 2004, and low stone walls shelter the small plots from wind and salty air.
Pico guide →Angra do Heroísmo
The central historic zone of this Terceira town has been a World Heritage site since 1983. Its old harbour sat on intercontinental sea routes and the forts are part of the story. The listing covers the town centre, not the whole island.
Terceira guide →Caves on Terceira
Gruta do Natal costs €9, and children under 12 enter free with a paying adult. Algar do Carvão runs in a special mode until 31 October 2026, then closes, with reopening expected in March 2027. There is no combined ticket.
Natural pools at Biscoitos
These sea pools sit between dark volcanic rock on Terceira. They are ocean water, not thermal pools. Check sea conditions before you swim.
On the other islands
Five more islands, one page.
Faial, Flores, São Jorge and more
Capelinhos, basalt columns, coastal fajãs and a caldera on Corvo.
Whale watching
Sperm whales all year, baleen whales in spring.
Canyoning
São Miguel, Flores and São Jorge.
Hiking
Marked trails and the closures to check.
Faial, Flores, Santa Maria, São Jorge, Graciosa and Corvo each have their own landscape, from the Capelinhos eruption site on Faial to the caldera on Corvo. Details are on the islands page.
Things to do in the Azores: frequently asked questions
What is the best thing to do on São Miguel?
That depends on your interests. The Sete Cidades lakes, the thermal area of Furnas and a whale-watching trip are the three most common choices. They are in different parts of the island, so plan each as a separate outing.
Can I swim in the crater lakes?
Do not assume it. For Lagoa do Fogo there is no approved bathing area, because it sits in a nature reserve. For bathing, use operated sites such as the thermal pools in the Furnas garden park.
Do I need to book the caves in advance?
On Terceira, Gruta do Natal does not sell regular advance tickets, and Algar do Carvão needs no booking, with tickets sold on arrival. Algar closes from 1 November 2026.
Can I visit several islands in a day?
Rarely. A harbour is not a daily connection, so check dated flights or ferries and leave a day for the transfer.