Furnas, Azores – a guide to São Miguel’s most charming town

Last Updated on March 31, 2024

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São Miguel, the biggest of the Azores islands, has no shortage of beautiful places to visit. You can easily spend a week exploring it and still leave not having seen everything. While I was blown away by the beauty of the entire island, the charming valley town Furnas just might have been my favorite. While Furnas, Azores is often a stop on many of the all day tours around São Miguel, it really deserves at least a couple of days visit. This way you’ll be able not just rush through it, but truly enjoy this serene place.

The town of Furnas, Azores is located in the eastern part of São Miguel, 43 km (26 miles) from Ponta Delgada. Most people make Ponta Delgada their home base for exploring the island, but if you’re staying for a week or close to it ( like myself ), I suggest splitting your stay between 2 locations. Furnas is a great choice, as there is quite a bit to do there and you’ll get to experience a whole different side of the Green Island.

Best things to do in Furnas, Azores

Furnas Lake

Lagoa do Furnas is one of the three main crater lakes found on São Miguel. It might not be as popular as Sete Citades or Lagoa do Fogo, but it’s definitely worth a visit. It’s located just outside of Furnas Village, about a 5 minute drive.

Swimming is the lake is not allowed, there are opportunities for other activities. If you’d like to spend some time on the water, you can rent paddle boats. You can also rent a bike or hike the 5 mile loop around the lake.

Caldeiras das Furnas

Furnas Valley is actually a massive volcanic crater. Even though the volcano last erupted back in 1630, the volcanic activity is still very much present in the area and Furnas makes the most of it. Aside from all the thermal pools in the area, the volcanic heat is also used for cooking Cozido, the most traditional meal you can have in Furnas, Azores. Pots with a mix of several meats and vegetables are placed underground in geothermal holes called Fumaroles, where they spend about 6 hours slow cooking using the volcanic heat.

Visiting Caldeiras das Furnas is one of the top things to do on São Miguel and makes for a very unique experience. There is a pathway around the place, so you get a closer look at the bubbling hot springs and mini-geysers. Then, of course, there’s the rather strong sulfur smell, although I didn’t find it too overwhelming. You can visit any time of the day, but I recommend going around noon. This is when the vans start showing up to pick up the pots of cooked Cozido and transport them to restaurants. You’ll get a chance to see the pots being pulled from underground, which is not something you see every day.

Price: €3 per person to park

Try Cozido

Once you experience Caldeiras das Furnas, it’s only fitting that you go to one of the restaurants and try the famous Cozido. Being the most traditional meal in Furnas, you won’t have trouble finding it. Most restaurants serve it, but Tony’s seems to be the most popular. It’s a busy place and scoring a table without a reservation might be a problem, so make sure to call at least one day before to make one.

So what does the Cozido taste like? If you ever had Irish boiled dinner, it’s very similar. I found it to be rather bland and I can’t say it’s the best meal you’ll have in the Azores, but it’s definitely worth trying. Keep in mind: the portions are very generous and the meal is very filling, so you might want to share a plate. You can order a plate for one or two.

Visit Terra Nostra Park

You can’t go to São Miguel island and not visit Terra Nostra Park, which is considered one of the most beautiful park in Europe. This over 200 years old park, spread on 31 acres has an incredible collection of plants, shrubs and trees from all over the world. Some are native to the Azores islands, others brought from different countries.

The beginnings of the park date back to 1775, when a wealthy merchant from Boston, Thomas Hickling built a simple, wooden summer house overlooking the big pool surrounded by trees. One of the trees he planted, the English Oak, is still there. In 1849 the property was purchased by Visconde da Praia, who replaced the original house with a new one and greatly expended the existing garden. It went from modest 2 acres to the massive park we know now. Being an avid gardener, he brought and planted many beautiful trees and plants from all continents, added streams, grottos and many foot paths that you can enjoy today.

If you can, take your time exploring the park through different paths, not just the main ones. You will pass gorgeous flowers, lily pond and an impressive fern collection. Towards the back you’ll run into Topiary Garden with stone animal sculptures covered in moss. This beautifully maintained park was hands down one of my favorite spots on the island.

Besides the lush gardens, Terra Nostra has 3 thermal pools to enjoy. Two of them are smaller thermal water jacuzzis, but the biggest attraction and the highlight of the park for many is the large geothermic pool. It might not look too appealing at first, but don’t let the brown and murky water scare you away. The water is high in minerals and iron, hence the brownish color. You will get over the rather unappealing water color once you soak in it in the most beautiful surroundings. With the water temperature 35 -40 C ( 95 – 104 F ), it’s the coolest of all 3 pools.

There are changing rooms and outdoor showers to use.

Open: daily 10 am – 4.30 pm (guests of Terra Nostra Garden Hotel have 24-hour access)

Admission: €10 (€5 for children 3-10 years old). If you have a meal at the hotel’s restaurant, the entrance is complimentary.

Poça da Dona Beija

If you are looking to relax in more thermal pools, head over to Poça da Dona Beija. They have 5 pools with different water temperatures located in a garden like setting. Unlike the pool in Terra Nostra Park, that closes at 6 pm, Poça da Dona Beija stays open till late. There is a time limit of 1 hour and 30 minutes though.

Tickets can be bought at the entrance or reserved online. If you forget to bring a towel, they do rent them for €4.00. You’ll also need to leave €20 as a deposit, which you’ll get back when you return your towel.

Open: daily from 8:30 am -11 pm (last entry at 10 pm)

Price: €8 – tickets purchased at the entrance (hot showers and lockers are available at an additional cost)

Stroll through Furnas Village

During our 4 days in Furnas, I absolutely fell in love with its village. It’s quaint and charming with a bit of a mysterious vibe, especially on a foggy day. The village is rather small, very walkable and best explored on foot. The streets are narrow and finding a parking spot might be tough, so you might want to leave your car at the hotel and just wander around. Even though Furnas, Azores is a popular stop on many tours around the island, it doesn’t feel one bit crowded or touristy.

Enjoy the view from Pico do Ferro

There are many great view points on São Miguel and there’s one in Furnas as well. From Pico do Ferro you get amazing views of the entire Valley: Furnas Lake, Caldeiras das Furnas and the village. It’s very easy to find, just head out of the village via EN 2-1A for about 5 minutes until you see the sign pointing to Miradouro do Pico do Ferro. Once you get up the hill and park, there’s a short walk up a steep path to the viewpoint.

Just like with most viewpoints on São Miguel, the visibility will depend on weather conditions. These high points on the island often get foggy and when that happens, you really won’t see much. You can preview the conditions before you go on the SpotAzores website. Thanks to the webcams all over the island ( and other Azores islands as well ), you get a real time view of many spots and time your visit based on the forecast.

Stop at Upside down house (Casa Invertida)

Around the corner from the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Alegria church, you find a building with an unusual design. The upside down house is more than just a cool photo op. It serves as an electrical power distribution station in Furnas.

How to get to Furnas, Azores

Furnas is located 43 km ( 26 miles ) from Ponta Delgada, towards the eastern part of the island and there are a few ways to get there.

Getting to from Ponta Delgada Furnas by car- the easiest way to get to Furnas is by car. Most people end up renting a car in the Azores, as there is so much to do and see and public transportation is infrequent. If you are driving, there are 2 routes to get to Furnas from Ponta Delgada: northern or southern, both being similar distance. Northern route takes you through Ribeira Grande, while Southern through Vila Franca do Campo. Both are worth a stop. ( Search for a car rental here ).

Getting from Ponta Delgada to Furnas by Bus – I don’t recommend relying on public transportation to get around São Miguel, but there is a direct bus from Ponta Delgada to Furnas. Lines 110 and 111 run twice a day and take 1.5 hr. Here you can find the São Miguel bus schedules and routes.

Group Tours – Most full day tours from Ponta Delgada feature a stop in Furnas, mostly to visit Terra Nostra Garden and Caldeiras das Furnas. Because of many other stops on the itinerary, the visit is rather short and I personally think Furnas deserves a longer visit. However, if this is your only option, it’s a great way to at least get a little taste of the area.

São Miguel East: Full Day Tour with Lunch is a typical around the island day tour covering all the highlights. If you’d like to focus a bit more on that part of the island, you might enjoy Full-Day Furnas Guided Tour with Optional Hot Springs or Furnas Hot Springs Night Tour with Dinner.

Where to stay in Furnas, Azores

Terra Nostra Garden Hotel – hands down the best hotel in Furnas, located right in the center of the Village and on the grounds of Terra Nostra Park. The rooms are beautiful, comfortable and spacious and the hotel has amazing amenities ( indoor pool and restaurant on site ). One of the biggest perks of staying at Terra Nostra Garden Hotel is the 24 hour access to the Park and the thermal pool.

Furnas Boutique Hotel – another great choice of a hotel in Furnas. It has both an indoor and outdoor thermal pools.

Where to eat in Furnas, Azores

• Tony’s – one of the most popular places in the village, especially for trying the Cozido. The restaurant gets really busy so make sure to make a reservation a couple of days before for lunch or dinner.
• Miroma – a nice restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating. Like most places they serve Cozido, but also other great dishes i.e. Octopus salad.
• Queijaria Furnense – a great place where you can try some of the best local cheeses. Aside from cheese boards , they also serve salads and drinks.
• Terra Nostra Restaurant – for more upscale dining experience, visit the restaurant at Terra Nostra Garden Hotel. Also, having a meal at the restaurant, gives you a complimentary access to Terra Nostra Park.

READ MORE:

• Best things to do in São Miguel, Azores – 5 day itinerary
• Renting a car in the Azores
• Top Things to do in Ponta Delgada, Azores

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