Sao Miguel
Steam rises from a hole in the ground where a clay pot has been cooking for six hours, buried in volcanic earth heated to near-boiling temperatures. A local family in Furnas gathers to unearth their cozido das furnas, a traditional stew that has simmered all day in geothermal heat. This is Sao Miguel, the largest island of the Azores, where the Earth's inner fire shapes not just the dramatic landscape but the very rhythm of daily life. Known affectionately as 'Ilha Verde' - the Green Island - this 65-kilometer sliver of land rises from the mid-Atlantic some 1,500 kilometers west of Portugal, a world unto itself where volcanic calderas have become mirror-like lakes, and hot springs bubble up through gardens lush with tropical vegetation.
Lakes of Fire and Water
At the western end of the island lies Sete Cidades, one of the most photographed sights in Portugal. Here, within the vast caldera of a dormant volcano, sit two lakes that seem painted by different artists: Lagoa Azul shimmers in deep sapphire blue while its twin, Lagoa Verde, glows with an emerald hue. Local legend attributes the colors to the tears of a forbidden love between a princess and a shepherd, though the real explanation lies in the algae and minerals that tint each basin differently. The rim of the caldera offers hiking trails that reward the effort with panoramic views down to both lakes and out to the Atlantic. Further east, Lagoa do Fogo - Fire Lake - occupies another volcanic crater, its pristine waters reflecting clouds and sky in near-perfect stillness.
The Living Earth of Furnas
Furnas parish holds the island's most dramatic display of geothermal activity. Here the ground hisses and steams, sulfurous vents belch clouds into the air, and hot springs create natural spas amid tropical gardens. The Caldeiras das Furnas is an alien landscape of boiling mud pots and fumaroles, while nearby Terra Nostra Park surrounds visitors in botanical splendor, its centerpiece a thermal pool of iron-rich waters that stain the skin a temporary orange. Beyond the tourism, this volcanic energy serves practical purposes: locals have cooked in the earth here for generations, and the tradition of cozido continues, with restaurants lowering pots into the ground each morning to be retrieved for lunch.
Where Whales Pass By
The deep waters surrounding Sao Miguel host one of the world's premier whale-watching destinations. Over twenty species of cetaceans pass through Azorean waters, from resident populations of sperm whales to seasonal visitors including blue whales, fin whales, and humpbacks. The island's whale-watching industry grew from its whaling past - whaling ended in the Azores in 1987 - and former lookouts perched on clifftops now radio sightings to tour boats rather than harpoon vessels. From Ponta Delgada, the island's capital, boats venture into waters that plunge thousands of meters deep just offshore, where the continental shelf drops away and the great whales feed on squid rising from the abyss.
A Capital of Stone and Sea
Ponta Delgada anchors the island's southern coast, its historic center a pleasing mix of whitewashed buildings, dark basalt pavements, and ornate churches whose interiors blaze with gilded baroque decoration. The iconic Portas da Cidade - City Gates - frame the waterfront where once ships loaded oranges for export to England. Today the marina welcomes yachts on transatlantic passages and cruise ships bringing visitors to this most accessible of the Azores islands. Beyond the city, the coastline alternates between black volcanic beaches, dramatic sea cliffs, and the perfectly circular islet off Vila Franca do Campo, a flooded volcanic crater that creates a natural swimming pool in the Atlantic.
From the Air
Located at 37.77N, 25.47W in the mid-Atlantic, approximately 1,500 km west of mainland Portugal. Joao Paulo II Airport (LPPD) in Ponta Delgada serves as the main gateway. The island stretches roughly 65 km east-west with volcanic peaks reaching 1,105 m at Pico da Vara. From cruising altitude, the calderas of Sete Cidades and Furnas appear as distinctive circular features. The neighboring island of Santa Maria lies 80 km southeast.