Hiking in Sao Miguel, Azores: 10 best hikes to explore the island

Ancient volcanic craters, verdant forests, turquoise lakes and ethereal waterfalls – the Azores Islands are full of jaw-dropping untouched nature. And the best way to experience all this natural beauty is to go hiking.

In this blog post, I’m focusing on the best hikes in Sao Miguel, the largest island in the Azores archipelago. These are trails that I hiked myself when I visited the islands plus a few that I hope to tick off in the future. At the end of the post, I’ve also included a map where you can see the exact starting points and routes of each of these hikes.

I really enjoyed hiking in Sao Miguel. The trails are relatively uncrowded, easy to follow and lead you through landscapes and nature that are nothing short of magical. On top of that, many of the hikes pass by scenic waterfalls where you can reward yourself with a refreshing dip.

Without further ado, here’s where to find the best Sao Miguel hikes.

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Best hikes in Sao Miguel, Azores

1) Moinho do Felix trail

Distance: 5.5 km (3.4 mi)
Type: loop (or out-and-back if you only hike a part of it)
Difficulty: medium
Time: 2 hours
Parking: roadside in Lomba de Sao Pedro

Moinho do Felix was one of my favorite hikes in Sao Miguel – not only because of the amazing nature you can see along this trail but also the lack of people. It’s definitely a bit of a hidden gem which, for some reason, doesn’t receive a lot of hikers.

The official start of this circular route is at the Church of Sao Pedro in the village of Lomba de Sao Pedro. A large part of the trail goes through farmlands, which are not very interesting. You can easily skip that part and only hike the eastern part of the trail, which takes you to a serene fairytale-like forest full of ancient trees and aromatic flowers. The trail is pretty steep and has many stairs but it’s well worth the effort.

In the forest, you’ll find the ruins of an old water mill and three different waterfalls – Cascata da Gruta, Cascata do Teofilo and Cascata do Homem. In my opinion, Cascata da Gruta (Cave Waterfall) is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Azores. Be sure to bring your swimwear because taking a dip at these waterfalls is the highlight of the hike!

2) Salto do Prego hike

Distance: 4.6 km (2.9 mi)
Type: loop
Difficulty: easy
Time: 1.5 hours
Parking: roadside in Faial da Terra

Another hike that should definitely be a part of your Azores itinerary is the hike to Salto do Prego waterfall. This is the official PRC09 SMI trail, also known as the Sanguinho trail, and it starts in Faial da Terra village, on Burguete Street.

The trail follows a small stream at the bottom of a valley and takes you through a lush forest full of chirping birds and colorful flowers. For some reason, there were also a lot of chickens on the trail when we hiked it. The trail can be muddy and slippery if it has rained recently.

After about 40 minutes of hiking, you’ll arrive at the glorious Salto do Prego waterfall surrounded by abundant greenery. At the base of the waterfall, there’s a nice plunge pool perfect for cooling off. If you want to see another waterfall – Salto do Cagarrão – continue hiking past Salto do Prego. This will add 4 km (2.5 mi) to the total distance of the hike.

On the way back, make sure to do a small detour to the abandoned village of Sanguinho. There’s a point where the trail splits, with a sign pointing towards the village so it’s impossible to miss it.

3) Grota do Inferno viewpoint

Sete Cidades is an area of stunning natural beauty on the western side of Sao Miguel. It’s one of the most visited places on the island and is known for its massive green caldera with twin lakes inside. There are several different hikes in Sete Cidades and below I’m sharing four of them.

Distance: 2.6 km (1.6 mi)
Type: out-and-back
Difficulty: easy
Time: 1h
Parking: Lagoa do Canário parking lot

The route to Grota do Inferno viewpoint is more of an easy walk rather than an actual hike but I wanted to include it in this list of Sao Miguel hikes anyway as it offers one of the most iconic views on the island. It’s a must-visit stop for anyone traveling to the Azores.

The trailhead for Grota do Inferno (also called Boca do Inferno) is across the road from the Lagoa do Canario parking lot. Here a flat dirt road leads through a forest and ends at the viewpoint where you’re rewarded with a phenomenal view of the unique landscape of Sete Cidades with its crater lakes and green mountains. Be aware that this viewpoint gets very crowded.

On your way back, check out the small Canario Lake that’s right at the beginning of the trail. 

4) Mata do Canário to Sete Cidades

Distance: 11.8 km (7.3 mi)
Type: point-to-point
Difficulty: medium
Time: 3 hours
Parking: Parking Mata do Canario

This is the official PR04 SMI trail that starts at the Mata do Canario parking lot. You’ll be walking mostly on a dirt road, which follows the ridge of the Sete Cidades caldera. Along the way, you’ll be accompanied by breathtaking views of the giant caldera with its green walls and bright blue lakes.

It makes a half circle around the caldera before descending to the village of Sete Cidades below. There you can have lunch in one of the local restaurants, take a dip in the lake, and rent kayaks or SUPs to explore the lake.

Since the hike finishes in a different place than it starts, you’ll have to take a taxi back to the starting point. Or you could hike back the same way but that would turn it into a very long and exhausting hike.

5) Vista do Rei to Sete Cidades

Distance: 7.5 km (4.7 mi)
Type: point-to-point
Difficulty: easy
Time: 2 hours
Parking: Vista do Rei parking lot or the lot called ‘Longterm parking’ (see the location on the map at the end of this post)

Vista do Rei is another one of the best viewpoints in Sete Cidades as it offers an amazing panorama of the two biggest lakes in the area – Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde (Blue Lake and Green Lake). This view was definitely one of the highlights of my 10-day Azores itinerary.

The hiking trail that starts at the viewpoint is the official PR03 SMI trail. It follows the western ridge of the caldera and ends at the Sete Cidades village.

To get back to the starting point of the hike, you can take a taxi from the village or you can hike back along the shorter but steep path parallel to the west shore of Lagoa Verde. This would add 3.7 km (2.3 mi) to the total distance.

6) Sete Cidades caldera rim trail

Distance: 20 km (12.4 mi)
Type: loop
Difficulty: medium/hard
Time: 6 hours
Parking: Lagoa do Canário parking lot, Vista do Rei parking lot or the lot called ‘Longterm parking’ (find the location of it on the map at the end of this post)

This Sete Cidades hike is a good option for those looking to do a longer hike as the trail takes you around the entire caldera. It basically combines the two previous trails but skips the descent to the Sete Cidades village at the bottom of the caldera.

Tip: As the weather in the Azores is notoriously unstable and the Sete Cidades area is often covered with low clouds, check the Spot Azores website before heading out to explore this area. The website offers a live view of different parts of the island, which gives you an idea of what the visibility is like and whether you’ll actually be able to see any of the views.

7) Salto do Rosal hike

Distance: 5 km (3.1 mi)
Type: out-and-back
Difficulty: easy
Time: 1.5 hours
Parking: Parking lot near the southeast shore of Furnas Lake

This one’s yet another scenic waterfall hike in Sao Miguel. It is located next to Furnas Lake in Mata-Jardim José do Canto Park, which has an entrance fee of 4 euros (cash only). The park has several walking trails and gorgeous lush nature, including tree ferns and towering sequoia trees.

The trail to Salto do Rosal waterfall winds its way through a tranquil Japanese cedar forest and jungle-like vegetation. The trail is flat the whole way and easy to follow but it can get muddy after it has rained.

In about 30 minutes, you’ll arrive at the enchanting Salto do Rosal waterfall hidden in a small green canyon. Although the waterfall is quite small, I found it to be really beautiful because of the mysterious natural setting around it.

8) Lagoa do Fogo hike

Distance: 4 km (2.5 mi)
Type: out-and-back
Difficulty: medium
Time: 1.5-2 hours
Parking: Miradouro da Lagoa do Fogo parking lot

This short hike takes you to the mountainous region in the central part of Sao Miguel and offers spectacular views of the crater lake known as Lagoa do Fogo (Lake of Fire). The trail starts at Lagoa do Fogo viewpoint (Miradouro), where it descends to the beautiful blue-green lake. This section of the trail is quite steep and somewhat slippery so be sure to wear comfortable shoes.

Down at the lake, you can walk along its shores, enjoy the tranquility of this place and take in the views of the green mountains surrounding you in every direction. Be aware that swimming is not allowed in Lagoa do Fogo since it’s a nature reserve.

If you’re doing the hike between June 15th and September 30th, be sure to arrive at the parking lot at the beginning of the trail before 9 am. This is because the road leading there is closed for rental cars between 9 am and 7 pm. Within those hours you can only go up there with a tourist shuttle, which is a less convenient option.

Note: Parts of this Lagoa do Fogo trail may be closed when the water level of the lake gets too high. During these periods, you can usually still hike from the viewpoint down to the lake but not along the shores of the lake.

9) Gorreana Tea Plantation hike

Distance: 3.4 km (2.1 mi)
Type: loop
Difficulty: easy
Time: 1.5 hours
Parking: Gorreana Tea Factory parking lot

This circular route is the official PRC28 SMI trail and leads you through Europe’s largest and oldest tea plantation – Cha Gorreana. The starting and ending point of the hike is Gorreana Tea Factory, where you can learn about tea production and taste the local tea. 

From there, the trail takes you into the bright green tea fields spread across rolling hills. The landscape here is really picturesque and looks more like something you’d find in Asia rather than in Europe. From the higher parts of the trail, you can also see the Atlantic Ocean in the background.

As the Gorreana Tea Plantation trail is flat and well-maintained, it’s a great option for those looking for easy hikes in Sao Miguel.

10) Salto do Cabrito hike

Distance: 2.2 km (1.3 mi)
Type: out-and-back
Difficulty: easy
Time: 1h
Parking: Salto do Cabrito upper parking lot

Salto do Cabrito waterfall can be reached by a short but rewarding hike. The trail starts with a steep descent down a paved road leading to the bottom of a valley. There you’ll have to walk past a hydroelectric power plant before arriving at the lovely Salto do Cabrito emerging from a small canyon. The waterfall is surrounded by beautiful lush vegetation and has a natural pool where you can swim. 

On the right side of the waterfall, there’s a set of steep metal stairs that lead you to the top of the waterfall and offer some pretty cool views of the canyon. If you’re scared of heights, this part of the trail will probably be challenging for you. Once at the top, you can continue walking along the river and then return the same way.

Thanks to its easy access and proximity to Ponta Delgada, Salto do Cabrito is one of the most popular waterfalls in Sao Miguel. It’s also one of the best places for canyoning on the island, so if you’re up for an adventure, consider taking this 4-hour canyoning tour.

Other Sao Miguel hikes to consider

As I only had limited time on the island, I didn’t get to explore the following hiking trails in Sao Miguel but I’d love to check them out if I ever return:

• Janela do Inferno hike – An easy trail that includes tunnels, aqueducts, a jungle-like forest and the mysterious little waterfall known as Janela do Inferno or Window of Hell.
• Salto da Farinha hike – A short but steep trail leading to a 40-meter-tall (131 ft) waterfall with a plunge pool where you can swim. Note that in the summer, the waterfall sometimes dries up.
• Pico da Vara hike – A steep, moderate hike to the highest point on the island (1103 m/3619 ft). On a clear day, you can see a panoramic view of Sao Miguel at the summit.
• Poço Azul hike – A short and easy hike to a natural pool with clear blue water surrounded by lush nature.

Sao Miguel hiking map

On the interactive map below, you can find the starting points and exact locations of the trails I covered in this blog post. Click on the icon in the top left corner of the map to see a list of all the hikes.

Things to know before hiking in the Azores

• The best time to go hiking in the Azores is from June to September. July and August are the warmest and driest months of the year but also the busiest. With that said, I visited Sao Miguel in July and the only busy places were Grota do Inferno, Salto do Cabrito and Salto do Prego. On the rest of the trails we only saw a few other people. 

• June to September is also the time when hydrangeas are in bloom in the Azores. These gorgeous blue flowers line many roads and hiking trails in the Azores and make the already beautiful nature even more amazing!

• As many of the hikes are in remote areas and difficult to reach by public transport, I recommend renting a car for your Azores trip. We booked our rental car through Discover Cars and can definitely recommend them. Everything went very smoothly and the price was reasonable. Alternatively, you can take guided hiking tours that include pick-up, such as this guided trek in Sete Cidades and this tour that includes the Moinho do Felix hike.

• The weather in the Azores is very unstable, even in the summer. One minute it’s blazing hot and the next it’s pouring rain. I recommend always bringing a rain jacket when you go hiking in the Azores.

• Since the Azores Islands receive quite a lot of rain, trails tend to get muddy so choose appropriate footwear such as hiking boots.

• Many of the hiking trails in the Azores are marked with yellow and red markers. Two parallel lines mean that you’re going in the right direction whereas two crossed lines (an X-shape) indicate the wrong way.

• It’s not recommended to drink the water from the streams and rivers in the Azores, unless you have a water purifier bottle like the one from Grayl. Tap water, on the other hand, is perfectly safe to drink.

Hiking in Sao Miguel: Final thoughts

There’s no doubt that hiking is one of the best things to do in Sao Miguel. Those vast green landscapes, tranquil lakes and secluded waterfalls offer the perfect opportunity to connect with nature and disconnect from the rest of the world.

I hope that you found this blog post helpful in deciding which Sao Miguel hikes to include in your itinerary. In case you have any questions about these hikes, leave them in the comments below.

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