I visited the Azores for the first time this April from Madrid and fell in love with the island of Sao Miguel. People from the U.S. love to describe the Azores or Madeira as the “Hawai’i of Europe” but the island is truly stunning and unlike anywhere I’ve been before. It doesn’t hurt that this island is fairly “undiscovered” (not to sound like Christopher Columbus) but I was impressed by how small the crowds were! There are so many reasons to visit the Azores right now and that’s just one of them. 
There is so much to do on this small island and it’s just full of flora and fauna. It is also one of the few places in the world you can see blue whales migrating so obviously, that was one of my highlights of the trip. 
A week or 6 days is the perfect amount of time to visit the main island and I didn’t feel like I missed anything. You will most likely need to rent a car. Here is a breakdown of how much I spent.
I visited with friends but this is also the perfect solo traveler destination. It’s very safe and I met lots of people at the hostel. I thought it was also very budget friendly as most places we went to were free to enter.
Sao Miguel is easy to reach from North America and Europe as it’s pretty much in between the two continents. If you’re flying from Europe, you’ll most likely have to stop in Lisbon but it’s the perfect opportunity to visit if you’ve never been. And if you have been before, Lisbon is one of those cities I can keep going back to over and over again. 
Here’s my 3 day itinerary in Lisbon.
This little island in the middle is where the Azores are. We stayed in the town of Ponta Delgada which is the biggest city in Sao Miguel.
Here is the itinerary on Tiktok if you want to visualize it! 
This is everywhere we will visit.
Where to stay : Out of the Blue Hostel or PDL Greenhouse if you’re not looking for a hostel
I stayed at Out of the Blue and it’s one of the best hostels I’ve ever stayed at (with a 10.0 rating on Hostelworld!! Super rare!). Everything was super clean, everyone was friendly, and it was easy to meet people. And their free breakfast was delicious and they have a great restaurant and pool too. PDL Greenhouse is a great hotel option nearby with affordable prices. 
Day 1: Whale Watching (This is the tour we booked)
This was my first time whale watching for the first time ever and it was such a core memory. You can only see blue whales a few times a year and in very limited places so this was super unique. The company explained everything so well and educated us on the different types of whales and their conservation goals. 
They also picked us up and dropped us off. The boats (dinghys) are a bit rocky so make sure to bring dramamine or seabands if you get seasick!
After whale watching, explore Ponta Delgada. The town is beautiful and you have to try Azores’ pineapples! 
Where to eat: Intz48 Coffee Roasters for lunch. The pizza and coffee were amazing 
Day 2: Rent a car and drive to the west side of the island
We rented a car at Go Rent-a-car in the morning and it was about 40 euros a day total.
First stop is at Miradouro da Ponta do Escalvado. The views of the cliffs are incredible. 
Then visit Piscinas Naturais Caneiros and bring or wear your swimsuit. 
Stop at Sunset Steve’s for lunch for cheap and yummy burgers as it’s the only place to eat in the area.
Go swim at Ponta da Ferraria which is a natural thermal pool. It was cold when we went but it was still nice to lay out and sit by the water. All of these spots are free to visit too! 
Then go back to Ponta Delgada for dinner.
Day 3: Explore North of the Island (Lagoa do Fogo)
If you don’t have a car, you can take this tour to Lagoa do Fogo on Getyourguide.
First stop of the day: Miradouro do Cintrao. One of the best views I’ve ever seen. 
Walk or drive to Porto de Santa Iria next. It’s a very peaceful swim up spot if it’s warm enough. 
Drive to Salto do Cabrito for the waterfall. It’s a small hike but easy to get to. There aren’t really any difficult hikes on the island which is nice. Everything is super accessible. Some of the roads are a bit steep though. 
Head to Lagoa do Fogo which is a huge crater lake in a volcano. You just go to a viewpoint or hike around it which takes about 2 hours. We just went to the viewpoint. 
Drive to Bar Caloura for fresh seafood. 
End at Ponta da Galera for sunset. It’s another viewpoint and many people go fishing there. It’s super peaceful and relaxing to just sit by the water. 
Day 4: Grota do Inferno and Sete Cidades
Today is reserved for one of the more iconic views in the Azores: Grota do Inferno! If you don’t have a car, you can take this tour on Getyourguide! 
Stop by Mercado da Graca first thing in the morning. It’s a local market in town and there’s delicious fruit and artisanal crafts. Check the hours before you visit because it’s not open every day! 
Drive to Miradouro da Grota do Inferno. It’s free to visit which is great and the drive is beautiful! Parking is a little tight here so try to get there early. It’s a bit of a walk once you get to the park but it’s pretty flat and easy. Everything is so green and the views are breathtaking. 
Drive to Sete Cidades, the town in between the crater lakes and have lunch there. Explore the town. We ate at Sao Nicolau and it was pretty cheap and casual. Visit Casa de Cha for a delicious tea or coffee and relax.
We drove 20 minutes to Seaside Vibez for drinks and sunset. The view is great and the vibes are even better! 
Day 5: Waterfall at Salto da Farinha
Head to Miradouro do salto da farinha for a beautiful waterfall and hike. It’s also free to visit. This has a pretty steep downhill hike and was probably the most hiking we did on the trip. I would wear good walking shoes. There a few different waterfalls to hike to in this area so it can take a few hours if you want to see all of them! 
Get lunch in Furnas and explore the town and the Caldeiras which are hot springs. The Azores are famous for hot springs as they are all over the islands. 
Go back to Ponta Delgada for dinner at A Tasca, one of my favorite restaurants (maybe ever??). This place is so good we went back 2-3 times while we were in the Azores. The food is delicious and the servers are so friendly. You’ll have to go early to put your name down. 
They have fresh seafood every day and you have to try the pineapple cake!
Day 6: Terra Nostra Park and Parque Natural da Ribeira dos Caldeiras
Terra Nostra is a famous hot springs pool that is comfortable and healing for your skin. If you don’t have a car, you can take this day trip with Getyourguide! 
I didn’t go in the hot springs because the minerals from the mud might ruin your swimsuit and damage or dye your hair so just prepare for that! But the botanical gardens are beautiful to walk around. 
We drove to Cha Gorreana tea factory which is one of the oldest tea plantations in Europe. You can tour the factory for free and even try the tea for free. We got some pineapple cake there and it was so delicious and moist! 
Next we drove to Parque Natural da Ribeira dos Caldeiras for the waterfall. It’s absolutely stunning and also free! 
There isn’t any hiking involved to get here and it’s very accessible.
We then drove to Nordeste, the easternmost side of the island. The views were stunning and a rainbow came out for us! 
After Nordeste, we took a quick detour to the Gin Library before heading back to Ponta Delgada. I really like gin so I wanted to stop by but a random British man created the largest gin collection in the world here. 
It was interesting to see all the different types of gin around the world if you’re into gin! If you bring a unique bottle, you also get one of his gin’s for free.
We got dinner at Pedro Homem Bistro, a nicer restaurant to end our amazing trip in the Azores! 
The next day, we explored around town a little bit more before checking out and heading back home! The airport is about a 10 minute drive so it’s super easy and you can just taxi from Ponta Delgada.
