Furnas, São Miguel Island

Visit the town of Furnas and its botanical garden while in São Miguel Island, Azores

Furnas, São Miguel Island
© Publiçor

Furnas, located in the district of Povoação, São Miguel Island, is one of the most beautiful locations in the area, and has one of the main attractions of the Azores: Terra Nova Botanical Garden, considered one of the best gardens in the world, that features an iron-loaded water pool apt for swimming, different sectors with plants, and a 18th century manor. It is a must-see!

Furnas, São Miguel Island
© Veraçor

Bear in mind that on the next Sunday to Resurrection Easter, the procession of Senhor dos Doentes is held, which has a lot of acceptation and devotion in Furnas.

Just one kilometre away from Furnas, you can visit Lagoa das Furnas with its sulphur fumaroles (Caldeiras) where water reaches 61,5ºC, allowing for the traditional “Cozido à Portuguesa” to be cooked nearby. The “cozido” is mainly composed of vegetables, some meat, and rice. It is traditionally made by introducing the pot in a hole in the ground, allowing for the volcanism to heat it up.

On the opposite face of the lagoa, there is a trail that surrounds the coast of the lake until it reaches the Capela de Nossa Senhora das Vitórias (1864), Neo-Gothic in style, with statues and glass-work from Anger (France). Next to the chapel stand two buildings: an English farm, and an eclectic country houses designed by architect G. Aumont.

Halfway between these spots, there is a deviation trail signed to lead to Pico do Gaspar lookout (382m), along with a picnic area and panoramic views of the town. You can reach, from here on foot, the Lagoa Seca. The circuit is - in total - around 6,2 kilometres and of little difficulty.

The Lagoon is located in the crater of a volcano whose activity was initiated 800,000 years ago, forming a primitive caldera 18,000 years ago, and having the last eruption in 1630. The lagoon has 2,025 metres in length and 1,600 in width, and a maximum depth of 12 metres.

The most famed viewpoint is the Pico do Ferro lookout (570m). From there, you can see El-Rei summit, the sea, and the town. This lookout is perfectly conditioned and just five kilometres away from Furnas along the Ribeira Grande trail, nearby a golf course.

500 metres before the deviation for Pico do Ferro lookout, in the same road, you can find the deviation for Salto do Cavalo lookout, dominating the lagoon form 805 metres in height, and also offering views over Ponta do Cintrão and the south of the island. The trail to the lookout is around 6 kilometres. Eight kilometres to the south of Furnas appears the small town of Ribeira Quente (750 inhabitants). The name is related to the thermal springs that, in the same coast, mix their waters with those of the sea, causing the coast in the island to always be warmer and nicer. The same phenomenon allows Praia do Fogo Beach to be the warmest beach in São Miguel Island.

Ribeira Quente also houses a modest museum about traditional fishing methods and the Igreja de São Paulo Church, which are worth visiting.

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Furnas, São Miguel Island

Visit the town of Furnas and its botanical garden while in São Miguel Island, Azores

São Miguel Island

What to see:

Azores:

Why "Portugal Travel"?

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