GuardTrailsPortugal · July
São Miguel Volcanic Craters & Thermal Springs
Complete immersion in the volcanic valleys, crater lakes, and geothermal hot springs of the largest Azorean island.
- days6
- bases2
- stages5
- nights5
- transfer days2
- stage to stage183 km
- at the wheel, day by day4 h 23
The season for your dates
- Less favourable12% of days exceed the gust threshold during activity hours, over the whole requested window.
Historical statistics (Open-Meteo), not a forecast.
Who this itinerary is for
This itinerary suits a traveller looking for: a trip in July, days of walking, a day hike and a village stroll.
The area
The volcanic and thermal highlights of São Miguel Island.
The map
Loading the map…
The days at a glance
One line per day: where you sleep, what the day is, the road, and how its time is split.
| Day | Evening base | The day | Road | Time of the day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day1 | Evening base : Ponta Delgada | TransferPonta Delgada Maritime Heritage | Road 6 min | |
| Day2 | Evening base : Ponta Delgada | Day excursionFurnas Geothermal Valley | Road 1 h 21 | |
| Day3 | Evening base : Ponta Delgada | Day excursionNordeste Wild Coastline | Road 1 h 50 | |
| Day4 | Evening base : Sete Cidades | TransferSete Cidades Twin Lakes | Road 30 min | |
| Day5 | Evening base : Sete Cidades | Day on siteSete Cidades Twin Lakes | — | |
| Day6 | — | DeparturePonta Delgada, departure | Road 36 min |
- programme
- road
- free time
12.0 h usable every day
Good to know
The trade-off
Completely misses the dramatic basalt vineyards and the iconic volcanic peak of Pico Island.
What this version leaves out
Pico Island · Faial Island · Terceira Island
Getting there
Fly to João Paulo II Airport (PDL), 6 min by road from the start.
Where you sleep
You can find a variety of accommodations including hotels, guesthouses, and rural tourism lodges, but booking well in advance is essential during the peak summer season.
Safety
Portugal: no warning from the UK authorities (FCDO). Advice of 2026-08-11 · Official advice
Check before booking and before taking out insurance: the advice may have changed since.
Why this version, the cost in detail and the sources are on the method page. Read the method →
When, and for how long
How long?
- You ask for
- 7days
- The area needs, at least
- 6days
- Days kept
- 6days
Travelling in July.
The climate — July
- Daily high, 1 day in 4 is hotter
- 24 °C
- Daily high, 1 day in 20 is hotter
- 26 °C
- Unfavourable day
- 8%
- Windy day
- 13%
Rain, wind and temperature are measured over the 8 h in the middle of the day, on a historical baseline of 40 observations (Open-Meteo). It is a measuring window, not the length of your day: each day of the programme counts 12 h of usable time.
The itinerary, day by day
5 stages over 6 days, in the order of the days. A stage appears on the day you first reach it: you sleep several nights at some, and a day trip leaves from your base and brings you back to it. Each day has its own page.
Every day of this trip has 12 h of usable time. Room to breathe — we have not padded these days to fill them: the free time left is part of the trip.
Stage 1 · Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada Maritime Heritage
3 nights · climate favourable
- Day 1Ponta Delgada Maritime Heritage · night in Ponta Delgada5 h planned · 6 min on the roadSee the day →
Stage 2 · Furnas
Furnas Geothermal Valley
Day trip from Ponta Delgada · no night here · climate favourable
- Day 2EXCURSIONfrom Ponta Delgada → Furnas Geothermal Valley8 h planned · 1 h 21 on the roadSee the day →
Stage 3 · Nordeste
Nordeste Wild Coastline
Day trip from Ponta Delgada · no night here · climate favourable
- Day 3EXCURSIONfrom Ponta Delgada → Nordeste Wild Coastline8 h planned · 1 h 50 on the roadSee the day →
Stage 4 · Sete Cidades
Sete Cidades Twin Lakes
We sleep at Casa Grande, 300 m away
2 nights · climate favourable
- Day 4Sete Cidades Twin Lakes · night in Sete Cidades9 h planned · 30 min on the roadSee the day →
- Day 5AT BASESete Cidades Twin Lakes · night in Sete Cidades10 h plannedSee the day →
Stage 5 · Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada, departure
No night here · climate favourable
- Day 6DEPARTUREPonta Delgada, departure · end of the trip4 h planned · 36 min on the roadSee the day →
What it costs, roughly
€494 to €775 per person
€82 to €129 per day
Based on: 2 people.
The cost estimate and the availability of accommodation, transport and activities are as of 26 October 2026: prices and availability change over time.
Where the money goes, and how this figure is obtained →The method
Why this version, what sets it apart from the others, the cost in detail, the interest of the places, the automatic review and the sources.
Read the method →