Walking on São Miguel Island, The Azores

Okay, we are SO excited to talk about this one because São Miguel genuinely feels like a place that shouldn't exist - like someone turned the dial on "dramatic nature" all the way up and forgot to turn it back down.

Starting point: Ponta Delgada

So, picture this. You fly into Ponta Delgada - this gorgeous little city on the southern coast of São Miguel - and within about 20 minutes of leaving the airport, the landscape starts doing things that make you question whether you're still on planet Earth.

São Miguel is the largest of the nine Azorean islands, sitting right out in the middle of the Atlantic, and it wears that volcanic heart on its sleeve. This island walks. I don't mean that politely - I mean the trails here are some of the most rewarding you'll ever put your boots on.

The crater lakes will stop you in your tracks

The absolute showstopper is Sete Cidades. You hike the rim of an ancient volcanic crater and look down at two lakes sitting side by side - one blue, one green - separated by a tiny bridge. On a clear morning with the mist still hanging in the valley below, it feels genuinely sacred. Slow down here. Breathe it in. This is the kind of moment you actually came for.

Then there's Lagoa do Fogo - the Lake of Fire - a wilder, more remote crater lake tucked higher in the mountains. The trail down to the water's edge is steep and a little muddy and completely worth every step.

Furnas - where the earth breathes

Midway through the island, the village of Furnas sits in its own volcanic valley and it is otherworldly. The ground bubbles and hisses with geothermal vents, the air smells of sulphur, and the local specialty - cozido das Furnas - is a hearty stew literally slow-cooked underground in the volcanic heat. You eat it. You sink into a thermal pool. You forget your name for a while. That's the Furnas experience.

Ponta Delgada as your base

Coming back to Ponta Delgada each evening feels like a reward in itself. The city is charming and unhurried - black-and-white cobblestone streets, beautiful azulejo-tiled churches, good wine, great food. It's a proper little city but it never feels overwhelming. It holds you gently between big days out on the trails.

What to know before you go

The weather on São Miguel does its own thing, full stop. You can walk through sunshine, mist, and a light shower all in the same afternoon - and honestly? That moodiness is part of what makes it so beautiful. Layers are your friend. Good waterproof boots are non-negotiable. And keep your plans flexible because sometimes the mountain decides it's a cloud day and you just... go with it.

Who is this for?

This is the retreat for you if you want walking that feels meaningful - not just exercise, but the kind of movement through landscape that actually shifts something internally. São Miguel has that quality. The scale of the calderas, the silence on the high trails, the steam rising from the earth - it all slows you down and opens you up. That's rare. That's worth travelling for.

Book your plane tickets, pack your bag and just go along for the adventure, or even better and easier, register your interest to our next retreat in Portugal this April 2026 and let us take you there