What do you get when you cross Iceland with Hawaii and cut the cost in half? Apparently the answer is a small group of volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean that’s governed by Portugal!
In this São Miguel, Azores travel guide I’ll share some of the best things to do based on our experience, plus some unexpected gems and lessons we learned the hard way. While our short visit didn’t allow us to do everything, even in a few days we were able to get a delicious taste of what this region has to offer and were left with a hankering to enjoy more.
About the Azores
Before I get into the nitty gritty of planning your trip to São Miguel in the Azores, written and pronounced Açores in Portuguese, I want to share a little background that’ll be helpful for you as a traveler. Many of us know little about the Azores until we visit!
The Azores is a volcanic archipelago made up of nine islands located about a thousand miles due west of Lisbon, virtually in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The islands all have dramatic scenery, including massive water-filled calderas surrounded by lush green slopes and blooming hydrangeas in all shades of blue. São Miguel is the largest of these islands and is part of what’s called the eastern group. It’s only connected to the other islands by very short flights on prop planes – there are also ferries available within the central group and the western group but not between groups.
At the time when Portuguese sailors set foot on the islands in the 15th century, there were no human inhabitants. There’s some archaeological evidence of earlier visitors, but permanent settlement began in earnest in the mid-15th century by the Portuguese on the eastern islands (including São Miguel) and just a few years later by the Flemish on the western islands. Over time they were joined by Sephardic Jews who had forcibly converted to Catholicism and were hoping to avoid the multi-century scrutiny of the Inquisition and later even Italians who decided to disembark rather than continuing on to Boston.
The Azores are not like mainland Portugal
There’s some interesting interplay that’s occurred over the years between mainland Portugal and the Azores, but after visiting both of them in a four month period my view is that they come across as culturally distinct.
The Azorean people we met consider themselves Azorean first. You won’t always find common Portuguese dishes on menus (except in some places to cater to tourists who come expecting them). The architecture looks nothing like what you find on mainland Portugal but I swear that every church on São Miguel – and there’s one in the center of every town and village – looks almost like a carbon copy. I don’t speak Portuguese but I’ve heard that the dialects are quite different too.
None of that is inherently bad, but don’t go to the Azores expecting to feel like you’re in Lisbon or Porto. The region has its own distinct feel and personality.
Now that that’s out of the way…
How long should you spend on São Miguel?
If you’ve read any of my articles before, you know that somewhere near the end I’ll usually include how long to spend at a destination in an FAQ section But I’m putting it right up front here because I think the length of stay is more critical for this tiny island than for some other places.
In theory, you can get through the basic checklist of things to do on São Miguel in three or four days if everything goes according to plan. That’s basically what we did, largely because we were constrained by the London flight schedule on one end and our family’s obligations back home on the other. But if I’m being honest, that’s the wrong way to visit São Miguel for a few reasons, which I only fully realized after our visit.
As I said, that short visit works if everything goes according to plan. If you’re doing a stopover like us and can’t spare more time, go for it! You can always come back.
But the reality on the ground is that conditions can play a big role in what you do when since nearly every activity you’ll want to do on São Miguel is outdoors. For example, our whale and dolphin watching trip – which I highly recommend – was scheduled for our first morning on the island. It’s a good thing I booked it for the beginning, because sea conditions were too rough the first and second mornings so our only option was the third morning. We also had one day on the island that was rainy and foggy, so a number of activities were either not practical or just wouldn’t have been fun.
If you have the ability to slow down and give yourself five or even six days on the island, I think you’ll have a better experience and less frustration. On a bad weather day, you can enjoy the indoor pool and spa at a place like the Doubletree where we stayed, play some board games or head to another thermal spring without feeling like it’s eating into your time to do everything you had planned.
With more time available, I suggest adding another island. For excellent scenery and the opportunity to go in a volcano’s chimney, check out Terceira. Alternatively, wine lovers like my husband will want to head to Pico.
Booking your trip to São Miguel
Flights to the Azores
A trip to the Azores can be much more budget-friendly than a lot of competing destinations.
If you have flexibility in your travel dates or gateway city, use it! Service to Sao Miguel has been increasing regularly, but a lot the best deals from North America are provided by Azores Airlines or Westjet – I’ve seen flights for as little as $200 each way, though $600-700 from New York and Boston would be more common.
The downside is that those flights aren’t necessarily timed to coincide with the flight connections you may need if you don’t live within driving distance of New York, Boston, Toronto or Montreal. For example, when we needed to return in July all of the bargain flights back to the U.S. would arrive way too late for a connecting flight to Columbus. United and Air Canada are more expensive but generally time their Azores flights to match the rest of their routes within North America. We ended up on a United flight that left Ponta Delgada at 11am, seven hours earlier than the Azores Airlines flights, and got us home in time for a late dinner (with plenty of time to visit the lounge in Newark with our free passes from the Explorer card).
If you want to fly to the Azores on points, your best options from North America are United and Air Canada. You can earn those points directly with a United credit card or and Air Canada card, or you can transfer them from a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Another interesting option is the Azores Airlines stopover program. Basically you can take a few days on São Miguel (or Terceira) en route between North America and mainland Portugal at no extra charge. Definitely price it out because it may not be the best option, but it’s one to keep in mind.
If you do find those cheap cash flights, you can always charge them to the Capital One Venture X and cover the cost after booking.
One great thing about flying to and from the Azores is that the airports are small and easy. You won’t face the same crazy lines and in Lisbon or London, even with all of the new EES drama.
São Miguel rental cars
I definitely recommend renting a car on Sao Miguel. There just isn’t any public transportation to speak of. That said, the process of renting a car wasn’t what we’ve done in a lot of other places. While we generally try to stick with major international companies – especially since I have corporate rates negotiated with many of them – São Miguel is really dominated by high-quality local rental companies.
I shopped around and found a great deal on a mid-sized SUV on Discover Cars from Ihla Verde. Everything went off without a hitch! A few days before I received an email to check in online and was able to upload all of our information just as I would with other providers. The car was nicer than anything we usually get and the staff were incredible helpful – they even gave us recommendations for sunset views and apps to download while we were doing all the paperwork. Returning the car was very smooth as well – just allow a few minutes for an actual human to inspect the car and check you out.
Pro tip: download a map of the island when you have WiFi to use offline, as there are plenty of places without service. We encountered a lot of areas where cell service wasn’t great.
Roads were in great shape and very easy to navigate. Just a warning through: locals drive fast.
Where to stay on São Miguel, Azores
One big question is where to stay on Sao Miguel. The two main options to consider are staying in the center of the island or splitting your stay between the two side of the island.
You can drive Sao Miguel end-to-end in 90 minutes (without stops for all of the beautiful views) and top-to-bottom in as little as 15 minutes. So it’s absolutely manageable to stay in one place in the middle of the island, and if your visit is just a few days that’s what I’d recommend.
With just four nights, we opted to stay at the new Doubletree in Lagoa. It was a great deal on points, and we really loved the hotel! It’s conveniently located just 15 minutes from Ponta Delgada and offers much easier driving than the older towns on the island, which are full of narrow one-way streets with sharp turns (and tons of traffic). The hotel is so much nicer than any Doubletree I’ve ever seen in the US and even has a lovely spa with an indoor pool in addition to the outdoor pool that offers panoramic views.
To get the Doubletree on points, I transferred points I had earned with my Amex Business Platinum card – and I’ll share a few reasons why it worked out so well. First, Amex Membership Rewards points transfer to Hilton at a 1:2 ratio. So the required 35,000 Hilton points per room per night worked out to just 17,500 Amex points (and would have dropped below 15,000 if I’d waited for a transfer bonus and even cheaper if we’d been able to take advantage of the fifth night free benefit).
Second, the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum both offer free Hilton Gold status. That gives us free breakfast at Hilton properties outside of the U.S. (two people per room, and my husband and I both have this status). The buffet at the Doubletree in Lagoa had tons of options including typical American fare as well as Portuguese breakfast specialties. As Gold members we also earn 18 points per dollar on any on-site purchases. Finally, the Business Platinum cards give us each a $50 quarterly credit at Hilton properties which covered our dinner at the rooftop restaurant the evening we arrived.
For a high-end, family-friendly stay a lot of people love Pedras do Mar Resort & Spa on the north coast. It would definitely be a splurge compared to our typical budget but it looks beautiful and has a lovely location with dramatic scenery and even direct access to a walking path. In terms of on-site activities, there’s a small playground, tennis and sports courts and both indoor and outdoor pools. The nearby towns have plenty of restaurants and cafes to choose from. To stay in a boutique property like that without the out of pocket expense, you could charge the booking to a Capital One Venture X card and then “erase” the charge within 90 days.
If you’re staying on Sao Miguel for a week, I think it can make sense to split your stay between the east and west sides with a little more time on the east side because there’s more to do. The advantage of splitting your stay is that you’ll do less driving back and forth. The disadvantage is that you don’t have the same level of flexibility if the side you’re staying on has worse weather than the other side – which does happen due to the island’s many microclimates.
For those doing a split stay, the most natural hub on the east side is the town of Furnas. You can still access the town of Nordeste and the great viewpoints on the east coast, but you’re more centrally located for activities and restaurants. A nice option for couples is Hotel Vista do Vale on the outskirts of Furnas – you truly can’t ask for better scenery and the price is reasonable. If you’re visiting with kids, try to snag the family house at Furnas Lake Forest Living – you’ll be right on Lago Furnas and there’s a big lawn to run around, a pool, game room and more.
The west side of the island has the most famous views but also less development. I’d suggest looking in and around the town of Mosteiros, which gives you beautiful views and natural pools to swim in but still close access to drive quickly to Sete Cidades if the weather looks clear. There are lots of great vacation rentals in the area including this one that offers plenty of space at a reasonable price.
What to pack for Azores
Most people you’ll encounter in the Azores are either other tourists, or they’re locals who are employed in tourism or local industries like agriculture, fishing and logistics. So generally you’ll find everyone in casual clothing, including athletic wear.
Here’s my suggested list of what to pack for São Miguel, which should apply to the other islands of the Azores as well:
- Hiking shoes – You’ll definitely want to get out on a few trails, and the same rain that makes the islands so lush makes the ground anywhere between damp and wet most of the time. I brought these hiking shoes and wore them almost the entire time we were on São Miguel.
- Water shoes – If you have water shoes, those are also really handy if you plan to swim in any waterfalls or natural pools/springs as the ground can be really jagged. I also wear mine around town now and then. My husband and I have used these water shoes for several years – including trips to Hawaii and Iceland – and they’ve worked great for us.
- Black swimsuit – The iron and other minerals in the natural springs can permanently stain light colored swimsuits, so either bring a black one (to hide the staining) or one that’s at the end of its useful life.
- Hiking pants – While the weather in the Azores is temperate year-round, some places like Sete Cidades can be chilly even in summer. You may want a pair of hiking pants or at least leggings just in case.
- Casual clothing – No need for anything fancy, seriously.
- Rain jacket – You’ll definitely want a lightweight rain jacket that you can toss in your backpack. There are sometimes unexpected mists/rains, and it can double as your outer layer to cut the chill in the evenings or when you’re whale watching. But you don’t need anything heavy or fancy.
- Day pack – Bring your favorite day pack for hikes and other outings.
- Sunscreen (or buy at Continente) – We always bring a small sunscreen stick with us just in case, but our first morning we stopped by the grocery store and bought a nice spray bottle of Nivea sunscreen for just a few euros.
- Bug repellant wipes – We didn’t have too many issues with bugs on São Miguel, but we did use these mosquito repellant wipes once. I always keep a few in my day pack *just in case*.
- Refillable water bottle or Camelbak bladder
- Travel towels… maybe – We brought travel towels for our whole family but didn’t end up needing them! The Doubletree provided towels for all of us, and for beach/hot springs they deliberately give you dark colored towels so there’s no stress about iron discoloration. If I had known that they’d be provided, I would have saved the weight and space in our suitcase! Check in with your accommodations once you book to see if they allow you to bring towels to the hot springs.
- Binoculars – If you’re going whale watching (which I highly recommend) you’ll want binoculars. They’re also a “nice to have” when you’re hiking if you enjoy birds.
- Bonine or Dramamine – If you’re going whale watching, know that sea conditions can get a little dicey even on a catamaran. While I didn’t get seasick, my husband and I both opted to take Bonine a little ways into the excursion. Obviously it’s best to take that before you get on the boat. I generally opt for Bonine over Dramamine because it doesn’t make me quite as drowsy, but either will do the trick.
- Extra phone cable for car – You’ll be driving and navigating a lot!
Best things to do on São Miguel, Azores
Now that all those logistics are out of the way, let’s get to the fun stuff: what to do on São Miguel!
While I’m not going to structure this as a specific itinerary, my suggestion is that you organize the activities you want to do by region of the island – put together a plan that makes sense for the east, one for the center and one for the west. Because the weather can vary so much across the island, you’ll want to stay as flexible as possible so that you can go where it’s clear and dry.
Scenic lookouts
One of the best things to do on São Miguel is just enjoy the scenery. The island has so many beautiful spots full of lakes, waterfalls, lush slopes and flowers. While some of the best views require hikes, many of them don’t, making the island a great destination for people who are more “outsidey” than outdoorsy.
But those microclimates can be tricky – some of the best views on São Miguel were frequently completely shrouded in fog, even when we visited in July (supposedly the clearest month, though we were there at the very beginning of the month). In addition to checking the weather in different areas of the island, locals rely on SpotAzores.com – also available as an app – to know what’s visible and what’s not. Sometimes my husband and I would just laugh after checking the cameras because every single one was just solid gray. If you’re visiting with kids, they might get a kick out of looking for the cameras!
A great tool that I learned about too late is this live weather page – just pop in which part of the island you’re considering and it’ll analyze the conditions for that specific part of the island.
So the moral of the story is to be flexible and understand that conditions can change quickly. The island is pretty small – just 90 minutes end to end – and if you see that a viewpoint you really want to experience is clear and sunny it may be worth being flexible to take advantage of that.
My personal can’t-miss viewpoints are the two at Sete Cidades – Miradouro da Vista do Rei and Miradouro da Grota do Inferno; Miradouro Pico do Ferro in Furnas; and Gorreana Tea Plantation on the north coast (east of Ribeira Grande). Both of those areas are best when it’s clear and sunny, though for different reasons.
Sete Cidades is the most famous view in the entire Azores archipelago and the featured image at the top of this article, but you’ll only clearly see the two different colors of the large lakes when the sun is shining brightly. Unfortunately there was only a brief window during our four day trip when that was the case, and we happened to be doing an activity at the faaaaar side of the island. Gorreana will still look nice if it’s slightly overcast, but a beautiful, clear day gives you the maximum effect of the lush greenery, blooming hydrangeas and vast ocean.
Miradouro Pico do Ferro gives you a beautiful view over Lagoa das Furnas after a short, pretty walk up the hill from the parking area. It’s just a 15 minute stop and located close to the other things you’ll want to do in Furnas, so definitely check it out.
One that we didn’t get to because it was just never clear enough is Miradouro da Ponta do Sossego on the east coast. As you can see in this stock photo, on a beautiful summer day it’s really hard to beat that view!
Waterfall hikes
São Miguel has so many gorgeous waterfalls! Most of them are located in the central and eastern parts of the island, and it’s easy to hop around and see several in a day – some are partially or entirely visible from the road and don’t require hiking, while others may require a short (or long) hike.
My personal favorite, which is very easy to access, is Cascata da Ribeira dos Caldeirões near Nordeste. There’s a garden that sits within a gate and has some mills and another waterfall, but the really gorgeous one is actually across the street near where you’ll park (it’s very popular compared to many activities on the island, so parking might take a minute). The entire area is free to access. As you can see above, this is a really special setting surrounded by hydrangeas and hyacinths.
If you plan to spend a day near Furnas on the east side of the island, Parque Grená on the shore of the lake is a nice stop. Just outside you’ll be able to watch geothermal fumeroles steaming from the ground, but the waterfalls inside are fed by extremely clean and refreshingly cold water. This is a great place to wear your most hiking-appropriate swimsuit – I like these shorts that do double-duty – and even some robust water shoes so that you can walk into the waterfall pools without slicing your feet open.
We read some very confusing directions before our visit to Parque Grená so hopefully I can provide clarity here. If you want to see all of the waterfalls in the park, from the central area you’ll take the trail up to the left once you pass the hot tubs. This has a lot of stairs and it’s very manageable but a definite workout. The waterfall all the way at the top is very shaded so the water is cold, and at the time of our visit in early July it was basically a trickle.
The much nicer (in my opinion) and slightly warmer option is halfway up the mountainside. You can access it on the way down from the top waterfall, but the easier and more direct path will be to the right when you pass the hot tubs. It’s a lovely walk and eventually you’ll see a steep staircase going down on your left side – we were approaching it from the top, but Ronnie and the kids walked right by it at first so keep your eyes peeled!
On a warm summer day this waterfall is refreshing after the initial shock. It was warm enough to air dry on our way down the mountain after a soak, but if you’d rather not then this is a good time to bring your travel towel.
We also tried to go to Cascata do Limbo, which looks very charming and is an easy walk from the parking lot at Parque dos Moinhos in the center of the north coast (which you can also use to visit the black sand beach there). However, at the time of our visit we found all access points to Parque dos Moinhos closed for road work. If anyone reading this manages to visit, send me a photo to use here on the blog!
Hot springs
One of the best things to do on São Miguel is take advantage of the island’s numerous natural hot springs for a soak. There are some geothermal areas that are totally natural, unattended and free (like Ponta da Ferraria on the west coast) and others that are developed as places to visit with facilities to change and clean up when you’re done. Most of the geothermal pools are around Furnas and the center of the island.
We had a lovely visit to Poça da Dona Beija in Furnas, which is a lovely spot with several man-made pools that are fed by natural waters at a consistent 39°C. Tickets here are very affordable at 12 euros per person ages 7+ and free for younger kids – compare that to the cost of thermal baths in Iceland, which are a multiple! You’ll want to book online before you arrive, but they often have same-day availability (no guarantees, of course). Tickets aren’t cancellable so try to make sure you plan accordingly. Thankfully Poça da Dona Beija has some of the longest hours: they’re open 8:30am to 11pm, so it’s easy to fit into your schedule.
Perhaps the most famous thermal bath on São Miguel is Caldeira Velha, which we unfortunately didn’t get to visit. Let’s say we were victims of our own attempt at flexibility! It’s a much more natural setting and is actually situated within a protected nature park, so there are strict limits on the number of people who can enter daily. It also closes earlier, with the time depending on the season. Caldeira Velha is a real bargain: 10 euros for adults, 5 euros for seniors and kids 7-14 and free for younger children.
So why didn’t we go? We learned too late that Caldeira Velha tickets are much harder to get, with only 100 available per 90 minute time slot. They’re available online up to midnight the night before, and same-day is only in-person and subject to incredibly limited availability during peak season. As I write this article in mid-July and look at the calendar, over the next three days there’s just a single time slot that has availability for more than one person. Even looking out into the following week, some time slots are sold out.
At the beginning of this section I suggested that staying flexible is the best way to handle the every-changing conditions in the Azores, and that’s true. My suggestion is that you book Caldeira Velha in advance for one of the mornings of your trip when you’re staying in the center or eastern part of the island – the 10:30am slot is the most popular but also the most practical for this strategy because you can go right after breakfast. The good news is that the park is almost exactly in the center of the island, so you’ll still keep the flexibility to go either east or west depending on conditions around the island. I really wish we’d done that!
No matter which geothermal pool you visit, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, the water is hot so it’s not recommended for pregnant women, and the bacteria load may be higher so you shouldn’t go in with an open wound. Second, the water is rich in iron and other minerals and it will stain your swimsuit. Seriously, wear a black swimsuit or an old one you don’t care about keeping. My daughter brought an old hand-me-down with some light colors and we started seeing iron staining after just a few minutes and unfortunately I still haven’t been able to get it properly cleaned up. We knew that was likely and aren’t upset, but I wouldn’t be happy if I’d worn my favorite light colored suit!
You’ll likewise want to bring dark colored towels with you. Thankfully the Doubletree provided dark green ones that didn’t show anything, and they gave express permission to use them at the thermal baths. Please please please, if you plan to borrow towels from your accommodation double-check that they’re ok with your using them at thermal baths. And if you’ll bring your own travel towels, consider choosing orange, red or a dark color – ours are deliberately orange and red so they’re always easy to find and they won’t show mineral deposits.
After our visit to Poça da Dona Beija it took several rounds of scrubbing with a soapy washcloth in the shower to get all of the iron off of my skin. Don’t worry, it all came off of the washcloth right away!
Whale and dolphin watching
Did you know that the Azores is one of the best places in Europe to see whales and dolphins (aka cetaceans)? I didn’t either!
Personally I think one of the best things to do on São Miguel is take a boat out for whale and dolphin watching. You can see both resident and migrating populations of cetaceans, and exactly who you see depends on when you go.
You have two options for how to do this trip: either on a catamaran, which offers stability and plenty of space to move around and restrooms if you need them, or on a zodiac which is a small inflatable boat built for expeditions – those are legally allowed to get much closer to the animals but don’t have any facilities or movement space, plus the likelihood of a rougher and wetter experience. If you have anyone in your party who’s young, ambivalent or prone to seasickness then you’d definitely want to choose the catamaran (as we did).
We took our boat from the town of Vila Franca Do Campo, which is much easier to drive around than the capital city of Ponta Delgada.
In theory the best time for whale watching in the Azores is April or May, because that’s when giant species like blue whales are passing by on their way north and the sea conditions are generally manageable. But the water is even calmer in the summer months and there are tons of sea creatures to enjoy! During our July visit we saw dozens of pilot whales and playful spotted dolphins, plus two sperm whales and even some flying fish. It was absolutely magical watching the dolphins frolic alongside our boat for most of an hour!
According to the marine biologist I met on our trip, whale watching is even better in winter thanks to the presence of humpback and blue whales but frequent storms mean the trips can’t run every day.
But in the interest of transparency, I’ll share some intel/challenges from our trip. First, even in July the sea conditions were only calm enough for our boat tour to run on one of the three mornings we had available. You’ll want to book your whale watching tour for the beginning of your trip in case it needs to be rescheduled. And the morning boats generally experience calmer seas and more wildlife visibility, so I’d definitely choose the early slot.
But the other piece is… less fun. Even on the calmest morning during our stay, there were still a shocking number of people on our boat who experienced sea sickness. We opted for a catamaran rather than a much smaller zodiac (which gets you up close and personal with wildlife but at the risk of a rockier experience) and it was still rough at times. Staying on the lower deck in the front mitigates some of the motion.
According to the crew, it’s pretty common for passengers to get sea sick. Thankfully we were all fine, but part way through my husband and I opted to dig into my emergency Bonine stash (which I always keep in my backpack for trips). I’m sure we would have been fine without it, but in most cases I’d consider taking a half-tablet before your trip if you’re someone who isn’t prone to sea sickness and a full tablet if you are.
And if you’re like my sister-in-law and incredible sensitive to motion on boats, unfortunately this might be an experience to skip.
Farm visits
Since the majority of land on the island is agricultural, why not get an up close view of it? You’ll definitely see grazing cows and some horses as you drive around the island, but there are a few farms you can consider putting on your São Miguel itinerary.
First, I definitely recommend a stop at Gorreana Tea Plantation that I mentioned before. It’s one of only two tea plantations in Europe, and it’s the oldest. There’s a parking lot at the shop, and from there you’ll walk across the street to the plantings and can explore at no charge. There’s a nice walk you can take up the hill through the tea plants, which will give you a sweeping view of the north coast on a clear day. Alternatively, if you’re more interested in a view of the tea farm itself you can head left for a photo op and skip the steep walk up.
One other crop that’s very unique is the Azorean pineapple. It’s smaller and sweeter than varieties you’ll find elsewhere. These are carefully grown in greenhouses to protect them from weather.
We opted to visit Ananas Santo Antonio, which is fairly small and much more intimate than some of the larger operations on the island. We had the entire place to ourselves, which likely wouldn’t have been the case at the larger and more popular Augusto Arruda Pineapple Plantation (which started the entire enterprise of pineapple cultivation on the island).
Where to eat on São Miguel
One of the first things you’ll notice as you drive around the island is how much agricultural land there is – nearly half of the island, with the bulk being pastures for grazing. Sea life is abundant too, so you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy plenty of local food on São Miguel (including cheese from neighboring São Jorge). The cuisine skews toward fairly simple, as it often does on mainland Portugal.
One word to the wise: a surprising number of restaurants on the island require advance reservations, and that’s especially true in Ponta Delgada. We hadn’t expected that and were caught on the back foot one evening and had to scramble to find a table.
Here’s another weird tip: there’s also a town of São Miguel on mainland Portugal, just south of Coimbra – that’s why you’ll see a lot of references to “São Miguel, Azores” in this article. There’s also a town called Lagoa in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. Both of those came up often when searching for restaurants, so we had more success entering Ponta Delgada and then moving our map around the island.
Obviously we didn’t eat at every restaurant on the island – far from it. In fact, our family’s dietary restrictions and our daughter’s Celiac disease narrowed our choices considerably. But I want to point out a few options, particularly if you’re looking for restaurants that offer good gluten-free dining on São Miguel:
Restaurante Jose do Rego in Lagoa – This feels about as authentic as you can get, but it’s not fancy. You’ll just find delicious, simple, traditional Azorean food with a focus on fish and seafood.
Gastrónomo – Probably our favorite meal on São Miguel. This restaurant is run by Gonçalo and his mother and the food and hospitality are both fantastic. You won’t want to miss dining here!
Forneria São Dinis – If you want a change of pace from fish, this is a good option. It’s right next to the airport, so if you’re arriving around mid-day or need a meal before your flight it’s very convenient. The specialty here is wood-fired pizza and it was very good! They don’t have gluten-free pizza but do offer risotto and a few other dishes.
Longe da Espiga – Who would have thought you could find an amazing gluten-free bakery in the Azores? Not me! This is a little storefront location and the owner makes a huge range of traditional Portuguese breads and pastries plus some more general items like brownies and bread loaves. It’s just as good as our dedicated GF bakery at home, but so, so cheap – we paid €9 (CASH ONLY) for nine different items! This is a can’t miss whether you have Celiac or not.
There are also a few places we ate that have excellent reviews but we didn’t love, so I’ve omitted those.
🎧 Listen up!
Find out what my tween daughter really thought of our combo trip to London and São Miguel:
Mapping your visit to São Miguel, Azores
Wrapping up
There are of course plenty of other amazing things to do on São Miguel in the Azores! I hope we can go back to enjoy more and even visit other islands in the area.
Want to visit the Azores on a stop-over when you’re heading to mainland Portugal? Be sure to check out these helpful articles too!
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