Furnas – São Miguel Island

One of the main tourist spots in the Azores Archipelago, Furnas, on the Island of São Miguel, stands out for its unique geological formation and the integration between man and untamed nature.

Its thermal waters, geysers, and medicinal volcanic mud are just some of the many attractions of this hidden gem.

Caldeiras Lagoa das Furnas
Fotografia de Mário Ramalheiro

Located in the municipality of Povoação, which has a fixed population of around 1500 inhabitants, Furnas is east of Ponta Delgada and southeast of Ribeira Grande.

Rich in thermal pools and calderas, it also hosts the Poça da Dona Beija and the Terra Nostra Park, a haven of animal life and native species.

Piscina termal Parque Terra Nostra – Furnas
Fotografia de Bruno Sousa

The Lagoa de Furnas completes the stunning scenery, with an estimated altitude of 600 meters, attracting visitors who venture into the area, known for its natural pools of volcanic mud and hot waters, which, according to local tradition, are beneficial to the body and soul.

Lagoa das Furnas
Fotografia de Nuno Vieira

Lagoa das Furnas
Fotografia de Bruno Sousa

Furnas Cuisine is an Attraction on its Own

The ingenuity of the natives of Furnas gave rise to a famous tradition: the Furnas stew (or Portuguese stew).

Furnas
Fotografia de Ruma Photography

This dish is made in holes in the hot ground, with sealed pots in which the ingredients cook slowly with the heat from the earth. This delicacy is one of the must-have experiences for visitors to Furnas.

Lagoa das Furnas
Fotografia de Nuno Vieira

Some holes, specially dug for the stew, are public, and visitors can prepare their meal, participating in the local culture.

The dishes, based on meat or fish, especially cod, are cooked slowly over hours, enhancing and highlighting the flavors. The bolo lêvedo is also a local tradition that you should definitely try and savor.

Furnas a 150m altura
Fotografia de Stephan Kobiákin

The locals, who are engaged in agriculture on the fertile lands of the region, livestock farming, and tourism, welcome thousands of annual visitors with open arms, proud of their land, its beauty, and its customs.

Photos

Lagoa das Furnas
Fotografia de Nuno

Vila das Furnas
Fotografia de Daniel Santos

Vale das furnas
Fotografia de André Arruda

Caldeiras da Furnas
Fotografia de Mário Ramalheiro

Furnas – Caldeira
Fotografia de Cristina Aires

Furnas – Caldeira das Furnas
Fotografia de Cristina Aires

A true paradise of hot waters nestled in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.