Lagoa das Furnas

This circular trail starts from the car park at the entrance to the parish of Furnas, next to Largo das Três Bicas. From here, follow the signage that crosses the village, leaving behind the Church of Santana and the Poça da Dona Beija. At a crossroads, head towards the Pico do Milho: from the top of this elevation, views open up over the entire valley of Furnas.

Continue along the road until you reach Lagoa das Furnas and, upon reaching the shore, turn left onto the stone-paved path that follows the perimeter of the lake. Along the way you pass the Ermida de Nossa Senhora das Vitórias, a Gothic construction from the nineteenth century, the Mata Jardim José do Canto and the Casa dos Barcos, today a rural tourism unit.

Further ahead you will find the Environmental Interpretation Centre of Furnas, surrounded by leisure areas, the ruins of old furnaces where charcoal was produced and Europe’s largest classified araucaria (Araucaria heterophylla). The trail continues along the shore of the lake on a flat, very accessible dirt path, dotted with wooden sculptures, until you reach the grounds of Caldeiras. Here, the heat released by the geothermal activity of the Furnas volcano cooks the traditional Cozido à Portuguesa, one of the island’s hallmarks.

After enjoying the caldeiras, proceed through the crossroads that leads up to the viewpoint of Pico do Ferro and through the ticket office area, until you reach the regional road, where you should turn left. Travel this section with care, continuing straight ahead until you reach the centre of the parish, the point where the walk ends.