Furnas is a village built inside a volcanic crater in eastern São Miguel, and you can tell the moment you arrive: steam rises from the ground between the houses, the air smells of sulphur and the streams run warm. It is the best place in the Azores for hot springs, the home of cozido, the stew cooked in the volcanic ground, and a valley of gardens, a crater lake and green hills. This guide covers the best things to do, the hot springs, where to eat cozido, how to get there and whether to stay the night.
- Where
- Eastern São Miguel, 45 minutes from Ponta Delgada
- What
- A village in an active volcanic crater
- Time needed
- A full day; better with a night
- Don’t miss
- The fumaroles, a hot-spring bath, cozido for lunch
- Best time
- Any day; hot springs are great in the rain
- Getting there
- Car, tour or a few buses a day
At a glance
Highlights of Furnas
Tap any photo to see the place on the interactive map, with directions from where you are.
The essentials
Best things to do in Furnas
♨️ Walk among the fumaroles
Boiling springs and steaming mud pools in the middle of the village, at the Caldeiras das Furnas.
🏊 Bathe in a hot spring
The iron-orange pool at Terra Nostra Park, or the small stone pools of Poça da Dona Beija in the evening.
🍲 Eat cozido das Furnas
Meat and vegetables slow-cooked for hours in the hot ground by the lake. A Furnas lunch tradition.
🏞 Visit Furnas Lake
Watch the cozido pots being dug up, walk the shore to a lakeside chapel and steam vents.
🌄 See it from Pico do Ferro
The best view over the lake and the valley, from the Pico do Ferro Viewpoint on the road into Furnas.
🌳 Explore the gardens
Terra Nostra’s historic botanical garden and the forest trails of Grená Park.
🌽 Try corn cooked in a spring
Sold by the Caldeiras car park, boiled in the volcanic water.
🥐 Eat bolo lêvedo
The soft, slightly sweet bread of Furnas, perfect for breakfast.
In the village
Caldeiras das Furnas: the fumaroles
In the centre of the village, boardwalks lead between boiling springs, steaming vents and grey mud pools, some bubbling at close to 100 °C. The biggest have their own names, such as Caldeira do Asmodeu and Caldeira de Pêro Botelho. It is a strange, moon-like scene surrounded by green hills, and free to walk around.
- Taste the springs: fountains around the village pour naturally fizzy mineral water, each with a slightly different taste.
- Corn on the cob boiled in the springs is sold by the car park, a local snack.
- Stay on the paths: the ground and water are scalding, and the steam can hide the edges.
Map: Caldeiras das Furnas. Look out, too, for the upside-down house on one of the main streets: a playful electrical substation built to look inverted. You can’t go in, but it makes a fun photo.
The crater lake
Furnas Lake
A few minutes south-west of the village, Furnas Lake fills part of the old crater. It is calmer than the dramatic lakes of Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo, with ducks, picnic tables and a path along the shore.
- The cozido holes: on the north shore, steaming ground is divided into holes where restaurants bury their pots of stew. Watch the pots being dug up around midday, after about six hours of cooking.
- The chapel: on the western shore stands the Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Vitórias, a small neo-Gothic church built by the 19th-century nobleman José do Canto, who wanted to be buried there with his wife. Next to it is the shady Mata-Jardim José do Canto garden.
- Walking: a path follows the shore between the fumaroles and the chapel; you can also walk all the way around the lake.
- Monitoring centre: the Furnas Monitoring and Research Center by the lake explains the volcano and its plants.
For the classic view down over the lake, stop at the Pico do Ferro Viewpoint on the road above the valley; there are a few steps to the top. The Salto do Cavalo viewpoint, on the road north of Furnas, looks over the whole valley.
Bathe
Hot springs in Furnas
- Terra Nostra Park: a large iron-rich pool in a historic botanical garden, with smaller, hotter pools nearby. The ticket includes the garden. Go early or late to avoid the midday crowds.
- Poça da Dona Beija: small, hotter stone pools along a warm stream, open into the evening. Tickets are sold online.
Wear a dark swimsuit: the iron stains light fabric orange. Compare them with the other pools on the island in our Azores hot springs guide.
The local dish
Cozido das Furnas
Cozido is a hearty stew of beef, pork, chicken, blood sausage, chouriço, cabbage, potatoes, carrots and yams, packed into a pot, buried in the hot ground by the lake and left to cook slowly for about six hours. The result is tender, smoky and mild, served with rice and fresh bread.
- Where: most restaurants in the village serve it, usually at lunch only.
- Book ahead: each restaurant cooks a limited number of pots, so reserve or arrive early, especially in summer.
- Portions are big: one serving is often enough for two light eaters.
Access
How to get to Furnas
- By car: about 45 minutes from Ponta Delgada. The fastest route follows the expressway along the south coast, then climbs into the valley past the Pico do Ferro viewpoint.
- By bus: a few buses a day link Ponta Delgada and Furnas; the trip takes around 1.5 hours.
- By tour: full-day tours of eastern São Miguel from Ponta Delgada usually include Furnas, the lake, Terra Nostra and a cozido lunch, but time at each stop is short.
- Parking: there are car parks at the Caldeiras, the lake and Terra Nostra; a small fee may apply at the lake.
Coming from abroad? See how to get to the Azores, then base yourself in Ponta Delgada or in Furnas itself.
🚗 Car, tour or bus? See how to get around São Miguel: why a hire car or a guided tour is the way to reach places like Pico do Ferro and the lake.
Overnight
Should you stay the night in Furnas?
Yes, if you can. Day-trippers leave in the late afternoon, and an evening in Furnas means quiet streets, a soak at Poça da Dona Beija after dark and an early start at the lake before the tours arrive. Several hotels have their own thermal pools for guests.
The trade-off: the valley is often misty and damp, and it is far from the west of the island. With a week on São Miguel, many visitors split their stay between Ponta Delgada and Furnas.
Planning
A day in Furnas
- Morning: Pico do Ferro Viewpoint on the way in, then Furnas Lake and the chapel.
- Around noon: watch the cozido pots being lifted at the lake.
- Lunch: cozido in the village (booked ahead).
- Afternoon: the Caldeiras das Furnas and a mineral-water tasting, then Terra Nostra Park and its pool.
- Evening: Poça da Dona Beija after dark, if you are staying.
Allow at least 5–6 hours. Hot springs make Furnas one of the best rainy-day plans on the island; check the Azores weather guide.
Combine with
Near Furnas
- Ribeira Quente: a fishing village 15 minutes south, with a beach warmed by hot springs.
- Grená Park: forest trails near the lake, one leading to a waterfall.
- Povoação and the south-east: the island’s first settlement, and the road on to the viewpoints of Nordeste.
- The tea plantations: Gorreana and Porto Formoso on the north coast near Ribeira Grande, about 25 minutes away.
For more beaches, see São Miguel beaches; for the rest of the island, the full São Miguel guide and the São Miguel map.
Questions
Furnas FAQ
Is Furnas worth visiting?
Yes. Furnas is one of the highlights of São Miguel: fumaroles in the village, the best hot springs in the Azores, a crater lake and the famous cozido stew.
How long do you need in Furnas?
A full day covers the main sights. Stay the night to enjoy the hot springs in the evening and the lake early in the morning.
What is Furnas famous for?
Its hot springs and fumaroles, Terra Nostra Park, and cozido das Furnas, a stew cooked for hours in the volcanic ground.
When can you see the cozido being taken out of the ground?
Around midday at the cooking holes on the north shore of Furnas Lake, after about six hours of cooking.
Do you need to book cozido in Furnas?
It is a good idea, especially in summer: restaurants cook a limited number of pots each day and usually serve it only at lunch.
How far is Furnas from Ponta Delgada?
About 45 minutes by car, or around 1.5 hours by bus.
Is Furnas an active volcano?
Yes. Furnas is one of São Miguel’s active volcanoes and is closely monitored; the fumaroles and hot springs are signs of its heat. Visiting is safe on the marked paths.