Small Group Shore Excursion # 2 - Fogo / Fire Crater Lake & Sete Cidades Crater Lake

Path of Small Group Shore Excursion # 2 - Fogo / Fire Crater Lake & Sete Cidades Crater Lake

TOUR DURATION: 6 hours or during your ship stay.

Pick up at the sea pier after the ship is fully attached.

We will start driving from the South coast, where your ship is docked, towards the West coast. During that drive we will pass through several rural villages until we reach our first stop of the day Ponta do Escalvado, the most Western part of Sao Miguel island. From there we will see the rugged layer coast line, Mosteiros village and their islets, and Ferraria lava delta area. This part of the island is very popular to see the Sunset on Sao Miguel island.

Then we drive up and down into Sete Cidades Caldera passing by thousands of Hydrangeas walls, (the national flower of the Azores) until Sete Cidades village, one of the most Azorean villages of Sao Miguel Island. When we reach the center of the village, we will stop and you may visit Sete Cidades Church (a neogotic 19th century construction) and especially admire the entrance with their centurnary trees that aggrandize the driveway to the church. At the stop it will be a good opportunity for the WC and perhaps a coffee or local pastry at the local coffee shops around there, if wanted or needed.

When everyone is ready, we will drive through this pittoresque village, and pass the bridge that divides the two lakes (blue and green lake), slowly we will start going up the Crater from the other side where we went down, but stop first at Sao Tiago Lake viewpoint to see this beautiful green crater lake, and from the other side of the viewpoint a different perspective of the lake and the village of Sete Cidades. From there we will continue up until we reach the most popular view of the Azores, Vista do Rei viewpoint, here you can admire the breath-taking view of the caldera of Sete Cidades, beside viewpoint was the first 5 star hotel, Monte Palace currently abandoned since the middle of 1990.

From there we will drive down to the “Pico do Carvão” viewpoint, from that view you can see the South and the North side at the same time the flatter and thinner area of the Sao Miguel island, and all the Picos Volcanic Fissural System that formed all that area. After seeing that side of the island our next grand attraction is the Fire Lake, located in the heart of Sao Miguel.

We will then drive from there all the way to the North Coast to see Ribeira Grande city (view of the city center, liquor tasting possibility or coffee/chocolate shop, and view of the Ribeira Grande mother church (first constructed in 1517 and reconstructed in the eighteen century).

In the city it will be a good suggestion to have a light lunch, your Guide will give you several suggestions.

When everyone is ready, we will leave the city towards the Fire Lake, our first stop is either (*)Caldeira Velha Park (entrance fee not included). in this park you will need to do a short walk of around 15 to 20 minutes to see an exotic tropical forest valley with many Australian Tree Ferns, fumarole, hot thermal pools and the main attraction in the park, the warm iron-rich waterfall that gives its distinctive rusty colour through the lush vegetation OR see Salto Cabrito waterfall, an area much more excluded from the normal tourist attractions or even bus excursions. The drive to see this area is quite an adventure down a narrow kind of off road. Reaching the bottom, the area looks like a rain forest, with practically less than a 5 min walk to see and appreciate the refreshing Salto Cabrito waterfall.

Then we will drive up to the first view to see the Fire Lake at Miradouro da Lagoa do Fogo a natural protected reservated area with a stunning, crisp turquoise color lake.
After that view we will drive higher to the next view at Pico da Barrosa at a altitude of 947m / around 3000 feet. It is the highest point to see the Fire crater lake, and a more powerful viewpoint than before. From that view you can see the South and the North coast at the same time (the thinnest area of the island), and your ship from a distance at the sea pier. Then we will go down Barrosa Mountain to the South coast slowly back to your ship.

At the bottom and before the arrival of your cruise ship, we will pass through Lagoa city, several small villages and volcanic black sand beaches until we reach Ponta Delgada city.

After that we will check the time and determine what more we can fit or what is the client’s mood (for example the Pineapple Plantation, if time permits).
During the Tour there will always be WC stops, and in the middle of this Tour to drink and eat depending how long your ship stays here that day, and what the clients feel like doing.

Note: Sao Miguel island weather may affect this itinerary and alternate sites may be visited if necessary.