Lagoa das Furnas

In the valley of Furnas, in the east of São Miguel, the Lagoa das Furnas fills the floor of a volcanic crater. Its quiet water, its steaming fumaroles and its wooded shores make it one of the most atmospheric landscapes in the Azores.

A lake in a volcanic valley

The lake lies within the Furnas volcano, one of the most active in the archipelago, and the whole valley shows signs of that activity: hot springs, bubbling mud and vents that release steam into the air. The village of Furnas stands at one end of the lake, and its gardens and thermal baths are among the island’s best-known attractions.

What to see and do

• The lake and its shores, with walking paths and viewpoints.
• The fumaroles and hot springs, where food is cooked in the ground.
• The nearby gardens of Terra Nostra and the thermal pools of Furnas.
• The village of Furnas and its church of Nossa Senhora das Dores.

Visiting the lake

The lake is at Furnas, in the municipality of Povoação, in the east of São Miguel. Access to the shores is free; the ground around the fumaroles is hot, so keep to the marked areas and check local information before your visit.

Visitor information: visitazores.com.

Image credit: Lagoa das Furnas, São Miguel, by The Cosmonaut, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.