A Great way to truly know the island!

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Duration

6 Hours or during the cruise ship stay here

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Itinerary

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

We will start driving from the South coast, where your ship is docked, towards the Fire Lake direction, the heart of Sao Miguel island.

We will drive up directly to "Pico da Barrosa" to an altitude of 947m / around 3000 feet for our first stop of the day. It is the highest point to see the Fire crater lake and probably the most dramatic view of the day tour. From that view you can see the South and the North coast at the same time (the thinnest area of the Sao Miguel island), all the Picos Volcanic Fissural System that formed all that area, and your ship from a distance at the sea pier. Then we will go down Barrosa Mountain to the next view to see the Fire Lake from another perspective at "Miradouro da Lagoa do Fogo". Fire lake is a natural protected reservated area with a stunning, crisp turquoise color lake.

Driving lower our next 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 to the viewpoint "Miradouro de Santa Iria", where you will see the dramatic North coast cliffs and the rural part of Sao Miguel island, small villages that blend into the vast green pastures that slowly climb up towards the top of the mountains.

From there we will drive to the only Tea Plantation Factory in Europe. Here we will see tea plants, vintage machinery, process explanation, their tea shop, and at the end relax with a cup or two of tea.

When everyone is ready, we will leave the Tea Plantation and drive up to "Pico do Ferro" viewpoint, where you can admire the biggest volcanic crater of the island and see Furnas lake and village.

Then we will drive down into Furnas crater to see "Caldeiras", the main attraction in Furnas area, where you will see many impressive fumaroles, and thermal springs where you can drink/taste some of their many water springs.

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

When everyone is finished we will leave Furnas village, on our way out of the crater to go to the South side of the island. While driving still in Furnas crater we will pass beside Furnas lake, where you saw from the higher viewpoint, you may better admire the splendid greenery and feel that you are really in an old volcano.

After driving up a while and you start to see the ocean, shortly you will see from a distance Vila Franca do Campo town (the first capital of the island, before the earthquake in 1522) and the islet of Vila Franca do Campo, a circular submarine volcano.

Our next stop is the chapel of "Nossa Senhora da Paz" that is on a high hill viewpoint. From there you can see or even walk up the zigzag stone stairs into an eighteen century reconstructed chapel and have a better look of the town of Vila Franca do Campo with several banana and pineapple plantations, and the islet of Vila Franca do Campo, sometimes named as the ring of the Princess due is circular volcanic structure and an emerald colour water pool.

After that we will check the time and determine what more we can fit our client's mood (for example Caloura viewpoint or Agua de Alto beach, if time permits).

During the Tour there will always be WC stops, and in the middle of this Tour a stop 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.