Anyone visiting the main island of the Azores has to take a look at São Miguel's most beautiful lagoons. The hardest part is choosing which one is the most beautiful, the best time of day to visit and, of course, having the weather on your side. On a foggy or rainy day, many of São Miguel's most beautiful lagoons lose some of their charm.
The lagoons reflect the landscape - like mirrors of water - and are living testimony to the archipelago's vast volcanic activity. They were formed over the centuries when the tops of the volcanoes collapsed after expelling all the magma from inside.
Most of São Miguel's lagoons take on a special charm when viewed from a privileged vantage point or from a high vantage point. If you visit the best viewpoints in São Miguel will have these island lagoons at their most splendid.
Obviously the main highlights are always Lagoa do Fogo and Lagoa das Sete Cidades, but I discovered my new favourite lagoon in São Miguel.
The 7 most beautiful lagoons in São Miguel
Lagoa do Fogo
Lagoa do Fogo is my favourite - along with Lagoa de Pau Pique - although the latter can't be seen in the best way without aerial means. Covering around 130 hectares and two kilometres wide, Lagoa do Fogo is irresistible.
It is one of the largest in the Azores and on the island of São Miguel - second only to Lagoa das Sete Cidades. Located a few kilometres from Ribeira Grande, it was formed 15,000 years ago and classified as a nature reserve in 1974.
The only (big) problem is that it's often hidden by a blanket of fog. Even so, don't give up, be patient, wait 20 or 30 minutes and your luck may change, as it happens regularly.
I also recommend the long walk down to the bottom of Lagoa do Fogo, to get another perspective on this sheet of water, the surrounding landscape and to get a closer look at the almost untouched fauna and flora. The trail down to the shore is long and steep and requires good physical fitness.
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Lagoa do Canário
Lagoa do Canário (Canary Lagoon) receives a lot of visitors, not least because it is the gateway to one of the best viewpoints in São Miguel - Miradouro da Grota do Inferno.
Located in the municipality of Ponta Delgada, this sheet of water is often overlooked as many people rush to the viewpoint. And this turns out to be a good thing, as you have the lagoon almost exclusively to yourself.
The lagoon is part of the fantastic Mata do Canário Forest Park, an area classified by the Azorean Government as a Protected Landscape Area. Here it is perfectly normal to encounter rain and fog or the so-called Azorean Mist. In the park there are several paths you can take and an attractive (and photogenic) picnic area.
Lagoa das Empadadas
Lagoa das Empadadas is located in Serra Devassa, in Sete Cidades, and close to another of São Miguel's most beautiful lagoons - Lagoa de Pau Pique (below). Lagoa das Empadadas is also worthy of note and one of the reasons for this is that the calm waters are often sheltered from the winds and form a perfect mirror of water, reflecting the wooded areas around it.
The lagoon - which occupies two volcanic craters - was once very important to the citizens of Ponta Delgada, as its water was channelled through the aqueduct, supplying the public fountains of the capital of São Miguel.
To get there, however, you need to walk about 10 minutes through the damp woodland. On the roadside, next to the Coal Aqueduct, which is part of the Muro das 9 Janelas, there are several places to park.
Lagoa das Furnas
Lagoa das Furnas is one of the most visited, as it is close to the town of Furnas, in the municipality of Povoação. Thousands of people flock there to try the Furnas stew, but the lagoon is also one of the region's most popular tourist attractions.
Of volcanic origin, the lagoon is located at an altitude of around 600 metres, but it is from the Pico de Ferro viewpoint that you can get a panoramic view.
On its shores you'll see the preparation of the traditional Furnas Stew and also the Chapel of Our Lady of Victories, dating from 1886. You can walk around the perimeter of the lake on a light and relaxing stroll.
Lagoa de Santiago
Lagoa de Santiago is almost as popular as Lagoa das Sete Cidades. And the explanation is simple, as the two are only a few kilometres apart. It occupies a 28-metre volcanic crater, is 475 metres wide and 29 metres deep, and is surrounded by dense green vegetation. It can be admired in all its splendour from a small viewpoint by the road.
Located in the municipality of Ponta Delgada, Lagoa de Santiago is part of the so-called Serra Devassa, in the Sete Cidades Massif, and is also one of those not to be missed on a trip to the Azores.
There aren't many places to park, but as no one stays there for long, you'll certainly be able to visit. You can also walk down the slope and get close to the green waters.
Lagoa de Pau Pique
For me, this is one of the most beautiful lagoons in São Miguel and one of my favourites. However, there is no high point or viewpoint from which you can catch a glimpse of it. Although you can walk to its shores and see it up close, the best view is from above.
The almost perfect circle of trees, the still waters and the clear colour make the scenery irresistible. From the road it's totally unnoticeable and only those in the know can reach it.
So all you have to do is fly over Pau Pique Lagoon, in the municipality of Ponta Delgada. As my bag didn't allow me to fly there, I opted to send the drone to capture the image you see above.
Lagoa das Sete Cidades
Number 7 on the list of São Miguel's most beautiful lagoons is Lagoa das Sete Cidades. Consisting of Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde, it is by far the most popular of all the water spots on the Azorean island.
Classified as a Natura 2000 Protected Landscape and considered one of the 7 natural wonders of Portugal, the lagoon has an estimated depth of 33 metres, covers an area of 4.2 kilometres and is the largest freshwater lake in the Azores.
Legend has it that the colour of the ponds comes from the tears of a princess and a shepherd. As usually happens in these stories, the girl's father didn't accept their relationship and forbade them to meet again. At their last meeting before the ban, they both shed hectolitres of tears: the princess (with blue eyes) and the shepherd (with green eyes) thus gave rise to the differently coloured lagoons. There's so much to see in São Miguel.
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