Lush natural surroundings with thermal waters at Caldeira Velha in São Miguel, Azores.

2. Caldeira Velha Hot Springs

Caldeira Velha hot springs is one of the most astonishing natural treasures of São Miguel. It's a natural paradise with thermal pools located on the slope of Volcano Água de Pau. Although this volcano has been inactive since the 16th century, it still emits intense internal energy that heats the waters of the thermal pools in this natural park. Iron-rich waters, sulfur smell, and exotic vegetation define this place, a must-visit if you're on São Miguel Island.

This natural park is protected. Here, you can leave behind the stress and immerse yourself in the tranquility that only nature can provide. Additionally, if you want to learn more about Caldeira Velha, you can visit the Environmental Interpretation Center of Caldeira Velha (CIACV), located within the park itself and accessible to visitors. The center complements the visit to Caldeira Velha by offering an educational experience where you can learn more about volcanoes, fauna, and flora of the area.

Visits to Caldeira Velha are done in shifts, with a maximum capacity. These shifts last a maximum of 1 hour and 30 minutes. Our recommendation is to visit Caldeira Velha early in the morning, during the 9:00 to 10:30 shift, to avoid crowds and be part of the first group to access the natural reserve that day, meaning you'll find it empty upon entry. If you decide to do so, it's very likely that during the first few minutes you can enjoy the thermal pools in solitude.

A visit of 1 hour and a half is more than enough to enjoy this paradise. We recommend that you take advantage of bathing in the pools you find at the beginning of the trail and gradually make your way up to the famous Poça da Cascata (Waterfall pool). This is the largest and deepest pool, where there's a waterfall that adds an even wilder touch to the environment. This last pool is somewhat colder than the previous ones, so you'll notice the difference if you started with the first thermal pools you find along the way.

Finally, you should know that the natural reserve has some wooden changing rooms that tend to get quite crowded at the beginning and end of each shift when several people usually coincide. If it's crowded, changing clothes before the exit time might be a good idea. Afterwards, you can visit the rest of the surroundings and the Environmental Interpretation Center of Caldeira Velha.

Lastly, we recommend that if you visit Caldeira Velha during high season or want to have a specific entry time, you should reserve your visit in advance on their website.

Useful Information:

Opening hours: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm, with last admission until 5:00 pm. Open every day of the week. There's a limit of 1 hour and a half inside.
Price: €10 for adults for the "full" entry, which allows bathing; €3 for the "reduced" entry, which allows visiting but not bathing. Children under 15 and seniors over 65 pay only 50% of the price.