Furnas & Nordeste tour: Volcanic springs, tea, lunch included

Walk inside a volcano's crater and taste food cooked by its heat

An eight to nine hour tour of Furnas volcano on São Miguel island, visiting the crater lake, thermal springs, a European tea plantation, and Ribeira dos Caldeirões Natural Park with its five watermills. The tour includes a local guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese, hotel pickup and drop-off, and lunch cooked using geothermal heat from the volcano itself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Furnas25m
2. Ribeira dos Caldeirões Natural Park45m
3. Furnas Lake30m

Explore Furnas and Nordeste highlights

• Admire Senhora da Paz viewpoint
• Explore active volcano's history
• See Furnas Valley and crater lake
• Visit European tea plantation
• Explore Ribeira dos Caldeirados Park
• See Furnas crater lake
• Optional thermal pools and botanical garden visit

The experience

The tour starts at Senhora da Paz viewpoint, where you see Vila Franca do Campo islet rising from an underwater volcanic eruption and a 10-level chapel staircase built into the hillside. From there you move into Furnas itself: one of the most active volcanoes in the Azores, with eruptive history stretching back over 100,000 years. You stand at the crater rim looking down at Furnas Lake, a caldera lake fed by mineral and thermal springs that experts call the largest hydropolis in the world for the diversity of its waters.

The tour takes you to one of only two tea plantations in Europe, where you taste afternoon tea, then down to Ribeira dos Caldeirões Natural Park to walk along the river and see five traditional watermills built into the landscape. Lunch is cooked using heat from the volcano's geothermal vents: a direct taste of how locals have used the land's energy for generations. You'll also have the option to enter one of two thermal pools: Dona Beija or Terra Nostra Garden, which includes a botanical garden considered among Europe's largest (entry fees are separate and chosen at checkout).

A guide leads the whole route and handles the driving. The day suits all fitness levels, and children from age one are welcome. Strollers work for the viewpoints and easier sections, though some stops involve walking around the crater rim and through the park.

What’s included

• Local guide in your choice of English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• lunch cooked using geothermal heat.
• afternoon tea at the tea plantation.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 09:20

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Youth (1 to 6 years)

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 32 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Azores Dream Tours

Is this one for you?The eight to nine hour pace means a full day of walking and stops, so book this if you want to see the volcano's crater, springs and surrounding landscape without rushing. The thermal pool entry is optional and paid separately, so you can add it or skip it depending on how much time and budget you want to spend.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (1 to 6 years).

What exactly is Furnas Lake and why is it special?

Furnas Lake sits inside the volcano's crater and is fed by mineral and thermal springs, so many different kinds of mineral water flow into it that experts call it the largest hydropolis in the world. You see it from the crater rim and can walk around it during the tour.

How does the volcano cook the lunch?

Geothermal heat from the volcano's vents cooks the food: locals have used this natural heat source for generations, and you'll taste the result as part of the included lunch.

What is Ribeira dos Caldeirões Natural Park like?

The park follows the Ribeira dos Caldeirões river and contains five traditional watermills built into the landscape. You walk through the park as part of the tour to see both the waterfalls and the mills.

Can I swim in the thermal pools, or just visit them?

You have the option to enter either Dona Beija or Terra Nostra Garden thermal pools and swim in them. Terra Nostra also has a large botanical garden. Entry fees are not included in the tour price and are paid separately at checkout if you choose to go in.