Furnas Shore Excursion: Hot Springs & Traditional Cooking

Walk through boiling springs, taste mineral waters, and watch food cook in volcanic ground

A shared shore excursion to Furnas on São Miguel's east side, where you walk through active hot springs and fumaroles, visit Europe's last tea plantation, and see how locals prepare traditional Azorean cozido using volcanic heat. The tour runs 4 to 5 hours with a certified local guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese, and includes all transportation and live commentary. Optional stops at a botanical garden or thermal pool depend on time and group participation.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Furnas volcanic area and hot springs

• Visit natural tea plantation and taste tea
• Admire Furnas volcano interior and lake
• Walk through boilers and hot springs
• See locals cook with volcanic heat
• Optional: relax in natural hot pool

The experience

Furnas sits in one of the island's most active volcanic zones, with an eruptive history stretching back over 100,000 years. The tour starts at the valley floor, where you walk among boilers and hot springs that release mineral-rich water and steam directly from the ground. A local guide leads you through the volcanological landscape, explaining how the thermal activity shapes everything here, from the water you taste to the way food cooks underground.

The centerpiece is watching locals prepare cozido, the traditional Azorean stew, using holes in the earth heated by volcanic steam. You'll also visit the only tea plantation left in Europe, where you can taste fresh green or black tea grown on the island. The route takes you inside the Furnas crater itself and past the volcanic lake, with stops to sample traditional liquors and mineral waters drawn straight from the springs.

An optional visit to Parque Terra Nostra botanical garden or one of the thermal pools (Dona Beija or the natural hot pool) can be added if time allows and the group wants to stop. Entrance fees are paid on-site. The tour ends with return transportation to your ship or hotel, timed to match cruise schedules if you're arriving by ship.

What’s included

• Professional local guide fluent in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• air-conditioned vehicle and all transportation during the experience.
• live commentary throughout the tour.
• tea tasting at Europe's only remaining tea plantation.
• access to walk through the boiling springs and fumaroles of Furnas Valley.
• observation of traditional cozido preparation using volcanic heat.
• tastings of traditional liquors and mineral waters.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (5 and older) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a 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?This is a shared small-group tour, so you travel with other passengers and follow a set itinerary and pace. Choose it if you want a guided introduction to Furnas' volcanic landscape with a local expert who explains what you're seeing, rather than exploring on your own. The optional stops (the botanical garden or thermal pools) depend on how much time remains and whether the group wants to add them.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

What exactly happens when you watch the cozido being cooked in Furnas?

Locals lower the traditional stew into holes in the ground where volcanic heat cooks it slowly over hours. You see the preparation process and learn how this cooking method has been used for generations in the valley.

Can I swim or bathe in the hot springs during this tour?

Swimming in the active boiling springs is not part of the main tour. An optional stop at a natural thermal pool heated by volcanic water can be added if time permits and the group agrees. This is a separate visit with its own entrance.

How long is the walk through the volcanic area, and is it difficult?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You walk through the boilers and hot springs area at a moderate pace with your guide, stopping to observe and taste mineral waters. The exact distance depends on which optional stops the group chooses.

Is the tea plantation visit included, or do I pay extra?

The tea plantation visit is included in the tour. You'll taste the tea grown there, and the stop is part of the standard itinerary.

What if I'm arriving on a cruise ship? How does the timing work?

At booking, cruise passengers provide the ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time. The tour is scheduled to fit within your port call, and transportation returns you to the ship in time for departure.