There is so much to see in the Azores. Depending on how much time you have, you’ll have some choices to make about what to see and what to skip. To make the most of your trip, don’t miss these 10 things when visiting Sao Miguel:

1. Beautiful viewpoints and vistas

Sao Miguel is dotted by incredible viewpoints and vistas. As we road tripped around the island, we pulled over often to take in the scenery. As you’re traveling around, take it slowly and stop whenever it strikes your fancy. You won’t regret the opportunity to see so many beautiful spots around the island.

2. Geothermal activity in Furnas

One of the most unique things about the Azores is it’s geothermal activity. No visit to the island would be complete without getting a closer look at this, especially in Furnas. Carve out some time to visit the geysers, try the cozido, and experience some of the volcanic activity across the island. It’s so unique and special to this area!

3. Hot springs

As an extension of the geothermal activity recommendation, make sure you don’t miss a visit to some of the hot springs on the island. Relaxing in the warm, natural pools is a great way to break up road trip days and relax for awhile. You can find hot springs all around the island, with an especially high concentration in and around Furnas. Don’t feel like you need to visit all of the springs, but make sure you get to at least one or two.

4. Dinner at Quinta dos Sabores

The Azores had some incredible food, and one of our favorite experiences on the island was dinner at Quinta dos Sabores. This small, local, farm to table restaurant serves up an incredible 6 course menu for only €35. We also ordered a bottle of wine from their menu of local selections; this didn’t have prices listed, which made us nervous, but the bottle we ordered came out to €10, which we felt was a steal. Email paulodecq@gmail.com to make a reservation.

5. Small, local beach like Praia Ribeira das Tainhas

Some of our favorite time on Sao Miguel was spent at a local little beach. Get off the tourist trail and follow signs or a map to a random beach. You won’t regret it.

6. Cows & hydrangeas

In early June, Sao Miguel was COVERED in hydrangeas. It was incredible. We made a point of turning off onto smaller roads to follow these massive walls of hydrangeas lining the road. We had a really fun time on what is best described as a scavenger hunt looking for a cow standing near hydraneas, which seemed to be the most iconic way to portray the Azores. Perhaps my biggest regret from the trip is that I didn’t take any good photos of the flowers lining the road; take a minute to stop and enjoy these!

7. View of the twin lakes / Lagoa do Canario Miradouro

The twin lakes are one of the most most popular attractions on the island and for good reason. Make sure you head to this viewpoint to see them for yourselves. The view is absolutely breathtaking.

8. Dinner at A Tasca

We had an incredible meal in town at A Tasca, a popular joint in the main area of Ponta Delgada. Make a point to stop in early in your stay to make a dinner reservation for a few days later; it’s hard to get a table here! However, the food is outstanding and the vibes are really cool. We shared a bunch of smaller dishes, including

9. Ocean pools like Ponta da Ferraria

The coast is dotted with these ocean pools that in many cases are fed by both cool ocean water and warm hot springs. This makes for a particularly pleasant water temperature and it’s nice to be in a bit of a protected pool with ropes and ladders for extra swimming security. We ended up visiting Ponta da Ferraria, but they are others along the west coast that I’m sure are worth a visit, too. Make sure you check out at least one!

10. Whale (& dolphin!) watching

Whale watching ended up being one of our very favorite activities from our time in the Azores. We saw nearly a dozen sperm whales, two schools of playful dolphins, and got incredible views of the island from the water. It was also relaxing to spend a morning on the boat. I would do this on another trip to Sao Miguel in a heartbeat. We went with Moby Dick tours and emailed them a few days ahead of time to book a spot on their morning boat.

Have you been to Sao Miguel? What would you add to this list?