Best things to do in Furnas

If you’re planning a trip to São Miguel, discovering the best things to do in Furnas needs to be at the top of your list. Nestled inside a massive volcanic crater, Furnas is the island’s geothermal playground—a place where you can soak in hot springs, eat food cooked inside the earth, and walk through lush botanical paradise.

In this guide, I’m cutting through the noise to share the absolute best experiences in Furnas, complete with insider tips, accurate pricing, and exact booking logistics so you can plan the perfect visit without wasting time or money.

No time to read a long article? Here’s a summary

• Soak in Poça da Dona Beija. You can even combine it with the Furnas Night Experience with Thermal Baths and Dinner.
• Enjoy the Parque Terra Nostra’s botanical garden.
• Witness the Steaming Fumaroles
• Try the Cozido das Furnas – it’s DELICIOUS.
• Hike around the Furnas lake
• Enjoy a premium massage at Octant Furnas boutique hotel

If you want to skip the hassle of renting a car and planning logistics, this Furnas Volcano & Tea Plantation Tour with Lunch hits every highlight in this guide in a single day. It includes round-trip hotel transfer, a stop at Santa Iria viewpoint, a guided tour and tasting at Gorreana Tea Factory, seeing the lake fumaroles, eating a traditional cozido lunch, and soaking in the thermal pools at Parque Terra Nostra!

These are the best things to do in Furnas

Soak in Poça da Dona Beija

Poça da Dona Beija feels like a hidden paradise dropped straight into the Azorean jungle. Set along a rushing stream, it features five small thermal pools built from smooth stone, surrounded by towering tree ferns, banana plants, and lush greenery. The iron-rich, orange-tinted waters stay at a soothing 39°C (102°F), making it an incredible spot to relax.

Soaking here is a total bliss after a long day of hiking (when you’re all sweaty and overall disgusting :P), on a chilly or rainy day, or—my personal favorite—at night.

Watching the thick steam rise off the water under soft, ambient lighting gives the whole place a mystical, almost spa-like atmosphere you won’t forget.Watching the thick steam rise off the water under soft, ambient lighting gives the whole place a mystical vibe you won’t forget.

If you want the ultimate evening out without worrying about booking hassle, night driving, or finding parking, I highly recommend booking this Furnas Night Experience with Thermal Baths and Dinner. It includes hotel pickup, entry tickets to Dona Beija at night, and a full traditional Cozido stew dinner cooked in the geysers. It takes all the stress out of planning and is genuinely one of the best evening experiences on the island!

Practical Information about Dona Beija hot springs

• How to book your tickets: You cannot just walk up and pay for a ticket on the spot. Even if you’re standing right at the entrance gate, the staff will turn you away and tell you to buy it on your phone. Slots are strictly capped at 1.5 hours and sell out quickly, especially for night visits (after 5:30 PM).
  
  Therefore, if you want to visit Dona Beija on your own, make sure yo buy your ticket online. If you book the Furnas Night Experience with Thermal Baths and Dinner, they will reserve the ticket for you.
• Prices: Daytime entry is €12 for adults (kids €10). Night entry is €16 for adults (kids €14).
• Wear an OLD, dark swimsuit: The iron in the water can permanently stain light-colored swimsuits, towels, and even light hair. Take off all silver or gold jewelry before getting in unless you want it tarnished instantly.
• Facilities: There are clean changing rooms, coin-operated hot showers (€1 for 5 mins), free cold showers, and lockers (€2).
• Parking: The lot directly outside is SUPER small and usually full. Be prepared to park along the surrounding streets and walk a few minutes.

Explore Parque Terra Nostra’s Botanical Garden and Thermal Pool

Visiting Parque Terra Nostra is easily one of the best things to do in Furnas as this is one of the most breathtaking botanical gardens in Europe, packed with centuries-old trees, exotic flora, and peaceful, winding streams. Wandering through these lush grounds is easily one of the most romantic things to do on the island.

The park is also home to a famous, massive geothermal pool heated between 35°C–40°C (95°F–104°F). I’ll be totally honest with you: I always skip the main pool. The heavy iron content gives the water an intense, murky, brownish-orange hue that—to put it mildly—kind of disgusts me! 😂

That said, everyone loves it for its therapeutic muscle and skin benefits. The pool is relatively shallow, and along the perimeter, you’ll find powerful water jets directing high-pressure thermal water right at your back, which feels incredible if you’re dealing with tight muscles or back pain.

All around the main pool area, there are plenty of outdoor seating benches, rinsing showers, and upgraded changing rooms. Plus, tucked away among the surrounding trees, there are two smaller, Jacuzzi-style thermal baths if you prefer a quieter, more intimate soak. Those, I absolutely love :)

Practical Information about Parque Terra Nostra

• Tickets: General entry is €17 for adults (ages 18–64), €14.50 for youth (6–17) and seniors (+65), and free for kids under 6. A family ticket (2 adults + 2 youth) is €57.
• Schedule: The park is open daily (typically from 10:00 AM/10:30 AM to 4:30 PM/6:00 PM depending on the season).
• Wear an OLD, dark swimsuit: Just like Dona Beija, the heavy iron will permanently stain light-colored swimsuits and towels. Leave all silver and gold jewelry behind unless you want it tarnished.
• Parking Warning: Do NOT try to park right at the main entrance. The entrance sits at the end of a super narrow street where only one car can squeeze through at a time, making it completely impossible to park at the gate. Park your car further down in the town of Furnas or near the municipal parking areas and walk up instead.

Witness the Steaming Fumaroles

Fumaroles are dramatic vents in the Earth’s crust where superheated volcanic gas and steam burst out from deep underground. Because Furnas sits directly inside an active dormant volcano crater, walking around these steaming, bubbling mud pits feels like stepping straight onto a Middle-earth set—specifically the dark, desolate lands of Mordor where Sauron bred his Orcs and Uruk-hai (uep, huuuge fan of the Hobbit movies here :D)

While you’ll find small clusters of steaming vents scattered right in Furnas town center (known as Caldeiras da Vila), the most famous fumaroles are located along the shores of Lagoa das Furnas. This is where the iconic Cozido das Furnas comes to life.

Cozido is a rich traditional Portuguese stew packed with pork, beef, chicken, blood sausage, cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. Local chefs layer the raw ingredients inside large metal pots, wrap them in canvas sacks, and bury them in deep holes in the volcanic soil. The stew slow-cooks in its own natural juices using nothing but the steam heat of the dormant volcano for 5 to 6 hours!

Practical Information about the Fumaroles in Furnas

• When to go: Time your visit for 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM. This is when local restaurant workers arrive to dig up the heavy, steaming pots from the volcanic earth and haul them off to be served for lunch. Watching them unearth the pots is a classic Furnas experience you shouldn’t miss.

• Entrance Fee & Parking: Access to the lake’s fumarole site costs €3 per person. The ticket price already includes parking in the adjacent lot, making it super easy and convenient.
• Facilities: Your entry ticket gives you access to the well-maintained wooden boardwalks surrounding the active vents, clean public restrooms, and picnic areas along the lakefront.
• Pro tip: Be prepared for a distinct sulfur smell (yes, it smells like rotten eggs—that’s just the natural geothermal gas!) and wear comfortable shoes for walking along the boardwalks.

Hike the Furnas Lake Trail

If you want to stretch your legs without taking on a grueling vertical climb, hiking the official PRC 06 SMI trail around Lagoa das Furnas is a must. It’s an easy, mostly flat 9.5 km (around 6-mile) circular loop that takes about 3 hours to complete, and the variety along the way keeps every kilometer interesting.

One minute you’re walking under a thick canopy of pine trees, and the next you’re strolling along calm lakeside paths lined with giant gunnera plants. Along the flat dirt stretch, you’ll even pass a series of whimsical wooden forest animal sculptures carved right into the wood—a fun little detail that caught me by surprise.

But for me, the absolute highlight of the entire trail is coming around the bend on the southern shore to see the Capela de Nossa Senhora das Vitórias. This striking 19th-century Neo-Gothic church stands totally isolated right at the water’s edge, surrounded by the wild romantic forest of Mata-Jardim José do Canto. It looks like something straight out of a fairytale.

Practical Tips about Hiking the Furnas Lake Trail

• Hike it counter-clockwise: If you start from Furnas village and head counter-clockwise, you’ll hit the steaming fumaroles area around 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM—the exact window when the local restaurant chefs pull the giant Cozido pots out of the ground!

A great perk of doing the Furnas Lake Trail on foot is that you’ll pass straight through the lake’s fumarole area without paying the €3 entry fee. Start around 9:30 AM and you’ll arrive just in time to watch the cozido being pulled out of the ground!

Enjoy the Views from Pico do Ferro lookout

Visiting the Pico do Ferro Overlook (Miradouro do Pico do Ferro) is undeniably one of the best things to do in Furnas. Perched high on the crater rim at over 500 meters (1,600 feet) above sea level, it gives you a sweeping, postcard-worthy view straight down into the lush Furnas valley, the town below, and the entire shimmering expanse of Lagoa das Furnas.

If you’re driving into or out of Furnas, there are a few other scenic overlooks right along the main routes that are well worth a quick 5-minute photo stop:

• Miradouro do Salto do Cavalo: Perched high on the ridge toward Nordeste, offering rare views of both the Furnas crater and the northern coast.
• Miradouro de Santa Iria: Located on the north coast highway toward Ponta Delgada, famous for its dramatic green cliffs dropping into the ocean.
• Miradouro da Ribeira dos Caldeirões: A quick roadside stop just past Nordeste featuring cascading waterfalls, watermills, and giant tree ferns.

Experience a Traditional Tea Ceremony at Chalet da Tia Mercês

For one of the most unique stops in town, pop into Chalet da Tia Mercês, a historic 19th-century wooden tea house set right across from the town center fumaroles.

What makes stopping here so cool is how they brew the tea: using naturally boiling, iron-rich thermal spring water pulled straight from the volcanic ground outside. When poured over local green tea leaves, the high mineral content triggers a wild natural reaction—turning your cup from light green to a dark purple-blue color right before your eyes!

It’s a cozy, fascinating spot to rest your feet, learn about the local geology, and pair your color-shifting tea with delicious homemade Azorean pastries and cheeses.

How to book: Reservations are mandatory through azoresessentials.com. They host small private tasting sessions and fill up quickly, so book weeks ahead.

Indulge in a Spa Massage at Octant Furnas

If you need a break from crowded tourist pools and just want to treat yourself, get a massage at the Octant Furnas. Octant is a sleek 4-star design hotel built right on top of a massive concentration of thermal springs, making its spa one of the most serene spots on the entire island.

Their treatments use local thermal waters and volcanic minerals, and they do everything from deep tissue work to hot stone massages.

The best part? When you book a treatment, you get access to their indoor and outdoor heated thermal pools, which are way quieter and cleaner than the big public spots. It’s heaven after spending the morning walking around the lake.

Practical Tips about getting a massage at The Octant Furnas

• How to book your massage: You don’t have to stay at the Octant Furnas to use the spa, but you definitely need to book ahead. Email them at info-furnas@octanthotels.com or give them a call at +351 296 249 200.
• Pro tip: Show up 30 to 40 minutes before your appointment so you can soak in their warm pools and hit the steam room before your massage starts.

Driving down into Furnas feels like stepping straight into an enchanted valley where the entire pace of the world slows down, leaving you to focus on what nature gives us: the lush green landscapes, the healing thermal waters, and food cooked directly inside the earth.

Whether you’re soaking in iron-rich thermal springs under the stars, watching your lunch cook inside a literal volcano, or sipping thermal tea that turns purple right in front of your eyes, there’s really nowhere else quite like it on Earth.