Lake in Ponta Delgada
Also known as Lagoon of the Seven Cities; Sete Cidades
FreeCosts nothing to visit.
Twin lakes filling a volcanic crater on the western end of Sao Miguel, one blue and one green. The most iconic natural sight in the Azores and free to visit from multiple viewpoints around the rim.
The lagoon sits inside a wide caldera reached through Ponta Delgada. The larger Lagoa Azul reads blue and the smaller Lagoa Verde reads green, split by a narrow road bridge. Best of all for a budget trip, none of it costs anything. The classic view is from Vista do Rei on the crater rim, the most photographed spot in the Azores, and the abandoned Monte Palace Hotel frames the lakes from a second free vantage point a short walk away. Follow the rim trail or walk down to the lakeside village of Sete Cidades without paying a cent. Cloud tends to roll over the rim by mid-morning, so come early for the clearest view. A cheap island bus or a rental car from Ponta Delgada gets you to the rim.
Practical
Nearby
Other places worth the walk, and what each one costs.
Hot spring pools in a lush fern-covered ravine on the slopes of the Lagoa do Fogo volcano, near Salto do Cabrito above Ribeira Grande on Sao Miguel. One of the most atmospheric thermal bathing spots in the Azores. It is a managed protected area, so entry is paid and timed, not a free wild spring.
Caloura Harbour is a small fishing harbour on the south coast of Sao Miguel, near Lagoa, where the breakwater shelters a set of natural sea pools cut into the lava rock. Access is free, the water is calm, and it stays far quieter than the busier swimming spots closer to Ponta Delgada.
The largest public garden and open square in the historic core of Ponta Delgada, shaded by mature trees and a short walk from the seafront. Free to enter, peaceful most of the year, and a welcome green break in the middle of town.
Baroque parish church on the eastern edge of the Ponta Delgada old town, known for its carved gilded woodwork and blue-and-white azulejo panels. Free to enter and an easy add-on to the historic core walking circuit.
The main parish church of Ponta Delgada, the Igreja Matriz de Sao Sebastiao, sits on Largo da Matriz right beside the Portas da Cidade city gates in the historic core. A late-Gothic Manueline portal frames a baroque interior, and entry is free, which makes it one of the easiest stops to fit into a no-cost walk through the Azorean capital.
A small public garden in the São Sebastião quarter of Ponta Delgada, named after the nineteenth-century Azorean poet and philosopher Antero de Quental, who was born in the city. Entry is free, and the mature plantings, shaded benches, and calm atmosphere make it an easy stop for budget travellers walking between the old-town sights.
Working out what Ponta Delgada costs?
The whole of Ponta Delgada