PORTUGAL
Portugal's best.
The 15 most popular sao miguel island tours across Portugal. What each day includes, who runs it, and the price you'll pay.
3 hours of ethical whale watching off Ponta Delgada with onboard marine biologists, two boat options, and a second tour if you see nothing.
“We spotted dolphins, whales and a hammerhead shark. Fantastic experience.”
3-hour Azores whale watching by zodiac with a marine biologist and a stop at Vila Franca do Campo islet. Spot whales and dolphins.
“Had a great time on the tour. The Biologist (Rose?) was very engaging and gave us great information about what we were seeing. I also appreciate that they want us to understand and be respectful of the ocean and the wildlife. We saw a whale multiple times and had dolphins swimming with us throughout the…”
Small-group van tour of West São Miguel with Sete Cidades viewpoints, Boca do Inferno walk, included lunch, and Lagoa do Fogo.
“Such a great experience! Our tour guide, Max was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the entire trip feel relaxed and enjoyable. He shared interesting stories and local insights, and gave us plenty of time to enjoy each location without feeling rushed. Thank you 🫶”
Small-group van tour of east São Miguel with Furnas geothermal sights, optional Terra Nostra pools, and an included cozido lunch.
“I had such a great experience on this tour! Our guide, Hugo, was incredibly knowledgeable, super friendly, and offered to take photos at our stops (so I wouldn't just have selfies) - he took the best photos! He was very engaging and shared a wealth of information as well as his own stories about the…”
Canyoning in São Miguel’s Ribeira dos Caldeirões: optional jumps and rappels, safety gear, photos, 3 hours from Ponta Delgada.
“With top-of-the-line equipment, you'll slide, jump, and abseil down the canyon. There's no need to be afraid (even if you do at first), because everything is well secured. Excellent and ambitious instruction and support from Teresa, Guilherme, and João, who work hand in hand and are highly trained! A high level of fun!”
See São Miguel’s top sights in 2 days: Sete Cidades, Fogo, Furnas and Nordeste with a small-group local guide from $146.
“The 2-Day San Miguel Tour was fantastic!! We enjoyed every moment on the tour! It was a great experience from visiting a number of volcanic lakes to thermal pools to being at the ocean to all kinds of scenic views to delicious lunches to hydrangeas everywhere, especially on the west side of the island. I…”
São Miguel’s glass-bottom boat and biologist-guided snorkeling near Ilhéu de Vila Franca do Campo, from $58, about 2 hours.
“We liked the snorkelling the best🥰 And we went far over the time…. So we had a lot of time to do snorkelling. But also the information was nice to hear about the fishes and nature. Go for this experience!!!”
São Miguel canyoning in Ribeira dos Caldeirões National Park with certified guides, gear, insurance, and included photos and videos.
“Had a really great time! This was my first canyoning experience and the guide took good care on each individual (gave a little push or motivation where necessary) the different obstacles "increased " over time while going down the river. The provided equipped (especially the water shoes ) where awesome! Looking forward to my next…”
Full-day São Miguel tour to Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo with lunch, waterfalls, and black-sand beach stops from Ponta Delgada.
“Our guide was excellent with extensive knowledge of the island, culture and hidden gems. Went out of his way to show us interesting spots and background history”
Night in Furnas means hot springs, volcano-powered cozido, and dark-sky views. Small group dinner and Poça da Dona Beija included.
“We really enjoyed our guide!! Paulo was engaging and entertaining!!”
A small-group São Miguel day mixing Europe’s oldest tea, Furnas hot springs, volcano sights, and pineapple tasting, with pickup from Ponta Delgada.
“The entire tour was very well organised, Andre is a very knowledgeable and pleasant guide and made this trip unforgetable. I would highly recommend this tour as it allows plenty of time in each site to enjoy it and you get the opportunity to see quite a large part of the island as well.”
4WD jeep tour from Ponta Delgada to Sete Cidades with twin-lake views, volcanic craters, and strategic photo stops.
“Our tour guide Philip was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable and also considerate. His driving skills were amazing. We had so much fun and saw so much that we wouldn’t have without this tour. We would recommend it to anyone who loves an adventure.”
Small-group São Miguel day trip to Furnas Volcano and Gorreana tea. Cozido lunch, fumaroles, mineral waters and thermal gardens.
“It was an awesome experience! Our guide, João, was fantastic and you could tell he really cared about the experience we had. He was knowledgeable and explained everything well. For lunch we had a traditional lunch at a restaurant where the food was cooked in pits near the thermal springs. Would highly this tour recommend…”
Swim with wild dolphins off São Miguel in a small group from Ponta Delgada, with pros guiding respectful open-ocean encounters.
“This was an incredible experience! It's a must do. We saw SO many dolphins and when you get in the water you can hear them calling and clicking. It was surreal, a total rush. A bucket list day! One thing: the confirmation email gives you a list of things to bring, but in actuality you…”
Canyoning São Miguel’s Ribeira dos Caldeirões: abseils, 8m waterfalls, a 5m slide-jump, lush forests, and small-group guide-led fun.
“Took our family of four. We had a really great time - a zip line, then water slide, some jumps and an abseil - fantastic fun. Set in a really spectacular setting. The guides were fabulous- good humour but most importantly 110% on safety. A great first starter if you have Bebe done it before…”
