8 days
Santa Maria Island
·
69.5 km · 
in 5 Stages · 
8 days
Refuge-to-refuge trekking around the island of Santa Maria in the Azores over 5 stages, sleeping in shared refuges. A unique adventure that will take you to discover this small paradise in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, walking point to point as you circumnavigate Santa Maria along the coastal trail.
▸ Includes
+ 
| 
| 
| 
| 
from €747
8 days
São Miguel & Santa Maria
·
67.2 km · in 6 Routes · 8 days
Circuit exploring two islands in the Azores: São Miguel (Sete Cidades, Lagoa das Furnas with geothermal features) and Santa Maria (Pico Alto, Ermita Anjos cliffs, century-old vineyards). Stages of 6-13 km alternating volcanic craters, waterfalls, spectacular viewpoints and beaches. Internal flight included. Standard and superior options with 2 hotels each. Atlantic swims and unique local gastronomy.
▸ Includes
+ | 
| | |
from €1,295
8 days
São Miguel
·
71.7 km · in 6 Routes · 8 days
Hiking in São Miguel (Azores) exploring volcanoes, geothermal lakes and waterfalls. Discover Lagoa das Furnas with fumaroles, Salto do Prego, the northern coast at Praia dos Moinhos and the jewel Sete Cidades with ancient craters and spectacular lakes. Stages of 9-13 km, lush green landscapes, swimming in volcanic beaches and unique local gastronomy in the Atlantic.
▸ Includes
+ | | |
from €1,115
Stay in charming hotels
We choose enchanting accommodations, in areas away from conventional tourism but with a genuine atmosphere
Spectacular routes
Exploring the most unique trails and enjoying the most spectacular landscapes of the Azores
Luggage transfers
Forget about your luggage and walk comfortably. We move it from accommodation to accommodation.
GPS Navigation
Using our app you can follow the route without fear of getting lost. Includes maps and information.
Reviews and comments from Natour on Google
What do customers say about us?
Questions?
We are here to help you and ready to clarify any questions you may have. Ask me anything!
A different itinerary?
If you are thinking about hiking in the Azores, whether exploring São Miguel with its volcanoes and geothermal lakes, or combining both islands São Miguel + Santa Maria with internal flight included, ask us about a customized program that suits your needs.
We offer you the best price and under the best conditions
REQUEST MORE INFORMATION
…frequently asked questions
Why choose the Azores for a walking holiday?
Because nothing else in Europe feels like this: nine volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic, 1,300 km from the mainland, where crater lakes, steaming fumaroles and impossibly green landscapes meet an ocean horizon in every direction. Often called "the Hawaii of Europe", the Azores remain refreshingly uncrowded — no mass tourism, no queues on the trails, just raw Atlantic nature and welcoming island villages.
Which walking programmes do you offer in the Azores?
Three 8-day trips: the circumnavigation of Santa Maria Island as a refuge-to-refuge trek (69.5 km, 5 stages, from €747); São Miguel with its volcanoes, geothermal lakes and waterfalls (71.7 km, 6 routes, from €1,115); and the two-island circuit São Miguel & Santa Maria (67.2 km, 6 routes, from €1,295), with the inter-island flight included and standard or superior hotel options.
How does the refuge-to-refuge trek around Santa Maria work?
It's a genuine point-to-point adventure — rare on Atlantic islands: you walk the coastal trail right around the island over 5 stages, sleeping in shared refuges alongside walkers from around the world, in the spirit of the great hut-to-hut treks. We still take care of the logistics: your luggage is transferred between refuges, you navigate with our offline GPS app, and our local support is a phone call away.
Is the flight between the islands included?
Yes. On the São Miguel & Santa Maria circuit, the short inter-island flight is included in the price, along with accommodation with breakfast, luggage transfers and GPS navigation. All you need to arrange is your international flight to the Azores.
How do I get to the Azores?
More easily than most people expect: Ponta Delgada (São Miguel) receives year-round flights from Lisbon and Porto with onward connections worldwide, plus seasonal direct services from several European cities — and even from the US East Coast, making the Azores one of the few European trails easily reached from both sides of the Atlantic. Full arrival directions come with your travel documentation.
When is the best time to walk in the Azores?
April to October: mild temperatures (15–25°C), long days and the lowest chance of rain — and Santa Maria, the sunniest and driest island of the archipelago, delivers even more blue-sky days than the rest. Winter is green but wet, and better avoided for a walking trip.
What's the weather really like? What should I pack?
Famously changeable — the Azoreans say you can get four seasons in one day. Pack a layering system and always carry a light waterproof in your daypack: sunshine and a passing shower can alternate within the hour, even in summer. That very climate is the secret behind the islands' endless green, the giant ferns and the waterfalls. And don't forget sun protection for Santa Maria — the island of the sun.
How difficult are the walks?
Moderate: stages range from 6 to 13 km on São Miguel and the two-island circuit, and somewhat longer on the Santa Maria circumnavigation, over varied volcanic terrain — rural paths, coastal trails and laurel forest. Any regular walker used to full-day hikes will be comfortable; sturdy footwear and hiking poles are recommended.
Can I swim? And what about the hot springs?
Both, gloriously. The stages pass volcanic beaches, natural pools and swimming spots perfect for an Atlantic dip — and on São Miguel you'll walk around Lagoa das Furnas, one of Europe's most active geothermal areas, where the ground steams beside you and local restaurants slow-cook the famous cozido stew in the volcanic earth itself. Unique gastronomy is very much part of this trip.
I'm travelling solo — and can I customise the itinerary?
The Azores suit solo walkers wonderfully: the trails are safe, the villages welcoming, and on the Santa Maria trek the shared refuges make meeting fellow walkers effortless. And like all our trips, every programme runs on your chosen dates and is fully adaptable — extra days, a different island combination or a private plan for your group. Tell us your idea and we'll prepare a proposal at the best price.
If you have any further questions that haven’t been covered here, please have a look at the general FAQs section or get in touch with our team. We have extensive knowledge of the Azores and the many opportunities they offer for hiking at your own pace.
The Azores: Santa Maria and São Miguel, two lush Atlantic islands
Introduction to a Volcanic Masterpiece in Azores
Out where Europe runs out of map — 1,300 km from the Portuguese coast, mid-way to nowhere in the best possible sense — the Azores rise green and volcanic from the open Atlantic. Crater lakes where volcanoes once roared, hillsides steaming gently with geothermal breath, cliffs of black basalt draped in improbable green: this is walking country like nowhere else in Europe. Of the archipelago’s nine islands, our trips pair two that complement each other beautifully: São Miguel, the lush main island, and Santa Maria, the sun-blessed little gem that hardly anyone knows.
Born of fire
Every step you take in the Azores treads on volcanic history. These islands were pushed up from the ocean floor by eruption after eruption, and that fiery inheritance shapes every stage: you’ll walk crater rims, pass thermal springs and cross old lava flows long since claimed by ferns and hydrangeas. Fittingly, the two islands you’ll visit bookend the story: Santa Maria is the oldest island of the archipelago, its volcanoes long asleep and softened by millions of years of erosion, while on São Miguel the earth is still very much awake — steaming, bubbling and occasionally hissing at Furnas.
A crossroads of navigators
Portuguese sailors reached these islands in the fifteenth century, and Santa Maria was the first to be discovered and settled — its capital, Vila do Porto, is the oldest town in the Azores. Even Christopher Columbus called in here: returning from his first voyage to America in 1493, he anchored off Santa Maria, and his crew gave thanks at the little chapel of Anjos — which today’s coastal trail passes right by. To walk the Azores is to wander through five centuries of Atlantic history: discoverers, whalers and island communities who turned a remote scatter of rock into a fertile, welcoming home.
Santa Maria, the island of the sun
Small, luminous and unlike anywhere else in the archipelago: Santa Maria is the driest, sunniest of the Azores — and the only island you can walk right around on its coastal trail. Our refuge-to-refuge trek around Santa Maria unpacks its contrasts over five stages: the red-clay desert of Barreiro da Faneca, a landscape straight off Mars; the white-sand beach of Praia Formosa, unique in the Azores; century-old vineyards terraced above the sea; the sweeping bay of São Lourenço; and the climb to Pico Alto, the island’s 587-metre rooftop wrapped in laurel forest.
São Miguel, the green island
The main island gathers the archipelago’s icons in one place. On our São Miguel programme you’ll walk the rim of the Sete Cidades caldera above its two legendary lakes; circle Lagoa das Furnas amid fumaroles and bubbling springs — where local restaurants slow-cook the famous cozido stew in the heat of the volcanic ground itself; follow forest paths to the Salto do Prego waterfall; and discover the north coast with volcanic beaches like Praia dos Moinhos. Can’t choose between the islands? Our São Miguel & Santa Maria circuit combines both in eight days, inter-island flight included.
Biodiversity and the Atlantic climate
Many experienced hikers consider São Miguel to be the crown jewel of the archipelago. On this island, the volcanic trail becomes a showcase of elegant colonial architecture and pristine natural beauty. Small villages of white houses with red tile roofs nestled among hills and valleys, as if scattered by a careful craftsman. Cobblestone streets wind through the buildings, leading visitors to discover cozy squares and corners full of history and tradition. At the center of these villas, ancient churches stand with quiet dignity, their bell towers echoing with the echo of times past.
As you advance through São Miguel, the landscape becomes more dramatic and mysterious. In the heart of the island, mountains rise majestically, dressed in exuberant forests where secret trails invite adventurers to lose themselves in nature. Waterfalls fall in glass curtains, feeding streams that whisper ancient stories to those who stop to listen. Volcanic lakes with crystal-clear waters, such as Lagoa das Furnas and Sete Cidades, present unique geological formations completely inaccessible by motorized vehicles. The exclusivity of these corners makes the Azores an incredibly rewarding experience for adventurers seeking solitude and crystal-clear Atlantic waters.
The Magic of Night and End of Day in Azores
The nights on the islands have their own magic. Under a star-filled sky, silence becomes palpable, broken only by the distant song of some nocturnal bird or the whisper of wind through the trees. It is a place where time seems to stand still, where the soul can find deep and renewing peace. Every sunrise and every sunset paints a unique and fleeting picture on the horizon of the soul, where dark volcanic rock clashes with the deep Atlantic Sea.
Biodiversity and Subtropical Climate in Azores
The islands are a living museum of Atlantic nature: giant ferns, hydrangea-lined lanes, laurel forest and remarkable birdlife — the archipelago is a resting post for countless migratory birds on their ocean crossings. The climate stays gentle all year, with mild summers and cool, wetter winters; from April to October, temperatures hover between 15°C and 25°C — walking weather at its finest. And that fine balance of sunshine and Atlantic moisture is precisely the secret behind the endless green that made the Azores famous.
Practical tips for walking in the Azores
Some stretches are gentle strolls; others ask for decent fitness and the right kit:
▸ Footwear: trail shoes or sturdy hiking boots — volcanic terrain is beautiful but uneven.
▸ Water and layers: carry plenty of water and keep a light waterproof in your daypack; Atlantic weather can turn on a sixpence, even in summer.
▸ Navigation: follow the trail waymarks and use our GPS app with the maps downloaded offline.
Tread lightly and respect local regulations — you’ll be helping preserve one of Europe’s most delicate ecosystems. Whether you circle Santa Maria refuge by refuge or roam the volcanoes of São Miguel, the Azores will leave their mark on you — and, in all likelihood, a standing appointment to return to this poem of islands in the middle of the Atlantic.