What travellers report

Avoid peak high season (August) due to extreme crowds at popular spots like Ferraria Thermal Pool.

Don't visit São Miguel as a day trip from mainland Portugal; it's too far and you won't have enough time.

Getting around São Miguel is easy by bus.

Minibus tours are excellent and a good alternative if you don't drive.

For hiking, you'd need to book a taxi or a bus to get to the nice places.

Ponta Delgada is small, beautiful, and safe; you can walk everywhere.

Don't try to cover too many islands in a short trip; weather can ruin plans and you'll feel rushed.

Entry to Oficina Museu in Capelas is just €3.

There are no more hidden gems or hidden places on the island anymore.

A car rental is essential for São Miguel; public transport is not great.

Recommended restaurants include Alabote, Xitaka, A Tasca, O Pescador, Restaurante Tonys, Associação Agrícola de São Miguel, Bar da Caloura, O Américo de Barbosa, Cantinho do Cais, and O Churrasco.

10 days on São Miguel was loved; wish had spent more time at Terra Nostra and stayed near Santa Barbara beach.

Plan buffer days for weather in October in case hikes are cancelled.

Weather delays/cancellations with inter-island flights can cut into your time.

Tipping isn't expected like in Canada; card payments are primary and often no tip option.

The Azores is not really a beach destination; most islands have black sand or rocky beaches, though Santa Maria is said to have nice sandy beaches.

Praia do Lombo Gordo was the best beach on São Miguel, with black sand.

Biking on São Miguel is challenging due to the topography and traffic; reconsider biking plans.

Local buses go around the island but schedules are a challenge; they usually run but you might wait a bit.

Currently getting a rent-a-car in the Azores is near impossible, even via private/under-the-table route; companies are charging almost 1,500 euros per day for a rental that normally would not have cost more than 60 euros per day.

Park at coordinates 37.83500° N, 25.75857° W; the easy pathway there is stroller-friendly.

If you find yourself climbing big steps up the mountain side, you are at the wrong starting point for the easy trail.

Terra Nostra is more interesting than Poça da Beija.

Taxis are crazy expensive and drivers are not for the faint-hearted, especially if you’re on a bike.

Camping is fairly cheap with plenty of campsites around; some charge only a couple of euros a night and some are free. You need to bring your own camping equipment.

Weather can be temperamental: rain one minute then sunshine the next, so bring a raincoat.

Check safety of swimming in Lagoa do Fogo due to algae; see official Azores government FAQ.

Trails are well maintained, clean, and very well marked.

Norovirus was not an issue for a 10-day holiday; most people didn't notice.

Bring a travel-size Lysol spray and keep hands clean; consider skipping hot springs to avoid spreading illness.

Hotel said no specific reports of a significant norovirus outbreak in São Miguel beyond Faial Island.

Mid-October had amazing weather, warm enough to swim, and thermal pools were not overcrowded.

Vegetarians may have trouble finding food on São Miguel.

There is a great fondue restaurant in Ponta Delgada, not far off the main center downtown, and it’s the only one.

The pineapple plantation on São Miguel is interesting to visit.

Rent a car or scooter from Madalena, by the ferry, as public transport (bus) is not frequent and you will want to ride around the island.

Hiking Mount Pico is quite challenging if you are not fit.

The Azores felt quite affordable, and English is widely spoken.

Being without a car can be limiting, especially when visiting the other side of the island.

Without a car, catch a cab or bus to a place, stay a couple of nights, and explore the area on foot; this is more affordable than day tours.

Han BBQ is good if you like meat and some fun.

Nonna's Teeth is recommended for pizza.

6 nights/7 days was perfect to leisurely explore the whole island by car without feeling rushed.

Add a day for each hiking or spa activity you plan to do.

End of August and September are the best times for sunny weather.

Most restaurants, including small cafes, have seafood; try Portuguese wine, including Pico wine which is pricier.

For spots like Caldeira Velha and Poça da Dona Beija, go in the morning due to waiting times.

A car is pretty much necessary on São Miguel because the island is big; at minimum a bicycle is needed to see much.

Most rental cars are manual transmission, which could be a problem for those who drive automatics.

Miradouro do Pesqueiro is a beautiful spot for a low-maintenance ceremony with cliffs and ocean.

Go to major hikes and attractions early before 8am to avoid crowds; trailheads get busy by 11am.

For Furnas, have lunch at Queijaria Furnense, then stroll to Terra Nostra Gardens.

Hike from Lomba de Sao Pedro starting at the church; it's varied, interesting, and not crowded.

Book a car in advance; some travelers booked twice from different companies.

Be careful in towns with 'grotas' (volcanic crevices); drive under 40 km/h due to twists, blind corners, and pedestrians on narrow sidewalks.

Ferraria hot spring: wear easy slippers/sandals as rocks are slippery; go late in the day at low tide for warm water.

Alamo rental for 8 days from the airport was found for $100, which is justifiable for the freedom it provides.

Hostel accommodation for 8 nights can cost about $260, compared to $500 for an entire apartment.

8 days in São Miguel is a lot; consider splitting time between São Miguel and another island like Pico or Faial.

There is generally 1 bus a day that goes out in the morning and comes back in the evening; there might be some others depending on where you are on the island but not a lot.

Taxi costs worked out about 1 euro for every minute you were in the car; for example, on Pico 40 euros would get you across most of the island and on São Miguel about half way.

Take the first bus out in the morning to get to most hike start locations, then arrange a taxi to pick you up at the end of your hike.

Rent a car from Wonder Island; about €140 for 4 days, reported by a user

Renting a car is almost impossible to see the best hidden spots without one

Pack layers; you can experience all four seasons in one hour

Airport can have multiple days of delays due to continuous bad weather

Sete Cidades can be covered in fog

Try the local cheese and pineapples

Pineapples in São Miguel are unreal

For breakfast, Farm House offers a nice brunch

Armazéns do Congumbreiro and Confeitaria a Colmeia are nice for breakfast

At Confeitaria a Colmeia, get a nata; they are the best on the island

For fish dinner, try Borda d'Água or Bar a Caloura outside Ponta Delgada, or O Bom Pesqueiro in Ponta Delgada

For meat, try steak 'à regional' at Aliança in Ponta Delgada or Associação Agrícola outside Ponta Delgada

Try caldera stew (cozido das Furnas); it has a weird, sulphury taste

Hike to Boca do Inferno viewpoint from Lagoa do Canário

Hike to Lagoa do Congro

Lagoa do Fogo is one of the favorite hiking spots

Go when hydrangeas are in bloom; every road and park is filled with purple, blue, and white hydrangeas

Book 10 days at São Miguel to take your time, which is more than the average tourist stay

Flights from Lisbon to Ponta Delgada cost €300-400 after Ryanair left, reported by a user

Travel costs have more than doubled compared to a few years ago, reported by a user

Building a hotel where visibility is null led to abandonment in the early 90s, just 2 years after inauguration

Stay in Ponta Delgada and rent a car to see everything, or split locations to park and relax after driving

Sete Cidades is about a 25-minute drive from the airport

Visit Chá Gorreana tea plantation for a tour and tasting

Check out hot springs and lava tubes; lava tubes are caves made from lava you can walk into

Rent a car to hop around the islands; a user asked if it is easy to hop around the islands with a car.

Three days is too short; the poster regretted staying for just 3 days.

Weather was sunny/cloudy with no rain during one user's visit.

Negative experiences like fog and stranded flights are more likely to be shared than positive ones, so don't be deterred by them.

The island was not too busy at all.

Flights with SATA airlines were perfectly smooth and on time.

There is a four hour direct flight from Boston and it is relatively inexpensive.

There are flights from Boston to the Azores.

A user was building a Google map for a July trip.

A user visited in August and found the island beautiful.

A user spent a week there on holiday last year.

A user did a 2 week trip with the family and had an amazing time with perfect weather.

Treetop Adventures in Furnas was very enjoyable and cheap; good for zip lines, family run, amazing scenery.

ATV ride up to Sete Cidades was a blast.

Boat ride along the northern coast from Rabo de Peixe to see caves and rock formations.

Restaurant O Grelhador is amazing; the chicken was some of the best.

Furnas for the hot springs.

Hiked to a peak at Lagoa do Fogo for sunset.

A user asked for tips for using a drone in the area.

Monte Palace Hotel is closed but hundreds of people visit daily; entry is easily made from the side of the main gate.

Locals reportedly stole everything left in the abandoned Monte Palace Hotel, including the elevator box.

Cement pads were added to Ferraria, making it more organized; before you had to watch your step for slippery moss or crabs.

There are cats at many of the Miradouro.

In the bigger towns, there is a festival/parade every weekend.

The Azores are relatively inexpensive (reported by a user).

Rent a small car; roads are narrow and tight, especially on side streets and on Flores.

Consider getting tires and rims coverage or take photos of tires and rims at rental time to avoid a €100 charge for a new rim.

Rent a car from day one to explore the island.

Weather changes quickly; check webcams before heading to viewpoints like Sete Cidades, as it may be cloudy there but sunny elsewhere.

Out of 14 days, only about three or four were truly sunny; fog can be thick and limit visibility at high viewpoints.

Use maps.me app with offline Azores map; it shows small paths not on Google Maps.

Budget about €100-150 per day for food, gas, and activities (excluding hotel).

No need for a local SIM card; almost all restaurants offer Wi-Fi and there's free Wi-Fi in Ponta Delgada.

Items that came in handy: rain jacket (bring one for hiking and a nice one for restaurants), water shoes, trail/hiking shoes, backpack, black bathing suit for hot springs, waterproof phone case, and clothes you can layer.

Go to Furnas and enjoy the hot springs on an overcast day; it’s less busy and the cool rain feels nice when you are in the water.

Use Spot Azores to check the weather cams in the places you want to visit.

Be prepared for flight delays/cancellations and plan accordingly; flights can be delayed by fog for hours and then canceled.

SATA gave a voucher for a taxi to and from the airport, a dinner voucher, and 80€ for hotel when a flight was canceled.