avrextravel.com

After a relaxing soak, visit the adjacent wood-sided building which compliments the beautiful forested landscape to learn about area’s volcanic story. The exhibits explain the volcanic formation of the Azores islands concentrating on the local area and nearby Fogo Volcano. Learn about the recognition of the Azore islands as a UNESCO Geopark, the Caldeira Velha Natural Monument, Serra de Água de Pau Protected Area and the Fogo Lake Nature Reserve. Found on the north side of the Fogo volcano, the protected area is a steep-sided river valley about 500 metres deep by 300 metres wide.

Scenic Lagoa do Fogo, in central Sao Miguel Azores, is nestled within a deep, lushly-vegetated volcanic caldera. Hike to the Beach Walk the short path down to the western edge of the lake from the Miradouro da Lagoa do Fogo Viewpoint. This area offers great views of the whole Serra de Água de Pau Protected Area, Fogo Lake and even the north coast of São Miguel. This energy also heats the ground water producing the secondary volcanic features of hot springs and fumeroles enjoyed at Caldera Velha Natural Monument and Termas das Caldeiras.

Tourists flock to Sao Miguel’s Sete Cidades to see its beautiful twin green and blue lakes. The best rooms were on the north side with views of the Sete Cidades caldeira and the lakes. To make the tour complete, I made my way to the rooftop for another glorious view of Sete Cidades. The Monte Palace Hotel ruins are on the island of Sao Miguel in the Azores.

The lake is actually two lagoons, called Green Lake (Lagoa Verde) and Blue Lake (Lagoa Azul), linked by a shallow channel. Look down into the Sete Cidades Crater to Sete Cidades Lake, Rasa Lake, Santiago Lake and the village. The lake fills a small volcanic crater within the larger Sete Cidades Crater. Once you’ve visited the attractions at Sete Cidades Lake, leave Sete Cidades village on the main road up the west side of the crater.