Dusky volcanic sands, dramatic volcanic rock formations, and pocket-sized pebbly bays make the beaches in the Azores some of Europe’s most distinctive, wild, and rugged.
On São Miguel, the archipelago’s largest island, there’s a bounty of blissful bays, beaches, and bathing spots to suit all tastes. From exposed and surf-pounded shores ripe for wave riding in the north to western waters warmed by geothermal activity and castaway islets in the south, you can take your pick from plenty along the varied craggy coastline.
But the Azores beaches aren’t the only reason to pack your towel. Ocean-facing swimming spots carved by waves into lava and rock, hot springs, and lake-hugging sands hemmed by forest all make Portugal’s Atlantic Ocean archipelago unforgettable.
Ilhéu de Vila Franca
Ilhéu de Vila Franca
Less than one mile off São Miguel’s scenic southern coastline, the near-circular and scenic Vila Franca Islet boasts one of the most unique Azores beaches.
Reached via a short boat ride, the protected islet is, in fact, the crater of an extinct underwater volcano. Once you’ve set foot on the island, you’ll feel like a true castaway, as there are limited signs of the modern world other than the main island looming in the distance.
What Ilhéu de Vila Franca lacks in size is more than compensated for by its extraordinary stature and easy-access snorkeling. The water inside the cone-shaped, inner lagoon-like swimming zone is fairly shallow and calm, and the backdrop of rocks provides particularly striking photos.
For the best beach experience, come at low tide, when a small, crescent shape of sand appears. At all other times, you’ll need to set your towel on the rocky outcrops.
Praia de Água d’Alto
Praia de Água d’Alto
For a double dose of beaches in the Azores, Praia de Água d’Alto’s sands are perfect. The pequena, or small and grande, or large beaches are just moments away from each other, affording two different beach experiences in one visit.
Surprisingly, the smaller of the two, a wind-sheltered bay framed by verdant hills, can often be quieter than its neighbor.
With shower facilities, a small beach bar serving cocktails and local Especial beers, and squeaky clean waters, it’s ideal for whiling away a few sun-kissed hours.
When lunchtime rolls around, amble over to the restaurant mid-way along Praia de Água d’Alto Grande, where you’ll find a typically seafood-focused snack menu. Order the island’s signature dish, lapas grelhadas, or grilled limpets, served simmering on a steaming-hot metal plate coated in garlic oil and enjoy the views. This is island time at its best.
Read: The Ultimate Azores Food Guide
Praia do Areal de Santa Bárbara
Praia do Areal de Santa Bárbara
Whether you’re seeking serious swell or simply want to experience the Azores beaches at their elemental best, this swathe of silvery sand on São Miguel’s north coast is sure to delight.
Accessed by a narrow ramp where there are a couple of bathrooms and beach bars, their periodically spray-showered terraces ideal for lunch or a cooling cocktail, the well-equipped beach retains an aura of Azorean remoteness as it widens.
Snuggle into the sun-baked dark sands at the far end, backed by grassy cliffs and soundtracked by growling waves, and you’ll feel blissfully far from home.
Praia do Areal de Santa Bárbara
While the waters can be a little turbulent for swimming at times, seasonal lifeguards provide a watchful eye. There’s also plenty of space for sunbathing and watching bodyboarders riding the waves.
If the surf calls your name, swing by the Azores Surf Centre to rent a board or book a lesson. With expert instructors who are more than familiar with the Atlantic Ocean, you’ll be in good hands to try and master the basics and hopefully catch a wave or two.
Praia do Fogo
Praia do Fogo
Introduce yourself to the Azores’ famed therapeutic waters, usually found inland in the thermal pools, by heading to Praia do Fogo, literally the “fire beach”, and dig your feet into the sand.
Hydrothermal vents hidden below bring volcanic warmth and if you wiggle your toes deep enough, you’ll start to feel the temperatures rise slightly. The slightly warmer waters also make it one of the most inviting places for taking a dip.
Unique sunbathing aside, Praia do Fogo is as fetching as it is fiery. Backed by soaring cliffs and set in a crescent-shaped bay, this is one of the Azores’ prettiest beaches. And with the teeny village of Ribeira Quente and its handful of local restaurants alongside, it’s uncomplicated to spend the full day flitting between sunbathing, seafood, and swimming.
Praia dos Mosteiros
Praia dos Mosteiros
On the cinematic west coast of São Miguel, Praia dos Mosteiros is blessed with a striking vantage point of Ilhéu dos Mosteiros, a clutch of greenery-capped sea stacks rising from the cerulean Atlantic Ocean.
Settle into the dark volcanic sands and you’ll have a prime view while lapping up the waves and vibes of this locally beloved and low-key beach. If the surf is breaking, as it often is, the panorama of borders adds to the spectacle.
After topping up your tan, it’s only a short coastal stroll to reach the Piscinas Naturais Caneiros, a spectacular natural swimming spot carved by Mother Nature. A pool ladder provides easy access for a mind-detoxing dip.
Between the beach and rocky swimming area, the small village of Mosteiros provides a perfect retreat whenever refreshments call. There are a few restaurants and bars here including Restaurante Ilhéu, a delightful little spot with a handful of ocean-view tables and delicious grilled fish. It’s a wonderful corner of the island to while away a whole afternoon.
Praia da Pedreira
Seeking seclusion and some snorkeling? Praia da Pedreira is your perfect beach bolthole on São Miguel. Hidden away at the base of some steep cliffs, this small arc of silvery sand is sensational.
Given the beach’s remote nature, it’s fairly footprint-free. However, that also means, unlike many of the more visited beaches, that it lacks a lifeguard and is devoid of facilities. The small village of Água de Alto above has a few cafés.
Once you’ve descended a couple of hundred steps and the sloping pathway, you’ll be glad for no music-playing bars or interruptions. Calm and soundtracked by gently rolling waves, this bay is the Azores at its most therapeutic.
Pack a picnic, your mask, and snorkel. When the beach is devoid of seaweed, the clear waters often allow for underwater sightings or marine life.
Praia das Milicias
Praia das Milicias
As the closest proper beach to Ponta Delgada, Praia das Milicias, also known as Praia Grande, provides an easy-to-access and often family-frequented swimming spot on the island’s south.
Considered one of the best beaches in the Azores for a full-day outing, the sun-kissed sands are forever popular, thanks to the selection of cafés and restaurants a few moments away. Facilities here include showers and seasonal lifeguards.
Yet, while Milicias’ proximity to the Portuguese beach town of Ponta Delgada keeps it busy, the beach’s size ensures it rarely overflows. If it does, there’s a second beach, Praia do Pópulo, a brief coastal amble away.
Praia do Pópulo
Praia do Pópulo
Praia do Pópulo serves as the secondary section of Praia Grande. It’s reached by crossing the stumpy headland from Praia das Milicias, passing the ruins of Forte de São Caetano, built to defend the island against pirates, en route.
The smaller of the pair, sharing many similarities and facilities, is the most appealing option for lunch, thanks to Sunset Beach Restaurant & Bar’s uninterrupted ocean views. With a terrace directly overlooking the volcanic sands, this is an excellent location to enjoy seafood, snacks, or simply a gin and tonic made with the Azores’ own Baleia Gin.
Praia da Lagoa do Fogo
Praia da Lagoa do Fogo
Not all Azores beaches are lapped by Atlantic waves, and inland, the sandy lake beach of Praia da Lagoa do Fogo provides a much more wind-protected sunbathing destination.
Fronted by Lagoa do Fogo, the second largest lake on São Miguel, and flanked by dense forests, the tracks and trails to the beautiful lake, located in an official Nature Reserve, make reaching the beach even more memorable.
Pretty as the waterside setting may be, this isn’t a swimming spot. Translated as “Fire Lake”, the clue is in the title; it’s the collapsed caldera of a volcano. But while swimming is banned, the shoreline is one of the Azores’ most picturesque settings to settle down on a towel, enjoy a picnic, and catch some rays while reading a book.
Ponta da Ferraria
Ponta da Ferraria
At first glance, Ponta da Ferraria seems no more special than any other random stretch of the Azores rugged coastline. Yet while there’s little to distinguish this swimming bay at eye-level, below water, its special asset is bubbling away.
Heated by hot springs, especially at low tide, the open-sided natural pool area could be considered something of a Mother Nature-powered hot tub.
You’ll need a little balance and the support of a weathered rope to climb into the ocean, but once you’ve splashed around and found one of the warm bubbling streams of water, you’ll be glad you made the detour.
This is one of the least polished Azores beaches, so it’s advisable to bring water shoes for comfort. Prefer your heated waters with a little less effort? Seek out the artificial and more spa-like Termas da Ferraria near the car park.
Praia dos Moinhos
Praia dos Moinhos
Characterized by wild waves and volcanic sands, Praia dos Moinhos remains one of the more overlooked and underappreciated Azores beaches.
After descending from the greenery-clad cliffs scattered with whitewashed and stone homes, you’ll be greeted by a gorgeous half-moon bay. And while Moinhos isn’t as famous as other bathing spots, the silky sands, seasonal lifeguards, and calmer summer waters make it a serene setting for a swim.
For a more unusual swimming experience, take the trail away from the beach, passing by the car park until you reach the Cascata do Limbo. In less than 10 minutes, you’ll pass the signature hydrangeas of the island on a shaded track before arriving at the trickling waterfall and its miniature swimming pool.
Poça da Dona Beija
Poça da Dona Beija
While the Azores geothermal pools and hot springs aren’t your typical beaches, you can’t visit São Miguel without taking a dip in the wonderfully warm waters that give the largest island the edge over the other eight of the archipelago.
One of the most popular of these is Poça da Dona Beija, a collection of thermal baths in Funas, the center of São Miguel’s geothermal activity, where the temperatures are controlled at a steady 102°F.
Inside the complex, you can relax, rejuvenate, and unwind in a handful of thermal pools, soundtracked by trickling waterfalls in a tranquil, almost jungle-like setting.
Praia da Vinha da Areia
Praia da Vinha da Areia
After exploring the fishing town of Vila Franca do Campo, slip away to central Praia Vinha da Areia for two different places to splash around.
This beach is home to São Miguel’s only water park overlooking the sea, with half a dozen slides and pools. The boat ride to nearby Ilhéu de Vila Franca, which departs from nearby, offers a different type of adventure.
So do both. Head across to Ilhéu de Vila Franca and then return to Praia da Vinha da Areia, a wide, shallow wedge of volcanic sand, to play on the slides. It’s also one of the few places in the Azores where you can find ocean kayak rentals, courtesy of Kayak Azores near the harbor.
Piscinas Naturais de Santo António
Another of São Miguel’s typical natural swimming pools, the circular-shaped Piscinas Naturais de Santo António is found on the island’s west coast.
Wider and more windswept than most southern bathing spots, the spray-splashed waters are fully separated from the ocean by a wrap-around walkway. You can lay your towel here, although it’s not especially comfortable.
The main reason to visit here is the fact that you’re located near the short, scenic, and sometimes steep PR 17 walking trail, so there’s plenty of reason to stay on your feet. The route hugs the coast and abandoned fishing buildings before looping past the village, making the trail an excellent starting point before relishing the natural pools as a refreshing post-hike dip.
Praia do Lombo Gordo
Praia do Lombo Gordo
As one of the hardest-to-access Azores beaches, Praia do Lombo Gordo isn’t for the faint-hearted, nor those who suffer vertigo.
Reachable by descending dirt-track slopes and steep stairs, the bay is a magnet for hikers eager to stretch their legs before cooling down in the refreshing and wave-whipped waters.
Once you’ve reached the bottom, though, you’ll be glad to have taken on the challenge. Cocooned by soaring cliffs clad with vegetation, the pocket-sized black sand beach is a tranquil hideaway that epitomizes the Azores’ Eden-like lifestyle.
Read: Most Beautiful Places in Portugal
Ponta Delgada
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