Driving on São Miguel: car hire, roads, fuel and the rules

If you want Sete Cidades, Furnas and the northeast in one trip, and on your own timetable, hire a car. São Miguel's buses cover Ponta Delgada, the north coast and Furnas, but the crater viewpoints, most trailheads and the far east are hard to reach without one. The island is small and its expressways charge no tolls. What catches drivers out is fog on the high roads, the narrow streets of the villages, and a lake road that closes to hire cars in summer.

If you only plan to stay in Ponta Delgada and take one or two tours, you can skip the car. Our guide to getting around São Miguel without a car covers the buses and taxis.

The airport is about 3 km by road from the centre of Ponta Delgada. That makes it easy to land, take a taxi into town, and collect the car only on the day you need it.

You can spend the first day or two in Ponta Delgada on foot and hire the car only for the days you go west to Sete Cidades and east to Furnas and Nordeste. In the old town a car is mainly something to park, and you pay for every day it stands still.

Drivers with an EU or EEA licence drive on it as at home. For other licences, Portugal's transport authority IMT allows visitors to drive on a foreign licence for up to 185 days from the day after arrival, provided the issuing country has an agreement with Portugal or has signed one of the international road traffic conventions. IMT publishes both country lists. If your licence is not in the Latin alphabet, ask the rental company in advance whether they also want an International Driving Permit.

The backbone is a network of expressways of about 94 km, built as a public-private concession and open since 2011. They link Ponta Delgada and Vila Franca do Campo with Nordeste in the far east, and drivers pay no tolls on them. With them, the island feels smaller by car than it looks on the map.

Off the expressways the roads are a different matter. Regional roads wind through one village after another, often with houses right up to the edge of the road, and the crater roads up to Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo climb into cloud. The official tourism portal warns that rain and fog can reduce visibility at the viewpoints, and the same is true of the roads leading to them. Drive up in the morning if you can, and turn back if the cloud is down. The view will be gone anyway.

By road, Ponta Delgada is about 19 km from Ribeira Grande, 26 km from Sete Cidades, 43 km from Furnas and 58 km from Nordeste. Furnas to Sete Cidades, end to end, is about 69 km. Those are short distances, but on the old roads in the east the average speed drops. Our article on Nordeste and Povoação gives realistic times for that side of the island.

The Azores follow the Portuguese highway code. According to the EU's Your Europe portal (last checked in 2024):

• Speed limits for cars are 50 km/h in towns, 90 km/h outside them and 100 to 120 km/h on expressways and motorways, as signed.
• The blood alcohol limit is 0.5 g/l, and 0.2 g/l for drivers in their first years and for professional drivers.
• Seat belts are compulsory in every seat, and children need a child seat.
• A phone may only be used hands-free.
• A reflective vest and a warning triangle must be in the car. Check that the rental car has both before you leave the car park.

In the Azores the regional government sets a maximum price for fuel, revised at the start of each month. From 1 October 2026 the maximum was €1.924 a litre for 95 petrol and €1.939 for diesel. Prices move every month, so treat these as a guide.

If you hire an electric car, note that public chargers in the Azores are on Portugal's MOBI.E network, and by 2023 every municipality had at least one. Ask the rental company which card or app works with their car.

During the summer shuttle season, the road up to Lagoa do Fogo between Caldeira Velha and Casa da Água is closed to hire cars. In 2026 the season ran from 1 August to 30 September, from 9:00 to 20:00, and only tour operators, taxis and residents could drive up. Visitors leave the car at one of the free car parks, 101 spaces at Caldeira Velha above Ribeira Grande and 60 at Casa da Água on the Lagoa side, and take the shuttle, €8 for an adult. The dates change from year to year, so check before you plan the day. Our guide to Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo has the details of both lines.

In central Ponta Delgada the old-town streets are narrow and parking takes patience. Read the signs, and for a longer stop use the underground car park under the seafront avenue rather than circling the old town. If your hotel is in the centre, ask before you book whether it has parking. Our guide to where to stay on São Miguel compares the bases.

At the popular viewpoints and hot springs, arriving early gives you the best chance of a space.

Do I need a car on São Miguel?

Not for Ponta Delgada and Furnas, which you can reach by bus. For the Sete Cidades rim, the northeast and most trailheads, a car or a taxi makes the day far easier.

Are there tolls on São Miguel?

No. The island's expressways, about 94 km of them, are free for drivers.

How much is fuel in the Azores?

From 1 October 2026 the regulated maximum was €1.924 a litre for 95 petrol and €1.939 for diesel. The price is revised every month.

Can I drive to Lagoa do Fogo?

Outside the summer shuttle season, yes. During it (1 August to 30 September in 2026) the road is closed to hire cars and you take the €8 shuttle from Caldeira Velha or Casa da Água.