Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo: viewpoints, parking, the summer shuttle and the fog

São Miguel's two famous crater lakes are both within about 20 km of Ponta Delgada, so distance is rarely the problem. Two other things decide whether the trip works: whether the crater rim is in cloud on the day you go, and, for Lagoa do Fogo, whether your date falls in the summer season when rental cars are kept off the road and you ride a shuttle instead.

Both lakes are seen from viewpoints on the rim, between roughly 540 and 780 m above the sea. When cloud sits on the rim, the view you drove up for is simply not there, even if the coast below is sunny. The official shuttle information for Lagoa do Fogo says as much: rain and fog reduce visibility at the viewpoints.

• Look at a live webcam before leaving. The SpotAzores network has cameras pointing at both Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo.
• Keep one of the two lakes as a flexible day, and go on the first clear morning.
• Have a plan B on the coast for the same day, such as the pools at Mosteiros or the hot spring at Ponta da Ferraria on the west side.

Lagoa das Sete Cidades is a twin lake inside the crater of a dormant volcano on the western third of the island. The two halves, Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul, are joined by a narrow strait with a bridge across it. Together they cover 4.35 km², reach 33 m at their deepest, and lie at 259 m above sea level, well below the rim viewpoints. The village of Sete Cidades sits on the shore inside the crater.

From Ponta Delgada, the Vista do Rei viewpoint is about 20 km by road and the village about 26 km.

This is the classic view of both lakes and the village. It takes its name from the visit of King Carlos I and Queen Amélia in 1901. There is a car park, toilets and access for people with reduced mobility, so it works for everyone in the car.

It is also the start of the PR03SMI trail, which looks into the crater almost the whole way down:

• 7.5 km, linear, graded easy, about two hours.
• It follows the south-western rim with the lakes on one side and the west coast on the other, with an optional detour to the Lomba do Vasco viewpoint above Mosteiros.
• It drops from about 544 m at the start to 266 m at the São Nicolau church in the village.
• The last stretch, down the Arrebentões track, is steep and slippery. Take proper shoes.
• Because it is one-way, arrange a lift or a taxi back up to your car before you set off.

One of the best-known viewpoints on the island is officially Miradouro da Grota do Inferno, also known as Boca do Inferno. It is in the Lagoa do Canário recreational forest, about 3 km east of Vista do Rei. From the viewpoint you look over the Rasa, Santiago and Azul lakes.

• You park near Lagoa do Canário, a small lake at 745 m surrounded by cryptomeria trees, and walk in. Walking guides put it at a little over a kilometre each way.
• The regional tourism board says the path is not difficult but does not recommend it for people with reduced mobility.
• The forest park has set visiting hours. Check them before planning a sunrise or sunset visit.

For a longer walk on this side, PR04SMI starts at Mata do Canário and follows the eastern rim down to the village, 11.7 km, graded medium. Near the start it runs along the Muro das Nove Janelas, the 1830 aqueduct that carried water to Ponta Delgada.

Lagoa do Fogo fills the crater of the Água de Pau volcano in the middle of the island. The lake is about 3 km long and 30 m deep, with its shore at 575 m, and the volcano's last eruption was in 1563. The area has been protected since 1974 and the nature reserve covers about 2,182 hectares.

The main viewpoint, Miradouro da Lagoa do Fogo, is at 776 m on the road up from the north coast. From there you see the lake and part of the north coast. It has a car park and access for people with reduced mobility, but in summer that car park is not for you.

During the shuttle season, the road between Caldeira Velha on the Ribeira Grande side and Casa da Água on the Lagoa side is closed to all vehicles except those of tour companies, travel agencies, taxis and Azores residents. That means no rental cars. The details for 2026, from the regional tourism board's shuttle page:

• Season: 1 August to 30 September 2026, 09:00 to 20:00 every day, holidays included. The page also lists a 09:00 to 18:00 timetable over Easter.
• Tickets: €8 for adults, €4 for children aged 7 to 12 and for over-65s, free for children up to 6 and for Azores residents. You buy them on the bus.
• Two circular lines with five stops. The Red Line runs from the Caldeira Velha car park to the Bela Vista viewpoint, Pico da Barrosa and the Lagoa do Fogo viewpoint. The Green Line runs from Casa da Água to Pico da Barrosa and the Lagoa do Fogo viewpoint. Each loop takes about an hour, and one ticket lets you hop off and on at any stop.
• Parking: the Caldeira Velha car park (101 spaces) and the one next to Casa da Água (60 spaces) are free. The 48-space short-term car park at the Lagoa do Fogo viewpoint is only for tour operators, taxis and residents.

The rules change from year to year. In 2025 the season ran from 15 June to 30 September and the ticket cost €5; in 2026 a new contract meant the service only started in August, at the higher price. Check the official page for your dates. Outside the shuttle season the restriction does not apply.

Starting from Caldeira Velha has one advantage: the hot springs there are right by the car park, so you can book a 90-minute bathing slot for after the ride.

The viewpoints look down on the lake, but only one certified trail reaches its south shore. PR02SMI starts by the scout park at Lagos and climbs beside the old levadas and water channels of the Ribeira da Praia: 10.2 km in total, graded medium, about four hours. The lake is a nature reserve, so stay on the marked path.

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 rental cars and you take the shuttle from the Caldeira Velha or Casa da Água car parks. Taxis and tour companies can still drive up.

How much does the Lagoa do Fogo shuttle cost?

In 2026, €8 for adults and €4 for children aged 7 to 12 and over-65s, free for children up to 6. You pay on the bus, and the ticket covers both lines for hopping on and off.

Is Boca do Inferno the same as Vista do Rei?

No. Vista do Rei is a roadside viewpoint over the twin lakes and the village, with parking right there. Boca do Inferno, officially Grota do Inferno, is about 3 km east, reached on foot from the Lagoa do Canário car park, and looks over Lagoa Azul and the smaller Rasa and Santiago lakes.

What if Sete Cidades is in fog?

Check a webcam, then either wait for it to clear or come back another day. The lakes sit in a crater below the rim, and when the rim is in cloud there is nothing to see from the viewpoints. Keep a coastal plan, such as Mosteiros or Ponta da Ferraria, for the same day.