Things to do in Sete Cidades

Sete Cidades sits inside a volcanic caldera on the western tip of Sao Miguel, about 45 minutes by car from Ponta Delgada. The village is built between two crater lakes, Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde, best seen from the Vista do Rei viewpoint above an abandoned hotel, or from the closer Miradouro da Grota do Inferno.

The blue-and-green contrast people photograph depends on clear light hitting the water at the right angle; on the overcast days common on this humid island, both lakes can look grey or dull green instead.

Most visitors treat Sete Cidades as a half-day loop from Ponta Delgada, combining the viewpoints with a stop in the village itself, rather than a full-day destination on its own.