Lined with many impressive churches, convents and trim white houses, the
cobbled streets of the Azorean capital recall the wealthy days when the port
was a crucial staging post between Europe and the New World. Its hub is the
arcaded Praça de Gonçalo Velho Cabral, named after the first governor of the
island in 1444, which looks out onto the seafront. It is dominated by three
imposing arches, dating from 1783, that once marked the entrance to the
city. To the north, in Largo da Matriz, stands the parish church of São Sebastião . Founded in 1533 it has a graceful Manueline
portal intricately carved in limestone. The sacristy is decorated with azulejo  panels and beautiful 17th-century furniture made
of jacaranda wood from Brazil.

A short walk west lies the Praça 5 de Outubro, a shaded, tree-lined square
overlooked by the Forte de São Brás . This Renaissance
fortress, built on a spur overlooking the sea, was greatly restored in the
19th century. Also on the square, the immense Convento da
Esperança  becomes the focus of intense festivities when the city
celebrates the festival of Santo Cristo dos Milagres on the fifth Sunday
after Easter. A statue of Christ, wearing a red robe decorated with
sumptuous diamond and gold ornaments, leads the procession through the
streets. The statue can be seen in the lower church along with other
religious treasures, including reliquaries and jewels. Colourful tiles,
dating from the 18th century, by António de Oliveira Bernardes decorate the
choir.

The principal museum in the Azores, the Museu Carlos
Machado , occupies the former monastery of Santo André. Its exhibits
reflect the fishing and farming industries that have ruled life on the
islands. Of particular interest are the paintings by Domingos Rebelo
(1891–1975) showing scenes of Azorean life. The natural history wing is
packed with an encyclopedic array of stuffed animals, varnished fish,
skeletons and a large relief model of the island.

The northwest of São Miguel is punctured by a giant volcanic crater, Caldeira das Sete Cidades , with a 12-km (7-mile)
circumference. In places its sheer walls drop like green curtains for 300 m
(1,000 ft). When not obscured by cloud, the crater is best seen from the
viewpoint of Vista do Rei  from where a walk leads west
around its rim. The crater floor contains the small village of Sete Cidades
and six dark green lakes. The crater is believed to have been formed in the
1440s when an eruption destroyed the volcanic peak that had formed the
western part of the island. In contrast to the lush vegetation that covers
the crater now, the first settlers described the area as a burnt-out
shell.

The main town on the north coast, Ribeira Grande  has a
small Casa da Cultura  (cultural centre) housed in the
restored 17th-century Solar de São Vicente. Azulejos  from
the 16th to 20th century are on display and in other rooms the crafts and
rural lifestyle of the islanders are recorded, including a period barber’s
shop rescued from Ponta Delgada.

The Lagoa do Fogo , “Lake of Fire”, was formed in the
island’s central mountains by a volcanic eruption in 1563. On sunny days its
remote sandy beach is a tranquil picnic spot.

Further east, the spa resort of Furnas  is the perfect place
to admire the geothermal activity taking place beneath the surface of the
Azores. Scattered around the town are the Caldeiras das
Furnas  where visitors will see the hot bubbling springs that
provide the therapeutic mud and mineral water used for the spa’s treatments.
In the 18th century, Thomas Hickling, a prosperous merchant from Boston,
laid out gardens in Furnas which have now grown into the glorious Parque Terra Nostra . Covering 12 ha (30 acres), the
gardens have a rich collection of mature trees and plants, including
hibiscus and hydrangeas, as well as a bizarre swimming pool with warm,
mustard-coloured water.

The volcanic ground on the northern shores of the Lagoa das
Furnas , 4 km (2 miles) south, is so hot the islanders come here to
cook cozido . The rich meat and vegetable stew is cooked
underground for up to six hours.

The far east of São Miguel is a beautiful area of deep valleys. Two
immaculately kept viewpoints, Miradouro do Sossego  and Miradouro da Madrugada , have fine gardens – the latter is
a popular spot for watching the sunrise.