Azores Hot Springs: Terra Nostra, Dona Beija and More

São Miguel’s volcanic ground gives you plenty of places to soak in hot water, from a huge orange pool in an 18th-century garden to a hot spring that runs into the Atlantic. Prices, booking rules and opening hours vary a lot, so here’s how they compare in 2026.

Quick answer: for a first visit, pick Terra Nostra Park in Furnas (€17, a big iron-rich pool in a botanical garden) or Poça da Dona Beija (from €12, small hot pools open until late). Caldeira Velha (€10) suits nature lovers and pairs with Lagoa do Fogo. Ponta da Ferraria is free but depends on the tide. Book the paid pools online in summer, and wear a dark swimsuit.

The hot springs at a glance

Place	Price (2026)	Setting	Best for
Terra Nostra Park, Furnas	€17 adults, €14.50 ages 6–17 and over-65s	Big pool and two jacuzzis in a garden	Gardens, families
Poça da Dona Beija, Furnas	€12, or €16 from 6pm	Small pools beside a stream	An evening soak
Caldeira Velha, Ribeira Grande	€10 with bathing, €3 walk only	Forest pools, warm waterfall	Nature lovers
Ponta da Ferraria, Ginetes	Free	Hot spring in a sea inlet	Confident swimmers, calm days
Termas do Carapacho, Graciosa	Depends on treatment	Small seaside spa	A Graciosa trip

Terra Nostra Park (Furnas)

The best known and the biggest. The large pool, stained orange-brown by iron, is fed by spouts at about 42°C and cools to around 36°C further out. Two smaller jacuzzis stay at about 39 to 40°C. The pool closed for renovation in October 2024 and reopened in April 2025, so ignore older reports that it’s shut.

• Tickets: €17 for adults, €14.50 for ages 6 to 17 and over-65s, or €57 for two adults and two children. Tickets are for a set date (no time slot) and go on sale online 15 days ahead.
• Hours: daily 10:30am to 4:30pm, last entry 30 minutes before closing, pools included. Closed 25 December.
• Facilities: free changing rooms with showers, plus lockers. Guests at the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel can use the pools 24 hours a day (see São Miguel hotels).

Allow at least two hours, including the garden.

Poça da Dona Beija (Furnas)

Four small stone pools at about 39°C sit beside a stream in a fern-filled gully on the edge of the village. It’s lit up after dark.

• Tickets: €12 until 5:30pm, €16 from 6pm (€10 and €14 for ages 2 to 6, under-2s free). Online only, with no changes or refunds.
• Hours: daily 8:30am to 11pm. Last entry is 9:30pm, the pools close at 10:30pm, and each ticket allows up to 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Extras: lockers cost €2 and towels €4, each with a €20 cash deposit, but the site has warned that towel hire is temporarily unavailable, so bring your own.

Caldeira Velha (near Ribeira Grande)

A protected natural monument in the forest below Lagoa do Fogo, run by the Azores Natural Parks service. A warm waterfall pours into the main pool, and smaller, hotter pools sit lower down among giant ferns.

• Tickets: €10 with bathing for adults, €5 for ages 7 to 14 and over-65s. Walk only is €3, and under-7s go free.
• Time slots: 90-minute blocks from 9am, with up to 100 people in the pools. Dates can’t be changed, and refunds only apply if the site closes.
• Hours: 9am to 8:30pm from May to September, to 6:30pm in April and October, and to 5pm from November to March.

Its car park has been one end of the summer shuttle to Lagoa do Fogo. In 2025 the shuttle ran from mid-June to 30 September for about €5 online, while in 2026 it reportedly started in August with a higher fare paid on board, so check first. Carry on to the Gorreana tea plantation afterwards.

Ponta da Ferraria (Ginetes)

On the far west coast, a hot spring flows into a rocky inlet of the sea. Bathing is free, and ropes are usually strung across the pool to hold on to. Around low tide it’s warmest, while at high tide or in a swell it’s cooler and can be dangerous. Don’t count on a lifeguard, and stay out if waves break into the pool. Combine it with Sete Cidades.

A landslide on 15 September 2025 blocked the road down. It reopened to cars on 20 May 2026 with single-lane traffic lights, and more slope works are planned, so check before you go. The Termas da Ferraria spa building has closed for good, and the regional government plans a new concession, with no reopening date.

Caldeiras: hot springs you don’t bathe in

• Furnas village: boiling springs and steam vents among the houses, free.
• Lagoa das Furnas: the fumaroles where cozido pots are buried. Non-residents pay about €3.
• Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande: fumaroles in a small valley above the town, also used for cozido.

This water is far too hot to touch, so stay on the paths. Beside the Ribeira Grande fumaroles, the small Termas das Caldeiras bathhouse reopened in 2016 with warm pools and treatments, and usually opens into the evening. Check prices locally.

Other islands

Graciosa’s Termas do Carapacho is a small seaside spa with warm mineral water, offering baths and treatments rather than an open pool, so phone ahead. See Graciosa. On Faial, the old Varadouro spa is closed to the public.

Practical tips

• Swimwear: the iron stains light fabrics, so wear an old, dark swimsuit and wash it before it dries.
• Hair and jewellery: blonde or dyed hair can change colour, so wear a shower cap, and take off silver and gold.
• Health: Terra Nostra says to stay in no more than 30 minutes at a time, and advises against bathing with heart problems or high blood pressure. Both Furnas parks tell pregnant women and anyone with a health condition to ask a doctor first, and Dona Beija warns the water lowers blood pressure. Supervise children and keep their soaks short (see the Azores with kids).
• Crowds: go when Terra Nostra opens, take Caldeira Velha’s 9am slot, or visit Dona Beija in the morning, when it’s also cheaper.
• Rainy days: the pools are warm all year, a good plan when cloud hides the lakes or the sea is too rough for whale watching. Pools can close in storms or after water tests (Terra Nostra and Dona Beija shut for about two weeks in summer 2024). See the best time to visit.

A Furnas day with cozido

Arrive at Terra Nostra at 10:30am, reach the lake by midday to see the cozido pots lifted, eat cozido in the village (book ahead), then finish with an evening soak at Dona Beija. See the Furnas guide.

Prefer not to drive? The parks sell their own tickets online, which is the cheapest way in. A day trip saves you the winding roads, and many include a cozido lunch, but check whether pool entry is included. See Furnas tours.

FAQ

Which is the best hot spring on São Miguel?

Terra Nostra Park, for its big pool and garden. Choose Dona Beija for an evening soak, or Caldeira Velha for a forest setting.

Do you need to book the Azores hot springs?

Yes, in summer. Dona Beija sells online only, Caldeira Velha’s time slots sell out, and Terra Nostra sells dated tickets online 15 days ahead.

Is Ponta da Ferraria free?

Yes. The road reopened in May 2026 after a landslide, but the spa building has closed for good, and conditions depend on the tide.

How long can you stay in the hot springs?

Terra Nostra advises no more than 30 minutes at a time in the water. Dona Beija and Caldeira Velha tickets each cover up to 90 minutes.

More: the São Miguel itinerary and Lagoa do Fogo.

See also: the Azores travel guide, things to do in Ponta Delgada and the Furnas guide.

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