SPAS OF THE AZORES

SPAS OF THE AZORES

With the arrival of autumn and lower temperatures in the Azores, the natural thermal springs with their hot waters become more attractive places.
São Miguel is the Azorean island that gives us the unique opportunity to take hot baths in springs and thermal pools. Geologically speaking, São Miguel has three active volcanic complexes: Furnas, Fogo and Sete Cidades. In each of them there are several hot springs with incredible scenery that have iron and other mineral content, which allows the orange colour of the waters.

The thermal areas on this island are:
-Termas da Ferraria, located in the western part of the island, more precisely in the parish of Ginetes, municipality of Ponta Delgada, where it is possible to bathe in hot water and sea water, which is heated by underwater thermal springs. The temperature of the water can reach 30 gruaus and depends a lot on the tides, because if the tide is low, the water is warmer. Admission is free.
In the municipality of Ribeira Grande we can find two places to take a bath in hot springs:
-Natural Monument of Caldeira Velha, it is part of the Volcanic Complex of Fogo, it is located near Lagoa do Fogo. At Caldeira Velha, the hot springs emerge from the middle of the rocks, through a cascade of hot water and are surrounded by immense vegetation.
-Caldeiras das Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande Spa: which has an indoor and outdoor pool and massage treatments.
In Furnas we have the Poça da Dona Beija and Parque Terra Nostra which are two magnificent places to take a bath in the iron waters.
Poça da Dona Beija is a set of open-air pools, with different water temperatures, between 25 and 39 degrees.
-Terra Nostra Park, is a beautiful botanical garden with plants from all over the world, which has a huge thermal water tank, built in 1780 by Thomas Hickling, the American consul who idealised Terra Nostra Park.

Any of these places are great to go in winter, with the low temperatures, which are not noticeable with the high temperatures of the thermal baths, as well as being beneficial to health.