Our favourite viewpoint: Miradouro da Boca do Inferno

When guests ask us what they absolutely must not miss on São Miguel, the answer is always the same: the Miradouro da Boca do Inferno. The name — “mouth of hell” — sounds far more dramatic than it feels. What awaits you at the top is quite the opposite: arguably the most beautiful view on the whole island.

From the rocky ledge you look straight down onto the emerald-green Lagoa de Santiago, resting in its own small crater, and beyond it the huge caldera of Sete Cidades opens up, with the shimmering blue Lagoa Azul and the little village on its shore. Green crater walls, lakes in different colours, the Atlantic behind — you won’t get more Azores in a single view.

How to get there

From Casa de Sonho it’s about a 20-minute drive — the viewpoint is practically around the corner from us, on the road along the crater rim of Sete Cidades. Park at the small car park at Lagoa do Canário (just type “Miradouro da Boca do Inferno” into Google Maps). From there a wide forest track leads through cedars and hydrangeas, and the last stretch climbs a few steps up to the ledge. It’s only about 15 minutes on foot in total — normal walking shoes are perfectly fine.

Our tips

• Come early. The light is at its best in the morning and you’ll often have the spot almost to yourself. From midday onwards it gets busier — the place is famous for a reason.
• Check the weather. The crater rim likes to sit in the clouds even when the sun is shining down in Mosteiros. If you see blue sky over the mountains from the house in the morning: go! A quick look at the spotazores.com webcams helps too.
• Combine it. Lagoa do Canário and the Miradouro da Vista do Rei are on the same route — and afterwards you can drive down into Sete Cidades and stroll along the very lakeshore you were just looking down on.

The photo above is from our last visit, by the way — and yes, it really does look exactly like that.

If you’d like to experience Boca do Inferno yourself: the calendar shows you when the house is free.

Frank, Bärbel, Maren & Simon