Thermal baths in the Azores
Also spelled Açores
Hot springs on two islands of the Azores. On São Miguel, Terra Nostra Park and Poça da Dona Beija in Furnas and Caldeira Velha, a Natural Monument run by the Azores Nature Parks near Ribeira Grande, are fed by iron-rich springs, and the Octant Furnas hotel sells a thermal circuit of pools, a sauna and a steam room. The Termas das Caldeiras, a bathhouse from 1811 in the Caldeiras valley above Ribeira Grande, has stone pools of sulfurous water at about 39 °C. On Graciosa, the Termas do Carapacho fills an indoor pool from a natural spring at the island's south-east tip. Caldeira Velha and Terra Nostra ask you to shower before and after bathing, and Poça da Dona Beija sells tickets online only.
- Baths6
- Water28 to 42°
Baths in the Azores compared
Entry, swimwear rules, age limits and ticket type, side by side.
| Bath | Entry | Swimwear and rules | Age | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caldeira VelhaRibeira Grande |
| Not known yet. Official site · Know it? Tell us | none stated | Timed slots, book ahead |
| Octant Furnas Thermal CircuitFurnas |
| Not known yet. Official site · Know it? Tell us | none stated | Timed slots, book ahead |
| Poça da Dona BeijaFurnas |
| Topless and nude bathing are not allowed. Swim diapers are mandatory for babies. The operator advises washing swimwear before it dries to remove traces of iron, and a shower cap because dyed or blonde hair may change colour for good. | none stated | Timed slots, book ahead |
| Termas das Caldeiras da Ribeira GrandeRibeira Grande | Not known yet. Official site · Know it? Tell us | Not known yet. Official site · Know it? Tell us | none stated | Day ticket |
| Termas do CarapachoCarapacho | Not known yet. Official site · Know it? Tell us | Not known yet. Official site · Know it? Tell us | none stated | Day ticket |
| Terra Nostra ParkFurnas |
| Swimwear in the pool and jacuzzis only: walking around the garden in swimwear (bikini or bare chest) and nudism are not allowed. The operator recommends a dark swimsuit because the iron-rich water can stain light swimwear, and washing it promptly before it dries. | none stated | Day ticket |
Every bath in the Azores
Open all year unless the hours say otherwise.
Caldeira Velha
Hot spring, Ribeira Grande · Shower before and after the thermal pools. Do not drink the thermal water or open your eyes under it. At most 100 people in the thermal pools and 250 on site at once.
An iron-rich spring at about 32 °C pours from a fracture at the foot of a trachyte lava flow on the north side of Serra de Água de Pau, and the dam pool below the waterfall holds water at 25 to 28 °C.
Octant Furnas Thermal Circuit
Thermal bath, Furnas · Booked with the spa team; arrive 20 minutes before the booked time. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
The thermal circuit of the Octant Furnas hotel, in the Furnas valley on São Miguel, is sold as a 2h30 session on the hotel's public spa menu.
Poça da Dona Beija
Thermal bath, Furnas · Tickets online only, no refunds or changes. No swimming, jumping or diving. Bathing in the hot spring or the supply canal is not allowed. Pools are reached by steps only.
Four pools of about 39 °C beside a branch of the Ribeira dos Lameiros, fed by an iron-rich spring from the Furnas volcano.
Termas das Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande
Thermal bath, Ribeira Grande
A small thermal bathhouse built in 1811 and also known as Banhos da Coroa, in the Caldeiras valley above Ribeira Grande on São Miguel, fed by a fumarole field of the Fogo volcano.
39°Termas do Carapacho
Thermal bath, Carapacho
A thermal bathhouse on the south-east tip of Graciosa in the Azores, known for its waters since the 18th century, with an indoor pool fed by the natural Carapacho spring.
Terra Nostra Park
Thermal bath, Furnas · No diving or jumping into the pool. Stays in the pool and jacuzzis are limited to 30 minutes. Shower before and after bathing.
An iron-rich thermal pool in a garden laid out from 1783, when Thomas Hickling built a recreational tank at his Furnas summer house; the pool took its present size in the 1930s under Vasco Bensaude.
Nothing here for that filter.
Questions about the Azores
Will the Azores hot springs stain your swimsuit?
They can. The water at Terra Nostra Park, Poça da Dona Beija and Caldeira Velha comes from iron-rich springs, and Terra Nostra recommends a dark swimsuit because light ones can stain. Terra Nostra and Poça da Dona Beija both advise washing swimwear before it dries, and Poça da Dona Beija suggests a shower cap, as dyed or blonde hair may change color for good.
How hot are the hot springs in the Azores?
From about 25 °C to 42 °C, depending on the pool. At Caldeira Velha the dam pool under the waterfall holds 25 to 28 °C, while the lower pools, heated by a fumarole, reach about 38 °C. Poça da Dona Beija's four pools and the stone pools of the Termas das Caldeiras are around 39 °C, and Terra Nostra's pool runs at 36 to 42 °C, with jacuzzis at 39 to 40 °C.
What are the pool rules at the Furnas hot springs?
No diving or jumping at Terra Nostra Park or Poça da Dona Beija. Poça da Dona Beija also bans swimming, and bathing in the hot spring itself or the supply canal. Terra Nostra Park limits each stay in the pool and jacuzzis to 30 minutes, and swimwear is for the pool and jacuzzis only, never the garden. The thermal circuit at the Octant Furnas hotel is booked with the spa team, and you arrive 20 minutes before your time.
Can you take children to the Azores hot springs?
Yes. Caldeira Velha, Poça da Dona Beija and Terra Nostra give no minimum age. Caldeira Velha wants an adult with children up to 12, and Poça da Dona Beija admits minors only with an accompanying adult, requires swim diapers for babies and advises asking a doctor before bringing them. At Terra Nostra adults should supervise young children, and at the Octant Furnas hotel children up to 12 may use the indoor pool from 09:00 to 13:00.
Are there hot springs in the Azores outside São Miguel?
Yes, on Graciosa. The Termas do Carapacho, at the island's south-east tip, has an indoor pool fed by the natural Carapacho spring and private hydromassage tubs filled with the same warm mineral water, and its waters have been known since the 18th century.