One of nine islands sitting in the middle of the Atlantic, São Miguel is the largest of Portugal’s autonomous Azores. It's a popular stopping off point for people sailing across the Atlantic Ocean.

To book accommodation on São Miguel, there’s nowhere better than FlipKey where you will find a vast list of properties to suit all budgets and tastes.

About Sao Miguel, Azores

Discovered by Portuguese explorer by Gonçalo Velho Cabral in 1427, São Miguel was colonized with settlers from the mainland, who, due to the island’s volcanic interior, stayed near to the coast.

With a surface area of 293 square miles, São Miguel is not only the largest of the Azores archipelago, but also home to 150,000 inhabitants. A third of these live in the capital, Ponta Delgada.

Upon arrival on Ponta Delgada, you are greeted by a modern marina, turn-of-the-century buildings, cobblestone streets and ocean-front cafes.

Known as the “Green island “because of its diverse landscape of foggy mountains and a rich green hued fauna, São Miguel provides you with an opportunity to enjoy untouched nature in a peaceful setting.

Tourism is expected to take off soon, with low-cost carriers RyanAir and EasyJet offering daily flights from Lisbon and Porto starting in 2017.

What to do in São Miguel 

Being virtually untouched by mass tourism, visiting São Miguel is all about nature and the chance to interact with it one-on-one. A great example is a small cove at Ponta da Ferraria where the ocean water is warmed by a geothermal spring. This means you can swim in both hot and cold water.

Whale-watching tours depart three times a day from the Marina in Ponta Delgada offering tourists the chance to get close to both whales, dolphins and the occasional turtle.

While on São Miguel, be sure to visit Lagoa do Fogo—a picturesque volcanic lake created 15 million years ago that remains untouched thanks to strict laws that protect it from developers.

If you liked the movie Jurassic Park, you will love the gardens at Terra Nostra Park. They're a green adventure—sadly lacking the dinosaurs though.

Top travel tips for São Miguel

The best time to visit the Azores depends on what you want to do. With crowds not being a deciding factor, the summer months between July and October are perfect for outdoor activities. If whale-watching is top of your list—and believe us, it should be!—plan to visit during the migration between April and June. With much of the activity focused on outdoor events, avoid the rainy season between February and May.

For the best views and unforgettable sunsets, visit Miradouro De Santa Iria on the island's northeast coast.

For now, São Miguel remains an untouched outdoor adventure park unspoilt by mass tourism. Biking, surfing, fishing, canoeing is all on hand and just waiting to be enjoyed by visitors to the stunning island. To book affordable accommodation, start searching the dozens of options on FlipKey to suit any budget.