Choose a Sete Cidades hike by route and return
Sete Cidades hiking requires a choice between a linear walk into the village and a circular route through Serra Devassa. PR03SMI and PR04SMI finish away from their starting points, so arrange the return before setting off. PRC05SMI is a circuit, with a different route through the lake and spring landscape. A guided outing offers another approach, with transport and a walking programme organised together.
For a shorter organised outing, choose the 4-hour sunset walk with wine and cheese; for a full walking day, choose the 8-hour crater-lakes hike with picnic lunch and transfer. These are whole excursion durations, rather than promises of uninterrupted walking. Decide whether you want to follow a particular marked route independently or spend the day with a guide before comparing the activities.
Our picks: guided hikes
Choose the crater lakes hike for a picnic lunch or the sunset hike for wine and cheese. Both offer pickup in Ponta Delgada.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of November 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Sete Cidades hike with wine and cheese
- Certified guide
- Local wine and cheese
- Walking poles upon request
Check the precise pickup point for your selected option. Sunset views depend on the weather.
Check availability →
Sete Cidades crater lakes hike
- Accredited guides
- Picnic lunch
- Trekking poles
Pickup and drop-off are included; check the meeting point for your option.
Check availability →Guided crater walks and sunset hiking
Choose picnic lunch and transfers for a full walking day, or a sunset outing with local wine and cheese. Both guided experiences start with pickup in Ponta Delgada.
PR03SMI Vista do Rei to Sete Cidades
PR03SMI Vista do Rei is a linear, easy-rated route of 7.5 km with a guideline time of 2 hours on the current Azores Trails description. The walk starts at Vista do Rei, follows the southwestern caldera rim and finishes by São Nicolau church in the village. Lomba do Vasco is a possible detour in the route description.
PR03SMI later connects with PR04SMI and descends through Arrebentões, where the slope is steep and slippery. Treat the easy classification as an overall route category and take particular care on that descent. A car left at Vista do Rei still needs a separate retrieval plan after reaching the village. Read the transport guide alongside the route, rather than relying on a bus appearing when the walk ends.
PR04SMI Mata do Canário
PR04SMI Mata do Canário is a moderate linear walk of 11.7 km, with a guideline time of 3 hours. The route starts near Mata do Canário, passes the Muro das Nove Janelas aqueduct and Pico da Cruz, then follows the northern caldera rim towards the village centre. This is the choice for walkers interested in that longer approach around the crater.
Arrebentões also requires caution on PR04SMI: the descent is steep and very slippery, and walkers should remain on the main trail. Arrange transport around both endpoints and allow your walking plan to respond to conditions. Check current official trail notices and the forecast before departure, rather than treating a route description as a report on today's access.
PRC05SMI Serra Devassa circuit
PRC05SMI Serra Devassa is a moderate circuit of 9.1 km with a guideline time of 3 hours 30 minutes. The current route begins at Muro do Carvão and continues through the lake and spring landscape towards Mata do Canário and Grota do Inferno. Choose this route for a circular plan rather than a finish in Sete Cidades village.
Serra Devassa deserves its own time allocation: adding the circuit to another walk should be a deliberate decision about energy, weather and transport. The viewpoints guide explains the scenery associated with Grota do Inferno. Keep the marked circuit as the basis for navigation and avoid improvising shortcuts towards a lake or viewpoint.
Guided full-day hiking or sunset wine and cheese
The 8-hour Sete Cidades and Crater Lakes Hike includes accredited guides, insurance, picnic lunch, pickup and drop-off, and trekking poles. Pickup is in Ponta Delgada, with the meeting arrangement depending on the selected option. The included picnic makes this a practical choice when you want the meal and transport handled within the same outing.
The 4-hour Sete Cidades sunset hike includes a certified guide, local wine and cheese, and pickup and drop-off from Ponta Delgada. Walking poles are available on request. Choose it for the evening focus and tasting rather than a full day with picnic lunch. Select either product for its stated programme; the independent PR routes described here are separate planning choices.
Prepare for Sete Cidades trail conditions
Sete Cidades walkers should carry drinking water, rain and sun protection, suitable footwear and a charged telephone. Tell someone your route and intended return, since mobile reception can be absent. Remain on marked paths, leave gates as found and avoid disturbing livestock. Water from streams and lakes is unsafe to drink.
Sete Cidades weather should guide the final route decision on the day. The weather guide separates seasonal context from the daily forecast. Carry the route information you need and keep the return arrangement realistic for your party, particularly when a slippery descent changes your pace.
Sete Cidades hiking questions
How long is PR03SMI?
7.5 km is the current Azores Trails length for PR03SMI Vista do Rei, with a guideline time of 2 hours. The linear route ends by São Nicolau church in Sete Cidades. Arrange your return separately and take care on the steep, slippery Arrebentões descent, even though the overall classification is easy.
Which guided walk includes lunch?
The 8-hour Sete Cidades and Crater Lakes Hike includes picnic lunch, accredited guides, insurance, trekking poles and transfer with pickup and drop-off. Pickup is in Ponta Delgada, with the meeting arrangement tied to the selected option. Choose this outing when you want a full day organised around walking and a picnic.
What does the sunset walk include?
The Sete Cidades sunset hike includes a certified guide, local wine and cheese, and pickup and drop-off from Ponta Delgada. The excursion lasts 4 hours, and walking poles are available on request. Take rain protection and suitable footwear, and let the day's forecast inform your expectations for the evening view.