Things to Do in Graciosa - Furna do Enxofre, Thermal Baths & Hiking

Graciosa is the Azores island where the pace is slowest. The activities are concentrated and rewarding rather than numerous - two or three specific experiences make a visit worthwhile, and the overall atmosphere of a quiet UNESCO Biosphere island is itself part of what people come for.

Furna do Enxofre and the Caldeira

The Caldeira da Graciosa is the island’s dominant geological feature - a volcanic caldera approximately 1km in diameter in the southwest. Walking the rim is the best way to approach the visit before descending to the cave.

Caldeira rim walk (3km circuit, 45–60 minutes, easy): A well-maintained path circles the caldera at the rim level, through mixed cryptomeria and laurisilva forest. Views into the caldera interior are partially obscured by tree cover but open up at several clearings. The trail is signed from the car park at the caldera entrance.

Furna do Enxofre cave (1–1.5 hours including descent): The spiral metal staircase into the cave descends around 40m into the caldera’s volcanic interior. The cave becomes warmer and sulphurous as you go deeper - a genuine sensory shift. At the bottom, a green-tinted sulphur lake fills a large volcanic chamber, mist rising from its thermal surface. The viewing walkway around the lake gives good close-range views of the water.

Opening hours are Tuesday–Sunday, 9:30am–12:30pm and 2pm–5pm. Entry approximately €6 as of 2026. The cave is closed Mondays and in heavy rain (the staircase becomes slippery). Arrive before 10am or after 3pm to avoid any overlap with day-trip groups from Terceira.

The combined caldeira rim + cave visit takes half a day. Pair it with the Carapacho baths in the afternoon for a full day that covers Graciosa’s two signature experiences.

Carapacho Thermal Baths

The Termas do Carapacho occupy a dramatic position on the southeast coast, above a lava shelf where ocean waves break directly below the outdoor pool. The complex has indoor volcanic pools heated to approximately 38–40°C, changing facilities, and an outdoor seawater pool.

The indoor pools are the main draw - the volcanic spring water is naturally heated and the temperature is constant year-round. A 90-minute session costs approximately €7 per person (indoor complex). The outdoor saltwater pool is free to use and accessible from the adjacent rocky shoreline.

The small café on site serves coffee, pastel de nata, and light snacks. The baths are busiest between 11am and 1pm in summer - arrive at opening (around 9am) for the quietest experience.

The adjacent shoreline lava pools are accessible without entering the thermal complex. These natural pools are sheltered by volcanic rock and warm in summer - good for swimming and snorkelling around the rock formations.

Santa Cruz Historic Town Walk

The capital, Santa Cruz da Graciosa, is one of the most architecturally preserved small towns in the Azores. The 16th-century core has whitewashed houses with characteristic black basalt borders, a seafront church (Igreja Matriz), and the Largo Fontes Pereira de Melo - the main square with a working fountain and several restaurant terraces.

A 1-hour walk through the old town covers:

• The seafront promenade and harbour wall
• The Museu da Graciosa (local history, traditional windmill exhibits, open Tuesday–Sunday, approximately €2 entry)
• The Santa Cruz church interior - late 16th-century structure with Azorean blue-and-white azulejo tiles
• The upper town lanes between the church and the main square

The town has a scale that rewards walking slowly - the decorative details on doorways, windows, and cornices are worth pausing over. Santa Cruz is one of the few places in the Azores where the historic fabric is essentially intact, a direct result of the island’s low development pressure under the biosphere designation.

Windmill Route

Graciosa once had more windmills per area than any island in the Azores, used for grain milling rather than water pumping. Several have been restored on the plateau above Santa Cruz. A signposted driving route connects the main windmill sites, with interpretive panels at each.

The windmills are photogenic at any time of day but particularly good in the late afternoon light. The plateau views - over Santa Cruz, across to the southern caldeira, and out to the Atlantic - are the best on the island at this elevation.

Wine Tasting

Graciosa has a small but established wine sector, producing white, rosé, and red wines from Verdelho, Arinto, and Terrantez do Pico grapes. The volcanic soil and Atlantic climate produce wines that are notably mineral and high-acid.

Two producers on the island offer informal tasting visits:

Quinta do Carapacho: near the thermal baths, the island’s most visited producer. Tasting of 4–5 wines approximately €8/person. Bottles from approximately €10 on site.

Cooperativa Vitivinícola da Graciosa: the main cooperative, in Santa Cruz. Less scenic but the widest range of production. Call ahead to confirm tasting times.

Graciosa wine is almost entirely consumed locally or on other Azores islands - it is rarely found on the mainland. Buying direct is the main option.

Lagoa da Graciosa Birdwatching

A small reservoir on the plateau above Santa Cruz serves as the main birdwatching location on the island. Wading birds, ducks, and migratory species use the wetland during autumn passage (September–November). The site also has breeding Eurasian coots and introduced mallard year-round.

The plateau near the lagoon is good for Azorean bullfinch (Pyrrhula murina), a critically endangered endemic subspecies found only in the Azores. Graciosa has a small population - early morning on the plateau edges is the best time.

Practical Notes

All the main sites on Graciosa are within 30 minutes’ drive of Santa Cruz. A car hired for one day covers the caldeira, the thermal baths, the windmills, and the wine route. Public transport on the island is minimal. For guided excursions - naturalist-led tours of Furna do Enxofre, caldera walks, and whale watching day trips out of Horta - browse tours in Graciosa. An eSIM for Portugal works across all Azores islands.

The Furna do Enxofre is closed on Mondays. Plan your visit schedule around this - if you arrive on a Sunday, do the baths and town walk that day, and save the caldeira for Tuesday.

For where to stay - including the main hotel and the rural guesthouse near the thermal baths - see our Graciosa hotels guide. The Graciosa island guide covers the island’s UNESCO biosphere status, geology, and how to get there. The which Azores island guide helps you decide if Graciosa fits your overall itinerary.