Photo by The Cosmonaut, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
🇵🇹 Portugal · São Miguel, Azores
Photo by The Cosmonaut, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
🇵🇹 Portugal · São Miguel, Azores
♨ Temperature
58°C
⛰ Altitude
0 m
⚗ pH
6.5
💧 TDS
900 mg/L
🌊 Flow rate
12 L/s
📅 Established
Natural
✓ Verified on 2026-07-22
Ponta da Ferraria is one of the most visually spectacular natural hot springs in Europe — a point of black volcanic rock where geothermal water at up to 58°C boils directly into the Atlantic. As the tide rises and falls, the proportions of sea water and thermal water shift, creating naturally temperature-regulated pools in the rock formations along the shoreline. The site is accessible on foot down a steep lava path and is entirely natural, with no constructed facilities. The contrast of the dark volcanic landscape and the turquoise ocean surrounding the steam-softened pools is extraordinary.
| Sulphur | 45 mg/L |
| Silica | 110 mg/L |
| Sodium | 380 mg/L |
| Chloride | 420 mg/L |
The geothermal activity at Ponta da Ferraria is part of the volcanic heritage of São Miguel, the largest and most geologically active of the Azores islands. The peninsula has been a landmark for sailors and fishermen for centuries, known for the steam venting from its coastline.
Ponta da Ferraria represents the most elemental form of thermal bathing — no infrastructure, no admission fee, no rules beyond the tides. This raw connection to volcanic geology and the Atlantic is central to the Azorean experience of their island's geothermal heritage.
The site is managed by the Azores regional authority as a natural area. Access paths and safety signage have been installed to protect both visitors and the fragile coastal ecosystem from overuse.
Websitewww.visitazores.com
AddressPonta da Ferraria, São Miguel, Azores, Portugal