Side by Side Tour – Sete Cidades from North Coast (Half Day)

Views come quickly on this ride. The Sete Cidades Side by Side Tour from Ponta Delgada gives you a lively way to reach crater viewpoints, north-coast villages, and dirt tracks that are hard to cover in a short visit. I especially like the chance to drive or ride as a passenger, plus the small group size, capped at 14 people.

I also like the route’s variety. You get oceanfront roads, forest and mountain tracks, lake viewpoints, and village stops in roughly three to four hours. The main caution is weather: rain, fog, wind, and cold can erase the best views, and the open vehicle can feel chilly even when the day looks pleasant in town.

Key points before you book

• Pico da Cruz reaches 845 meters, offering one of the highest views over the Sete Cidades crater.
• You can drive with a license if you are 18 or older, or let someone else handle the UTV.
• Small groups make a difference, with guides able to keep the vehicles together and help with photos and safety.
• The route mixes paved roads and dirt tracks, but it is described as beginner-friendly rather than an extreme off-road challenge.
• Weather gear matters, especially gloves, warm layers, rain protection, and something to cover your face from dust.
• The $83.48 price is reasonable for a four-hour active outing, particularly if you value transport, equipment, insurance, and access to high viewpoints.

Why this is a smart way to see Sete Cidades

Sete Cidades is one of São Miguel’s signature sights, but seeing it well takes more than driving to a single lookout. The crater is broad, the roads circle and climb, and several of the best angles are reached by dirt tracks.

This tour uses a UTV, also called a side-by-side buggy, to connect those viewpoints. You sit in a wider vehicle with a guide leading the way. That gives you more protection and comfort than a single quad, while still leaving you exposed to wind, dust, and rain.

I think the biggest strength is the mix of access and activity. You are not simply sitting in a van, stopping at a lookout, taking a photo, and moving on. You feel the road, hear the engine, and reach places that would require a longer walk or a more complicated drive in a rental car.

The route is not presented as a technical off-road course. The ride is generally suitable for beginners, but it still has enough dirt-road variety to keep an experienced driver interested. You should expect an active sightseeing trip, not a high-speed thrill ride.

The operator supplies the UTV, guide, helmet, and insurance. You need to bring the rest of your comfort kit. That means water, a warm coat, rainwear, and ideally gloves. A gaiter, scarf, or driving glasses can also help on dusty stretches, especially if your vehicle follows another one.

Starting in Fenais da Luz on São Miguel’s north coast

The meeting point is at R. Nossa Sra. das Candeias 1D, 9545-242 Ponta Delgada. The tour begins and ends in Fenais da Luz, a parish on São Miguel’s north coast.

The first section uses paved roads before moving onto seafront dirt roads. This is a useful warm-up. You can get comfortable with the vehicle and the group before the route climbs toward the interior.

The Fenais da Luz section lasts about 30 minutes at the start, with another 20 minutes at the end. Those bookend sections help the ride feel like a tour of the north coast, not only a transfer to Sete Cidades.

The open-air setup is part of the appeal. You get air, changing views, and a stronger sense of the island’s weather. It is also the reason I would not dress as if you were taking an ordinary sightseeing bus. Wind can make a mild day feel cold.

The vehicle arrangement depends on the number of people in your reservation. You may use a two-seat buggy or a four-seat model. If you want to drive, remember that a valid driving license and an age of at least 18 are required.

Pico da Cruz at 845 meters

Pico da Cruz is the high point of the outing, at about 845 meters. In good conditions, this can be the tour’s most memorable stop.

From the summit, you may see Lagoa Rasa, Lagoa de Santiago, Lagoa Verde, Lagoa Azul, and much of the Sete Cidades volcanic crater. The height gives you a broad view that differs from the more familiar Boca do Inferno viewpoint.

That difference matters. Sete Cidades is best understood from several angles. From one lookout, the famous green and blue lakes can look almost like a postcard. From Pico da Cruz, you gain a larger sense of the crater and the surrounding island.

The drawback is obvious but important: high viewpoints are very sensitive to cloud and fog. A clear morning can deliver a huge panorama. A wet or misty one can leave you looking at a wall of gray.

The tour requires good weather and may be canceled if conditions are poor. Still, the weather can change during the ride, and an outing can continue even when visibility is limited. If the forecast looks doubtful, ask about the day’s visibility before setting out. One poor-weather experience reported zero visibility at the high points, despite an excellent guide and well-kept vehicles.

Vista do Rei and the crater’s classic view

Vista do Rei Miradouro sits at about 540 meters and provides the classic panoramic view over the Sete Cidades crater. This is one of the places where the scale of the lakes becomes easy to grasp.

The famous pairing is Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde. From above, the two lakes sit inside the great volcanic basin, surrounded by green slopes and winding roads. The colors can shift with cloud, sunlight, and haze, so do not expect the same view in every hour or season.

Depending on the weather and the condition of the dirt roads, the guide may also take you toward Miradouro das Cumeeiras. This offers the crater from the opposite side, giving you a different relationship to the lakes.

That optional wording is worth noticing. The exact route can change. Dirt roads may be too wet or rough, and fog may make a viewpoint pointless. A flexible route is a positive here, since the guide can choose the safer or more rewarding option on the day.

You should have time to stop, look around, and take photos. Several people specifically praised guides for stopping at viewpoints, keeping the group together, and offering to take pictures. Bruno and Philippe are the guide names most often associated with warm, careful service.

Miradouro do Cerrado das Freiras and the Blue Lagoon

The ride continues along dirt paths around the Blue Lagoon in Sete Cidades. Miradouro do Cerrado das Freiras gives you another chance to see the lakes from above while adding a more active section to the day.

This part is less about one famous viewing platform and more about the route itself. The dirt paths let you circle portions of the crater and see how the villages, slopes, and water fit together.

You may notice dust here, especially if you are behind another vehicle. That is one of the practical trade-offs of choosing a UTV. A helmet is supplied, but you do not receive gloves or a raincoat, and a face covering is not listed among the included equipment.

Pack a small bag with water and weather protection. There is no food, drink, snack, or lunch included, and you should not assume you will have a convenient purchase stop during this half-day outing. A coffee break has been part of some outings, but it is not listed as a guaranteed inclusion, so bring your own water and a snack if needed.

São Vicente Ferreira and the north-coast return

On the way back, the route passes through São Vicente Ferreira, another north-coast parish. This section gives the tour more local texture than a simple mountain loop.

You pass Poços, a bathing area, and the remains of an old whale factory that stopped operating in 1970. Only the factory chimney remains. It is a small detail, but it adds a glimpse of São Miguel’s working coast and helps explain that the island is more than crater lakes and viewpoints.

A dirt path connects São Vicente Ferreira with Fenais da Luz. The return route may also pass near Lagoa Azul before reaching the starting area.

This final portion is useful because it gives you a second look at the coast and villages instead of retracing the exact opening route. The guides are praised for choosing different ways out and back, which keeps the ride varied.

Back in Fenais da Luz, you spend about 20 minutes exploring more seafront dirt roads before returning to the meeting point. The listed stops are each around 30 minutes, though the whole experience is described as approximately three to four hours. Allow the full four hours when planning your day.

How difficult is the ride?

The tour requires a moderate level of physical fitness. You do not need to hike for hours to reach the high viewpoints, which is one of the main advantages of the UTV.

The ride itself is described as fun and not overly challenging. Beginners can enjoy it, while people with more off-road experience should still find enough dirt roads and changing scenery to stay interested.

Driving requires more attention than riding as a passenger. You will need to follow the guide, stay with the group, and handle the vehicle on paved and unpaved roads. If you are nervous, riding as a passenger is a sensible choice. You still get the open-air views without taking responsibility for the vehicle.

The supplied helmets and insurance add peace of mind. The equipment has been described as well maintained, and the side-by-sides as safe and comfortable. Do not mistake that for a risk-free outing, though. Dirt roads, changing weather, and dust are part of the experience.

Weather, clothing, and dust

São Miguel’s weather can change fast, and this tour makes you feel those changes. You might begin with sun, meet strong wind on a ridge, find cold rain at the top, and later return to clearer skies.

Wear long pants and warm layers. A light jacket is the minimum sensible choice, while a proper raincoat is better protection. Gloves are especially useful in colder months and on windy days.

The operator recommends warm coats and raincoats, but gloves and raincoats are not included. A few guides may have spare items available, but you should not count on that.

Dust is another concern. If you drive behind another UTV, you may want a gaiter or face covering. Driving glasses or sunglasses can also make the ride more comfortable. Keep your phone or camera protected inside your bag when the road gets dry.

Fog deserves its own warning. The views at Pico da Cruz, Vista do Rei, and the other crater lookouts are the reason many people book this tour. If fog closes in, the ride can still be enjoyable, but the value drops because the main visual reward disappears.

Is $83.48 a fair price?

At $83.48 per person, this is not the cheapest way to spend a morning in São Miguel. A rental car can cost less per person for a group, especially if you only want to drive to the main viewpoints.

The UTV tour earns its price through access and ease. You receive a vehicle, guide, helmet, insurance, and a planned route through paved roads, coastal tracks, mountain paths, and crater viewpoints. You also avoid the work of navigating unfamiliar dirt roads.

For a solo visitor or couple, the price is easier to justify than it may be for a large family sharing a rental car. The value improves if you want an active outing and do not want to organize the route yourself.

The small group limit of 14 people is another plus. It is not a private tour, but it is limited enough for the guide to keep everyone together and provide personal help. The strongest praise goes to the guides, the views, the safe vehicles, and the route variety.

I would call it good value for people who want more than a standard lookout tour. It is less compelling if your only goal is a quick photo at Vista do Rei.

Who should book this experience?

I would recommend this tour to you if you want:

• A half-day activity that combines sightseeing with driving
• Access to high viewpoints without a long hike
• A small-group outing with a guide
• A route that includes both the coast and Sete Cidades
• A beginner-friendly introduction to UTV riding
• A way to see different angles of the crater in limited time

It suits couples, families, and adult children looking for something active. The four-seat buggy option may help groups stay together, depending on the reservation.

I would be more cautious if you dislike wind, dust, rain, or bumpy roads. I would also avoid booking it as your only chance to see Sete Cidades if the forecast shows heavy fog. The tour can operate safely in poor visibility, but the views may not justify the cost.

The experience is booked, on average, about 33 days ahead, so popular dates can fill early. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Within 24 hours, changes and cancellations are not accepted for a refund. If poor weather or the minimum group size forces cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The meeting point is R. Nossa Sra. das Candeias 1D, 9545-242 Ponta Delgada, Portugal. The tour begins and ends in Fenais da Luz.

How long does the side-by-side tour last?

The experience lasts approximately three to four hours.

Can I drive the side-by-side?

Yes. Drivers must be at least 18 years old and have a driving license. You may also ride as a passenger.

Is safety equipment provided?

Yes. The tour includes a UTV, guide, helmets, and insurance.

What should I bring?

Bring water, warm clothing, a raincoat, and gloves. A face covering or driving glasses can help with dust.

Does the tour include food or drinks?

No. Snacks, alcoholic beverages, lunch, and drinks are not included.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience may be canceled because of poor weather. In that case, you are offered a different date or a full refund.

Should you book the Sete Cidades side-by-side tour?

Book it if you want big crater views with a bit of adventure, rather than a standard sightseeing drive. The route covers a lot in half a day, the guides receive strong praise for safety and care, and Pico da Cruz gives you a high viewpoint that is difficult to reach by ordinary sightseeing.

Pack for cold, wet, dusty conditions, and check the forecast before you go. If the skies are clear, the $83.48 price feels fair for the equipment, guide, access, and variety. If thick fog is likely, keep your cancellation deadline in mind and consider saving the outing for a clearer day.