At the crest of the road we see what we are getting ourselves into: an active volcanic caldera.
We only understand what we are seeing because earlier we tilted the map in Google Earth and noticed the steep sides plunging down in a rough circle. Now, in true scale, despite the lush blanket of greenery, the contours make sense. There below us, nestled in the heart of the caldera, lies the town of Furnas and our hotel.
What we are getting into is rest and relaxation. Unimaginable violence created this landscape, and in a geological future it will erupt again. For now, however, Furnas is one of the most idyllic and peaceful towns on Earth.
Precisely where are we? Zooming out in Google Earth provides context. We are on São Miguel, the largest island in the Azores, in the Atlantic Ocean roughly a third of the way between mainland Portugal and the eastern seaboard of the United States. These Portuguese islands sit across the divide between the European and North American tectonic plates. The fissure between the plates is one of the forces that produced the volcanic activity that formed the islands.
That volcanic activity made Furnas. Here, heated groundwater wells up to form streams and pools. Mud springs and geysers bubble and spurt. The sulphurous scent of rotten eggs hangs in the air, but it feels wholesome — the smell of natural spas and, for us, a weekend of pampering.
We are staying at the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel, a distinguished property set within 31 acres of botanical gardens first planted in 1775 by Thomas Hickling, the U.S. consul to the island. After a succession of renovations, the hotel now reads like an Art Deco palace, its architecture evoking a Golden Age trans‑Atlantic liner.
Our first treatments take place in the Wellness Place, the hotel’s elegant spa. The menu is extensive, and staff tailor programs to each guest’s needs. Mindful of the setting, we opt for the volcanic hot‑stone massage. The scent of therapeutic oils in the treatment room masks Furnas’s ever‑present aroma, while the hot roughness of rock on skin reconnects us with the geology beneath our feet. Such moments recur throughout our stay.
The Wellness Place © TERRA NOSTRA GARDEN HOTEL
Beyond the hotel and its gardens there is plenty to explore. We spend days hiking the marked trails and keep our swimwear handy at all times — you never know when you’ll stumble across a hot spring. Poça da Dona Beija quickly becomes a favorite: a complex of five pools at varying temperatures connected by bridges and paths, with changing facilities at the entrance. One lesson learned early: avoid white. The white stripes on my trunks and the patterns on my partner’s bikini soon pick up an orange tinge from the mineral‑rich water.
On our hikes we occasionally see locals lowering pots into steaming volcanic vents and returning hours later to lift them out. Those pots hold cozido, a slow‑cooked meat and vegetable casserole. Most famously served at Restaurante Tony’s in town, cozido is worth trying — but order a day in advance so the kitchen can time the burial and retrieval.
The excursions are delightful, yet Terra Nostra remains our center of gravity. Our room, with a porthole mirror and a canopy‑level view of the gardens, embodies quiet luxury. The hotel restaurant serves some of the best food we’ve had anywhere. In the refined spa we enjoy attentive therapy, and our only regret is that we lack unusual requests to test the therapists’ creativity.
A large, shallow natural thermal pool sits amid the sumptuous gardens. It is open to the public during the day but not early in the morning. On our final day we take advantage of one of the hotel’s special services: breakfast for two beside the thermal pool.
It is the perfect morning: cool and drizzly. We pad down from our room in bathrobes and follow the path to the pool, where a table has been placed beneath a canopy among the trees. A chef and waiter wait discreetly nearby.
The waiter escorts us poolside under an umbrella and collects our robes. Dressed for the water, we each ease into the placid, steamy pool and find it entirely to ourselves. Rain patters lightly on our heads as we drift through currents that vary from warm to hot.
When we finally step out, the waiter shields us back to the table. Within hours the pool will fill with visitors, but for now, over a cooked breakfast, we savor silence and tranquility.
Terra Nostra Garden Hotel
Rua Padre José Jacinto
Botelho, 5 9675-061 Furnas
São Miguel, Azores
Portugal
tel 351 296 549 090
terranostra-gardenhotel.com