Sete Cidades is a small rural village of less than 1,000 in the western region of São Miguel, northwest of Ponta Delgada. Nicknamed the “Place of Legends”, it is one of the most beautiful natural settings in the entire Azores, situated between two crater lakes – Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul – that are at the center of a volcanic crater three miles wide. The volcano has been the most active in the Azores in the last 5,000 years. Today, Sete Cidades is one of the most popular destinations, with its national park the most visited in all of the Azores.
Sete Cidades is a great place for pleasant walks and hikes whether along the shores of Lagoa Azul and Verde or along the crater rims and piney forests. Several picnic areas and campsites are found around the area. There are also spectacular views of Sete Cidades’ natural features, including its two lakes, at Vista do Rei, which rises about 750 feet high. The village itself is a charming blast from the past, home to a 19th century parish church Igreja de Sao Nicolau, and old-style manor houses and residences.
Volcano’s History
The stratovolcano at Sete Cidades first erupted about 20,000 years ago and about 20 eruptions have occurred since, forming the 1500 feet deep caldera walls. More recently over the last half millennium, Sete Cidades has erupted at least eight times. In 1444, the volcano erupted on the southwest side of the caldera and on the west coast of the island. Another eruption occurred in 1638 and formed the islet of Sabrina. In 1713, yet another eruption took place, this time on the west side of the volcano at Pico das Camarinhas. The most recent eruption occurred in 1880 within the caldera from one of the submarine vents.
Sete Cidades Tale
Part of the intrigue of Sete Cidades stems from the legendary tale of “Seven Cities Old Kingdom”. The tale recounts of a king who had a very pretty daughter who loved the country life, spending her days wandering through the fields, valleys, and villages of Sete Cidades. One day, she met a young shepherd and fell in love with him. She met with him every day, both professing their undying love for each other every time. The king, however, had plans for his daughter to marry a prince, heir of another kingdom. While forbidding her from ever seeing the shepherd again, he consented her one last meeting with the shepherd. At the farewell, the two cried so much that two lagoons formed at their feet: a blue one made of the fallen tears of the blue-eyed princess and the other from the tears of the green-eyed shepherd. The two parted ways but the lagoons, Lagoa Azul (blue) and Lagoa Verde (green), remained together forever. | 
