The Terra Nossa Botanical Garden is considered one of the most beautiful in Europe and the world. Internationally recognised for its diversity of peculiar plants and trees, this garden is a must-see in São Miguel.
What’s more, we can say that this park is a veritable “box of surprises”. The gardens surround several thermal water tanks and fountains with numerous therapeutic properties, so this is the ideal place to relax and forget your troubles.
So we’ve compiled a guide with the history, information about the garden and tourist attractions you can’t miss in this part of the island.
Where is the Terra Nostra Botanical Garden?
The Terra Nossa Botanical Garden is located at the rear of the well-known Terra Nostra Spa Hotel, in the Furnas Valley, in Ponta Delgada, in São Miguel.
Note: due to its size, the best way to explore the space is to dedicate an entire morning or afternoon.
With more than 2,000 species of trees from all four corners of the world, a priceless collection of camellias (approximately 600 species) and a huge variety of flowers, this place is well worth a thorough visit.
In addition, the Terra Nostra Park Botanical Garden is divided into themed gardens dedicated to different botanical species.
The park is divided into two distinct zones:
- The area of the boulevards and denser woodlands;
- The lower area of the watercourses comes from the Ribeira Amarela and the Serpentina, where you can find pavements, lawns, ponds, and fountains.
History of the Terra Nostra Botanical Garden
As you might expect, the Terra Nostra Botanical Garden is one of the most popular places on the island and in the Azorean archipelago. Influenced by the romantic style, this natural wonder was built during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Over the years Terra Nostra Park has known several owners, but it all began in 1775 with Thomas Hickling, a merchant and honorary US consul in São Miguel.
With a role of enormous importance in the history and evolution of the Furnas Valley, the park came to be seen as a spa centre of interest for the treatment of diseases such as rheumatism and obesity.
Did you know
In the 20th century, Terra Nostra Park was a huge reference point in the Azores during the golden age of gardening.
Today, the garden is owned by the family of Patrícia and Joaquim Bensaude, who guarantee the preservation and dynamisation of this landscape landmark.
Fauna of the Terra Nostra Botanical Garden
Terra Nostra’s Botanical Garden features diverse species of plants, trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants from all over the world. Take the opportunity to contemplate the beauty and exuberance of the fascinating vegetation that surrounds you in this garden.
According to the organisation responsible for Terra Nostra Park, the botanical garden has the following garden areas:
- Avenue of the Palms;
- Avenue of the Ginkgos;
- Bromeliads;
- Bamboos;
- Aquatic plants;
- Azalea Garden;
- Vireyas Garden;
- Garden of the Endemic and Native Flora of the Azores: Cedro-do-Mato, Juniper, Sanguinho, Folhado, Uva-da-Serra, Louro-de-Cheiro, Urze, Pau Branco, Azevinho, Gingeira-do-Mato, Tamujo, Faia-da-Terra, Queiroga, Oaks, Black and White Poplars, Cryptomeria, Araucarias, Tulipeiros, Camellias, Arboreal Ferns, Hydrangeas, and Rhododendrons;
- Camellia Collection — over 600 specimens of different species;
- Cycad collection — over 85 specimens of 8 different species and genera;
- Fern Collection — around 300 specimens of 48 different species.
What to do in Terra Nostra Botanical Garden?
With an immensity of species present in the Terra Nostra Park’s themed gardens, this is a unique place to relax and enjoy the nature that surrounds you.
Relax in the Thermal Pool at Terra Nostra Park
Surrounded by endemic species of fascinating plants and trees, the immense thermal pool has therapeutic and medicinal properties that fascinate all who visit it.
The unmistakable orange-brown hot water is rich in iron from the earth. With a water temperature of around 38. °C and 40. °C, this is the ideal place for those looking for a place to relax.
Quick Info
If you want to enjoy this tank, we recommend that you don’t wear light-coloured swimwear or towels to avoid staining them.
Best Time to Visit Terra Nostra Botanical Garden
Temperatures in São Miguel are generally mild all year round. However, in the autumn and winter months, periods of rain and lower temperatures become more frequent.
In this sense, the best time to visit the Terra Nostra Botanical Garden is during the summer months, between May and September, when the days are warmer and more inviting for nature walks. However, it is between December and May that you can contemplate the beauty of some flowering plants.
However, it’s important to note that cloudy skies are a common feature of all the islands in the Azores archipelago, regardless of the season in question, so you may sometimes find it difficult to appreciate the beauty of some viewpoints.
Plan Your Visit to Terra Nostra Park
Terra Nostra Park is known for being one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the world.
To enjoy this unique experience, we recommend that you plan your visit, taking the following information into account:
- Despite its location on private property, the attraction is open to the public daily.
- Opening hours:
- From April to October: between 10h00 and 19h00;
- From November to March: between 08h00 and 17h00;
- If you’re staying at the hotel, the space is accessible 24 hours a day.
- Price list:
- Adults: 10 euros;
- Children (aged 2 to 10): 5 euros;
- Children (up to 2 years old): free entry;
- Hotel Spa Terra Nostra guests: free entry.
It’s also advisable to book flights and accommodation in advance to get more deals and better value for money, taking into account your tastes.
How to Get to the Terra Nostra Botanical Garden
If you are travelling from the city of Ponta Delgada to the Terra Nostra Botanical Garden, you will have a variety of alternatives in terms of means of transport and route.
You can choose to travel by car (own/rented vehicle or taxi), bus or bicycle. To reach your destination, you’ll have to travel around 43 kilometres along the EN1-1A.
The journey takes approximately 45 minutes by car, 1 hour 35 minutes by bus and 2 hours 50 minutes by bicycle. In any case, you can make this journey on foot, but you should expect to walk for around 9 hours.
What to Do Around Terra Nostra Park?
After exploring the botanical garden and enjoying the medicinal properties of the thermal water at Terra Nostra Park, you can discover other tourist attractions such as Poça da Dona Beija, Grená Park, José do Canto Forest-Garden and Caldeiras das Furnas.
Diving in the Hot Water Pools at Poça da Dona Beija
Poça da Dona Beija is one of Furnas’ greatest attractions. The natural hot springs have medicinal properties that benefit visitors’ skin.
Once called Poça da Juventude, the thermal baths have various properties derived from the mud that formed inside the cave where the original “puddle” was located.
Did you know
This is a great evening activity, where the atmosphere changes to more romantic and mysterious tones. Visiting the hot pools costs 6 euros per person and is open from 8 am to 11 pm.
Visitors can enjoy the space and swim in the pools, which are normally around 38 °C. These pools are heated by geothermal energy and offer guests an unforgettable and relaxing experience.
Explore Grená Park
Located on the island of São Miguel, on the northern shore of Furnas Lake, you’ll find Grená Park and all its charms. During your visit to the park, you’ll see an exhibition on the history of the property’s restoration.
Did you know
The entrance fee is 10 euros per person if you want to visit the park.
This space, with 18 hectares of forest of “untouchable nature,” is a tourist attraction. Here, you can see a watercourse, waterfalls, streams, and various types of trees and animals typical of the region.
You can also enjoy the view of the ruins of an 1858 manor house in the park.
Explore the José do Canto Garden
José do Canto Garden is on the south side of Furnas Lake and was planted by the man who gave it its name in 1861, in an arid area affected by the Lagoa Seca volcano, silent since 1630.
Did you know
The project was designed by Barrillet-Deschamps, a “pop star” of French landscaping who had already signed such hits as the gardens of the Champs-Elysées in Paris (co-author).
This ten-hectare woodland garden includes centuries-old camellias, sequoias, and the Salto do Rosal trail — a 2-kilometre path that takes you to a crystal-clear waterfall. The site has been open to the public since August 2014.
The flora at Forest Garden is exceptional. Here you can see a vast collection of camellias, planted along the property’s extensive boulevards and in the new Camalieto (they bloom between December and May). They coexist with lots of remarkable trees and endemic plants, some indigenous and others from temperate and subtropical regions.
Visit the Chapel of Our Lady of Victories (Furnas Chapel)
The Chapel of Our Lady of Victories is the only neo-Gothic style chapel you’ll find in the Azorean archipelago. It was built in the 19th century, is located on the south shore of Furnas Lake and is part of the José do Canto Garden.
Did you know
The Chapel of Our Lady of Victories (Furnas Chapel) was built at the behest of José do Canto as an act of faith for the recovery of his wife Maria Guilhermina, who was suffering from a serious illness. Later, they were both buried here.
This imposing work of architecture was inspired by the unrivalled churches of the great European capitals of the time. We therefore recommend that you take the opportunity to visit the interior of the church and observe its unmistakable construction.
It should be noted that the chapel is surrounded by a woodland garden, where you’ll find some statues delicately carved from tree trunks and some information plaques about the local flora.
Visit Boat House and Lagoon House
The Boat House, currently converted into a Rural Tourism Centre, was originally built as a cottage inspired by Nordic (Anglo-Flemish) architectural models and was formerly known as the “Navigation Pavilion”.
On the other hand, the Lagoon House, also converted into a Rural Tourism space, is the former “Fishing Pavilion” initially built as a Franco-Swiss chalet inspired by the picturesque architecture of the time.
These rural lodgings offer you a range of natural and historical elements that will make your stay or visit to the place memorable. It is currently possible to stay in these beautiful houses during your stay in São Miguel.
It should be noted that the buildings are part of the Mata-Jardim José do Canto, both located on the south bank of Furnas Lake. In addition to the garden of exceptional botanical diversity, we also find the Furnas Chapel.
Discover Caldeiras das Furnas
The Caldeiras das Furnas, located in the village of Furnas, are a tourist attraction for both the Portuguese and the thousands of foreigners visiting this area annually.
As in any place where magma is closer to the surface, the Campo Fumarólico da Vila das Furnas and the Campo Fumarólico da Lagoa das Furnas are areas where imposing volcanic manifestations occur.
These calderas are small rainwater lagoons formed in the craters of the volcano, which has been dormant since 1630. They arose when the top of the volcano’s cone collapsed during its last eruption.
Combined with the magma close to the surface, the rainwater that accumulates in these holes reaches very high temperatures, thus causing fumaroles, springs, and hot springs. However, besides sharing the same boiling state as water, fumaroles emit vapors and gases with a strong sulfur smell.
Where To Eat Near Terra Nostra Botanical Garden
If you need somewhere to eat near Terra Nostra Botanical Garden, click here. In this link, you’ll find the 10 best restaurants on Tripadvisor.
Where To Stay Near Terra Nostra Botanical Garden
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Complementary Information
Useful Tools & Apps
The weather in the Azores can be variable, so it’s helpful to use some apps before visiting the islands. Spotazores offers live camera feeds from the main tourist attractions, letting you check the weather and plan your visit. For accurate weather predictions, use Windy or Windguru — they provide the most reliable predictions.
How to Get to São Miguel Island
São Miguel Island is easily accessible with numerous flight routes. Lisbon and Porto are the main entry points to the continent, with direct flights to Ponta Delgada available. To find the best flight, use search engines like eDreams or Skyscanner.
These platforms allow you to compare prices and schedules from different airlines in one place. For more details on how to get to the Azores, look at our guide. Once you find the perfect flight, book it! You’ll reach one of the world’s most beautiful island groups in a few hours.
Best Season to Visit São Miguel Island
São Miguel Island, part of the Eastern Group of the Azores Archipelago, has a unique climate shaped by various factors. This climate fosters the island’s lush vegetation and stunning landscapes. Temperatures stay mild year-round, with only slight variations.
In spring, temperatures average 16 °C, summer peaks at 21 °C, autumn cools to 18 °C, and winter hovers around 14 °C. For more details on the weather in the Azores, take a look at the following links:
- The weather in the Azores in January
- The weather in the Azores in February
- The weather in the Azores in March
- The weather in the Azores in April
- The weather in the Azores in May
- The weather in the Azores in July
- The weather in the Azores in August
Cultural Agenda of São Miguel Island
São Miguel Island hosts a wide range of cultural events throughout the year. The complete list of events is on the cultural agenda!
Video – Terra Nostra Park, Furnas (São Miguel Island, Azores)
Conclusion
One of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the world is located in Terra Nostra Park. With an endless collection of botanical species, this is the place of choice for nature lovers.
Covering approximately 12.5 hectares, this garden is visited by locals and foreigners alike, attracted by the variety and richness of the peculiar vegetation and the geothermal iron water tanks.
Remember that iron water has a brownish colour. Therefore, if you visit these tanks, don’t bring light-coloured clothing to avoid unpleasant surprises – stains.
So we can say that Terra Nostra Park has magnificent scenery in every nook and cranny. What are you waiting for to visit this natural wonder?
References
- Mendonça, L. (2017). Questions and Answers on the History of the Azores. 2nd Edition, Letras Lavadas. Ponta Delgada.
- Forjaz, V., Ribeiro, L., Almeida, L., Pereira, N. and Rodrigues, J. (2019). Volcanoes of the Azores (4th Edition). Letras Lavadas. Ponta Delgada.
