Quick FactsOverview
About Terra Nostra Thermal Pool
Terra Nostra Thermal Pool, Portugal is the iconic geothermal bathing pool at Parque Terra Nostra in Furnas Valley, Sao Miguel Island, Azores, approximately 30 kilometres from Ponta Delgada. The park was established in 1775 by American merchant Thomas Hickling, who first built a small thermal pool in 1780. The large oval pool seen today was expanded in 1935 and is consistently described as one of the most famous thermal pools in the Azores.
The pool is fed by a volcanic spring at a steady 40 degrees Celsius. The water is rich in iron and other minerals that are considered beneficial for the skin; the high iron content gives the water its characteristic brown-orange colour and means swimsuits will be stained by the water. Wear a dark-coloured or old swimsuit. In addition to the main pool, two smaller thermal baths beside the pool offer even warmer and more mineral-concentrated water. A 2024 renovation modernised the changing rooms, showers, and toilets.
Day entry is EUR 17 and includes the thermal pool and the 12-hectare botanical garden with over 600 camellia species, a ginkgo avenue, grottos, and ponds. Terra Nostra Garden Hotel guests have free 24-hour access.
Location & Access
Getting to Terra Nostra Thermal Pool
Terra Nostra Thermal Pool is within Parque Terra Nostra at Rua Padre Jose Jacinto Botelho, 9675-061 Furnas, in the Povoacao municipality of Sao Miguel. From Ponta Delgada, drive east on the EN1-1A road toward Furnas village; the drive takes approximately 45 minutes. Free car parking is available near the park entrance. By public bus, take line 110 or 114 from Avenida Marginal in Ponta Delgada; buses run hourly and the journey to Furnas takes approximately one hour. The park entrance is about 500 metres (a 5-minute walk) from the Furnas bus stop.
Furnas Valley is one of the most geothermally active areas in the Azores. The village and its surroundings are easily explored on foot: the Caldeiras das Furnas geothermal field with boiling mud and steam vents is about 2 kilometres from the park, and the shore of Lagoa das Furnas, where the famous Cozido das Furnas stew is cooked underground by volcanic heat, is a 15-minute drive. The hot springs near Ponta Delgada in the Furnas area are the most visited on Sao Miguel.
No advance booking is required for day visitors. Arrive early in the morning to secure a bench at the poolside and to avoid the tour-group rush that typically arrives in the early afternoon. The park and pool are open year-round. Contact the park at parqueterranostra.com for current opening hours and any seasonal pricing updates.
Suitability & Accessibility
Who Terra Nostra Thermal Pool Suits
Terra Nostra Thermal Pool suits visitors to Sao Miguel looking for a historic and botanically distinctive thermal experience. The combination of the large oval pool at 40 degrees Celsius and the 12-hectare botanical garden makes it one of the most complete single-site experiences in the Azores. It suits those who want more than a pool soak: strolling the camellia collection, the ginkgo avenue, and the grotto paths extends the visit to a half-day. Day visitors, hotel guests, and those on guided Furnas tours all use the pool. No therapeutic prescription or booking is needed.
The pool suits adults and older children; the water is hot enough that a short acclimatisation period is needed on entry via the pool stepladder. After an extended soak some visitors feel dizzy; limit your session to 30 to 45 minutes in the main pool, cool down between rounds, and drink water. The EUR 17 day entry fee includes the botanical garden and is good value for a combined pool and garden half-day. For those who want family hot springs near Ponta Delgada, Terra Nostra is the most popular and family-suited choice in the Furnas Valley.
Wheelchair access to the pool has not been confirmed. Pool entry is via a stepladder into the water, and the garden paths include varied terrain. The 2024 renovation improved the changing rooms and shower facilities. Visitors with mobility requirements should contact the park at parqueterranostra.com before visiting to confirm which areas of the garden and pool complex are accessible.
Safety & Etiquette
Terra Nostra Thermal Pool Safety Tips
Terra Nostra Thermal Pool water is at a steady 40 degrees Celsius, which is genuinely hot. When descending the stepladder into the pool you will feel the heat sharply; take a moment at the ladder and let your body adjust before going fully in. Limit initial sessions to 20 to 30 minutes. Extended soaking, particularly in the warmer smaller baths beside the main pool, can cause dizziness, nausea, or light-headedness; get out and rest in a cool spot if you notice any of these symptoms. Drink water throughout your visit. People with cardiovascular conditions, low blood pressure, or pregnancy should seek medical advice before using the pool.
The iron-rich brown-orange water will stain light-coloured swimsuits permanently. Always wear a dark-coloured or old swimsuit that you do not mind discolouring. Children under adult supervision are welcome in the pool; the depth varies but the pool is accessible from the stepladder at one end. Do not run on the pool surround; the volcanic stone can be slippery when wet. Grip sandals are advisable for the pool area and changing rooms.
Arrive early: benches around the pool are limited and the most popular visiting window is 10am to 2pm when tour groups arrive from Ponta Delgada. The botanical garden is open year-round and in winter can be quieter and equally beautiful. The park closes to day visitors in the late afternoon; guests of the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel have private access from that point. Photography of the pool and garden is unrestricted for personal use.
