Car hire in Ponta Delgada
1 office in Ponta Delgada · airport pick-up · Portugal
Ponta Delgada is the capital of the Azores and the natural base for discovering São Miguel, the green island: volcanic calderas with twin-coloured lakes, thermal pools among the ferns, tea plantations and viewpoints leaning out over the Atlantic. Its historic centre, with the city gates and basalt-cobbled streets, deserves a leisurely afternoon.
On São Miguel a hire car is all but essential: buses between villages are scarce and the great sights, from Sete Cidades to Furnas, are spread across the whole island. With pick-up right at Ponta Delgada-São Miguel airport, around ten minutes from the centre, you start exploring from day one.
Search cars in Ponta DelgadaWhy hire a car in Ponta Delgada
- Pick-up at João Paulo II airport avoids transfers and puts you on the road the moment you land on the island.
- São Miguel's lakes, fumaroles and viewpoints are scattered to the island's four corners: without a car you depend on organised tours with fixed schedules.
- Azorean weather changes several times a day; with your own vehicle you can chase the sun and change plans as you go.
Day trips near Ponta Delgada
- Sete Cidades — The volcanic crater with its green and blue lakes, seen from the Vista do Rei viewpoint, around 30 minutes from the centre.
- Furnas — Fumaroles, hot springs and the famous cozido stew cooked underground, beside the Terra Nostra botanical garden, around 45 minutes away.
- Lagoa do Fogo — An unspoilt lake high in the Água de Pau range, with a beach reached on foot, around 30 minutes away.
- Nordeste — The island's most remote and flower-filled corner, with a string of viewpoints over the cliffs, around 75 minutes away along the coast.
Where to pick up your car
- Ponta Delgada Aeropuerto Internacional
- Ponta Delgada Centro de Solmar
- Ponta Delgada Ciudad
Final prices in euros · book without paying · free cancellation up to 72 h before.
Frequently asked questions
Is driving on São Miguel difficult?
No: the roads are in good condition and there's little traffic outside Ponta Delgada. That said, steep climbs, bends and patchy fog at altitude are common, so take it steadily and use the viewpoints to stop.
How many days do I need with a car to see the island?
Three full days cover the essentials: Sete Cidades, Lagoa do Fogo and Furnas. To add the Nordeste, the Gorreana tea plantations and the southern coves, four or five days is ideal.
← Back to home · Also in Portugal : Aveiro · Coimbra · Faro · Funchal · Leiria · Lisboa · Oporto · Terceira