Best Wellness Retreats in the São Miguel Island, Azores

Where is the Azores?

The Azores is a beautiful Portuguese archipelago located in the mid-Atlantic. The autonomous region comprises 9 islands with stunning natural scenery, from waterfalls to mountains covered in luscious greens. These volcanic islands are known as "Europeans Hawaii" and are definitely the continent's best-kept secret. Well, until now!

Wellness Retreats in the Azores

If you've been wondering if the Azores is an excellent place to host or attend a wellness retreat - you should be happy to hear that it is! Most retreats in the Azores are hosted on Sao Miguel Island, as it is the largest and most well-developed island that is perfect for tourism.

Sao Miguel Island is a beautiful off-the-beaten-path destination for those looking for an adventure. On top of this, the island makes for an ideal destination for a wellness retreat because of its vast natural beauty and opportunities to get active.

So, now that we have convinced you how great a wellness retreat on the Azores is, you may be wondering, “what makes the best wellness retreat in São Miguel Island?” Well, keep following along to learn about the activities, sites, and experiences you should include for the best São Miguel Island retreat.

1- Hiking

When you’re on the island, everywhere you look, you can see remnants of the volcanic past. This also means that the island is filled with dormant volcanoes with overgrown greenery that have built the most beautiful natural landscapes. So, it is no surprise that the hiking trails on São Miguel island are like nowhere else. So, to have the best wellness retreat, you better have a hike or two included.

The top hiking spots in São Miguel are the Sete Cidades, Lagoa do Fogo, Salto do Cabrito and Faial da Terra. On any of these, you will see a plethora of amazing sights that are filled with things like flora, views of the ocean, volcanic mountains, waterfalls, and beautiful turquoise lakes.

2- Whale and Dolphin Watching

Did you know that the Azores is home to the world’s largest whale and dolphin sanctuaries? This means that whale and dolphin watching is a must if you want to make your wellness retreat the best it can be!

As it is the world's largest whale and dolphin sanctuary, you will see various types of magnificent species, from bluefin whales to bottlenose dolphins. You can either watch from the beach or take a cruise out on the water to fully immerse yourself in the experience and get up close and personal with the beautiful animals.

Ever want to see whales in real life? Then, when you visit the Azores, they will be easy to come by! In fact, São Miguel island was rated as being one of the top places in the world to go whale watching. This is due to the island being home to the world's largest whale sanctuaries. There is nothing like Whale watching in the Azores, and it will definitely be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch the beauty of the dolphins and whales jumping in their waters.

3- Fitness Class

An amazing wellness retreat in the Azores cannot forget about adding fitness classes. Nothing sounds better than getting your heart pumping and participating in your favorite activity while being surrounded by some of nature's more magnificent work.  Your fitness class could be any type of workout, from practicing yoga to hosting a boot camp, but it is an absolute must on a wellness retreat to help enhance your health.

4- Cultural Immersion Experiences

As the Azores is an autonomous Portuguese region from Portugal, it follows many Portuguese traditions. However, it also has a handful of its own culture unique to the islands. So, to make your wellness retreat the best, ensure you have a cultural element, including a visit to the tea plantation, and heritage vineyards, and eat local pineapples and iconic traditional dishes.

5- Outdoor Activities

São Miguel is, without a doubt, naturally beautiful and filled with opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. The vast landscapes on the small islands enable multiple activities that would be an amazing addition to your wellness retreat. Try out surfing the amazing ocean waves with the island's iconic, beautiful black beaches in the background. You can also swim and kayak on one of the amazing lakes that lay throughout the island. Not to mention the beautiful hiking trails that are not hard to find.

Wellness & Nature in the Azores

Fit4Travel offers the best wellness retreat itinerary in the Azores. The Wellness & Nature in the Azores retreat itinerary perfectly balances incorporating wellness, leisure, and adventure.

The itinerary combines daily fitness classes, guided hikes, and tours to some of the island's most iconic natural wonders. Not to mention, get ready for daily locally sourced foods with farm-to-table ingredients. The Fit4Travel itinerary truly was designed to help attendees immerse in the Azores' culture and cuisine while focusing on improving their health and wellness.

If you're interested in hosting your own retreat and need professional help, Fit4Travel is the top choice because of its all-encompassing, customizable retreat itinerary. In addition, we are here to help with airfare coordination and booking, destination support and travel insurance, marketing, website development, payment integrations, and operational support.

Those who just want to join a retreat to the Azores can be assured that you will have an adventure of a lifetime on a Fit4Travel retreat. The itinerary has been created so attendees will be completely immersed in wellness, adventure, and cultural experiences.

Final Thoughts

From beautiful black sand beaches with world-class surfing opportunities to hiking trails that roll through pastures and lush volcanic rims. Don't forget about the natural hot springs and towns filled with the island's inviting culture. When you pair the island's offerings with fun fitness classes, morning yoga, healthy meals from local sources, and traditional wines, you will never want to leave the Azores!