Lagoa do Fogo

Lagoa do Fogo is a lagoon that fills a big crater of a dormant volcano. This volcano forms the massive volcanic mountains of Serra de Agua de Pau, located in the center of São Miguel island. This whole area is surrounded by dense and exuberant endemic vegetation.
This volcanic crater, like the volcano that formed it, is the youngest on São Miguel island and will have been formed about 15 000 years ago. Its current configuration is the result of the last collapse, that took place on the top of the volcano, approximately 5000 years ago. The last eruption dates to 1563.
This lagoon is also the highest on São Miguel island, due to the fact that it’s at the top of a mountain, whose highest point is 949 meters long. It’s located at the top of the Vulcão do Fogo (fire volcano), also known as the Agua de Pau volcano. The crater has a collapsed and elliptical form, with approximately 3 x 2.5 km. The walls of the crater can be really uneven, reaching 300 meters.