Azores hot springsTerra Nostra, Poça da Dona Beija, Caldeira Velha and Ferraria compared

The short answer: Terra Nostra for the big warm pool in a garden, Poça da Dona Beija for an evening soak, Caldeira Velha for the forest setting, Ferraria for the free sea pool at low tide. Three of them need a ticket for a set date or slot. The regional tourism portal lists the Ferraria spa as temporarily closed [8]; check its status before travelling.

Side by side

	Terra Nostra	Poça da Dona Beija	Caldeira Velha	Ponta da Ferraria
Where	Furnas	Furnas	Above Ribeira Grande	West tip of the island
Adult price	€17 [2]	€12, €16 for slots from 18:00 [5]	€10 with bathing [6]	Free [7]
Children	6–17 €14.50 [2]	7–17 as adults; 2–6 €10 (€14 from 18:00); under 1 free [5]	0–6 free, 7–14 €5 [6]	Free [7]
Hours	10:30–16:30 daily [1]	08:30–23:00, last entry 21:30 [4]	09:00–18:30 in Oct, 17:00 Nov–Mar [6]	Open sea, tide-dependent [7]
Booking	Ticket for a date [1]	Online slot, no refunds [4]	1½-hour slot, 100 in the pools [6]	None
Water	38–42 °C, iron-rich; max 30 min advised [16]	Several small pools	About 26 °C and 38 °C (secondary) [14]	About 40 °C near the spring at low tide [7]
From Ponta Delgada	40 min drive (route model); direct bus 318 from Alfândega to Furnas (Águas Quentes), about 1 h 28 on its all-year runs [11][10]	Same Furnas route	25 min drive (route model) [12]	34 min drive (route model) [13]

Terra Nostra

• Daily 10:30–16:30 including holidays, closed 25 December; start your visit at least 30 minutes before closing [1].
• The ticket includes the garden, the main thermal pool and the jacuzzis; refunds only if the park closes for safety or weather [1].
• The thermal water is 38–42 °C and rich in iron and other minerals, which gives it its orange colour; the park advises staying no more than 30 minutes in the pool or jacuzzis and not leaving children alone [16].

Poça da Dona Beija

• The one to do after dark: 08:30–23:00, last entry 21:30, out of the water by 22:30 [4].
• Tickets are for a date and time; the operator says no cancellations, changes or refunds [4]. Prices appear once you pick a date and slot: €12 for 18+ and 7–17, €10 for 2–6, under 1 free; slots starting from 18:00 cost €16 and €14. Each slot is 1½ hours; VAT is included (booking page, read 10 Oct 2026) [5].

Caldeira Velha

• A natural monument and interpretation centre with a waterfall pool and a smaller, hotter pool [6][14].
• Slots: 09:00–10:30, 10:30–12:00, and so on; a visit-only ticket (€3) doesn’t include the pools [6].
• On the road to Lagoa do Fogo; during the published 2026 shuttle season (1 August–30 September), private visitor cars were restricted beyond the Caldeira Velha car park. See Lagoa do Fogo for future dates and the current fare [15].

Ponta da Ferraria

• A small natural pool where a thermal spring warms the sea to about 40 °C next to the rock, at low tide; the spring water itself rises at about 60 °C [7].
• It’s open ocean: waves, rocks and tides decide whether it’s pleasant or dangerous. We found no lifeguard information.
• The Termas da Ferraria spa building is temporarily closed [8].

Bonus: the Furnas caldeiras

Not for bathing, but worth the €3 (under-12s free): the lakeside fumaroles where cozido pots cook underground for six to seven hours [9].

Sources

Numbered references match the source list on this page. All read on 9 October 2026.