It is located at the top of the Sete Cidades caldera, in the parish of Sete Cidades, on the island of São Miguel, Azores, Portugal
The Characteristics of Lagoa das Sete Cidades on São Miguel Island
The caldera was formed by successive collapses of rocks and boulders, and has an area of approximately 4.3 km, with a maximum depth of 29 meters, and is one of the largest collapse calderas in the world and its edges mostly have very steep and green slopes.
It is located in a mountainous area with very pronounced relief, with deep interior cliffs, ravines and souls, and grooves in whose beds torrential waters flow.
Pico das Almas, 873 meters high, is the highest elevation in this area, and has this name due to the souls that hover there as it was previously a cemetery.
The area includes an urban area, agricultural land and forestry for cryptomeria production.
An important area in terms of endemism, preserving traces of the archipelago's primitive vegetation, with emphasis on the wild cedar ("Juniperus brevifolia"), "Chaerophyllum azoricum", angelica ("Angelica lignescens"), holly ("Ilex perado ssp. azorica"), "Tolpis azorica", queiró ("Daboecia azorica"), heather ("Erica azorica"), "Lysimachia azorica", the mountain grape ("Vaccinium cylindraceum"), the puff pastry ("Viburnum tinus ssp. subcordatum"), the "Cardamine boilerrum", the daisies ("Beilis azorica"), the mosses "Breutelia azorica", "Campylopus azoricus" and "Grimmia tricophylla Azorica".
The place also represents an important passage area for migratory birds, many of which are in danger of extinction: birds endemic to the Azores such as the Azores wood pigeon ("Columba palumbus azorica"), the blackbird ("Turdus merula azorensis") and the little starlet ("Regulus regulus azoricus").
In the waters of the region's lagoons there are several species of fish introduced by man, such as carp ("Cyprinus carpio"), pike ("Esox lucius"), perch ("Perca fluviatilis"), redhead ("Rutílus rutílus") and trout ("Salmo iridens gibrons").
The Sete Cidades lagoon is the largest natural surface freshwater reservoir in the Azores, occupying a vast area that reaches 4.45 square kilometers with a depth of 33 meters.
The lagoon is characterized by the double color of its waters, being divided by a shallow channel crossed by a low bridge that separates a green water mirror on one side, and a blue mirror on the other.
These characteristics, and the beauty of the surrounding landscape, gave rise to beautiful legends about its origin and formation, including the one that links it to the myth of Atlantis.
The lagoon and its surrounding area are classified as a Protected Landscape.
The Lagoa is the largest freshwater lake in the Azores located in the volcanic craters that form the Island and is made up of two lagoons (Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul) that provide a scene of extreme and indescribable beauty, and one of the symbolic images of the entire Archipelago, classified as a Protected Landscape of the Natura 2000 Network.
Its depth reaches a maximum of 33 meters, and its length is 4.2 kilometers, and it is surrounded by verdant cultivated fields and beautiful steep slopes that give it a unique bucolic and idyllic environment.
It is located in a mountainous area with very pronounced relief, with deep interior cliffs, ravines and souls, and grooves in whose beds torrential waters flow.
Pico das Almas, 873 meters high, is the highest elevation in this area, and has this name due to the souls that hover there as it was previously a cemetery.
The area includes an urban area, agricultural land and forestry for cryptomeria production.
An important area in terms of endemism, preserving traces of the archipelago's primitive vegetation, with emphasis on the wild cedar ("Juniperus brevifolia"), "Chaerophyllum azoricum", angelica ("Angelica lignescens"), holly ("Ilex perado ssp. azorica"), "Tolpis azorica", queiró ("Daboecia azorica"), heather ("Erica azorica"), "Lysimachia azorica", the mountain grape ("Vaccinium cylindraceum"), the puff pastry ("Viburnum tinus ssp. subcordatum"), the "Cardamine boilerrum", the daisies ("Beilis azorica"), the mosses "Breutelia azorica", "Campylopus azoricus" and "Grimmia tricophylla Azorica".
The place also represents an important passage area for migratory birds, many of which are in danger of extinction: birds endemic to the Azores such as the Azores wood pigeon ("Columba palumbus azorica"), the blackbird ("Turdus merula azorensis") and the little starlet ("Regulus regulus azoricus").
In the waters of the region's lagoons there are several species of fish introduced by man, such as carp ("Cyprinus carpio"), pike ("Esox lucius"), perch ("Perca fluviatilis"), redhead ("Rutílus rutílus") and trout ("Salmo iridens gibrons").
The Sete Cidades lagoon is the largest natural surface freshwater reservoir in the Azores, occupying a vast area that reaches 4.45 square kilometers with a depth of 33 meters.
The lagoon is characterized by the double color of its waters, being divided by a shallow channel crossed by a low bridge that separates a green water mirror on one side, and a blue mirror on the other.
These characteristics, and the beauty of the surrounding landscape, gave rise to beautiful legends about its origin and formation, including the one that links it to the myth of Atlantis.
The lagoon and its surrounding area are classified as a Protected Landscape.
The Lagoa is the largest freshwater lake in the Azores located in the volcanic craters that form the Island and is made up of two lagoons (Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul) that provide a scene of extreme and indescribable beauty, and one of the symbolic images of the entire Archipelago, classified as a Protected Landscape of the Natura 2000 Network.
Its depth reaches a maximum of 33 meters, and its length is 4.2 kilometers, and it is surrounded by verdant cultivated fields and beautiful steep slopes that give it a unique bucolic and idyllic environment.
The Legend of the Princess with Blue Eyes
In the place where the beautiful parish of Sete Cidades is located today, there was a kingdom where a beautiful young Princess Antília lived, with beautiful blue eyes.
One day, on a walk through the region's wonderful meadows, the Princess falls in love with a shepherd with green eyes who was walking his flock there.
The days passed and the two lovers found themselves in the same place, in the shade of an old tree, becoming closer and more in love.
The King, who wanted his daughter to marry a Prince from the neighboring kingdom, upon learning of the passion that was growing, banned the love between the Princess and the Shepherd.
Antília, desperate, asked for her last meeting with her love, which took place in the usual place, and while they talked about their sad fate, the two cried so much that the “Blue Lagoon” was formed from the Princess’s blue eyes, and the “Green Lagoon” from the Shepherd’s green eyes.
Legend then says that the two were separated, but their heartfelt tears remained side by side forever, in Lagoa das Sete Cidades.
One day, on a walk through the region's wonderful meadows, the Princess falls in love with a shepherd with green eyes who was walking his flock there.
The days passed and the two lovers found themselves in the same place, in the shade of an old tree, becoming closer and more in love.
The King, who wanted his daughter to marry a Prince from the neighboring kingdom, upon learning of the passion that was growing, banned the love between the Princess and the Shepherd.
Antília, desperate, asked for her last meeting with her love, which took place in the usual place, and while they talked about their sad fate, the two cried so much that the “Blue Lagoon” was formed from the Princess’s blue eyes, and the “Green Lagoon” from the Shepherd’s green eyes.
Legend then says that the two were separated, but their heartfelt tears remained side by side forever, in Lagoa das Sete Cidades.
