Old Watermills of Maia – Praia do Porto Formoso loop from Lomba da Maia

Hiking trails & Routes

Lomba Da Maia

Old Watermills of Maia – Praia do Porto Formoso loop from Lomba da Maia

Moderate

4.7

(104)

562

hikers

Old Watermills of Maia – Praia do Porto Formoso loop from Lomba da Maia

03:24

10.8km

430m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: October 14, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Área Marinha Protegida de Gestão de Recursos da Ponta do Cintrão - Ponta da Maia

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

1.89 km

View of the North Coast Cliffs, São Miguel

Highlight • Viewpoint

Beautiful view of the cliffs

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2.24 km

View of the North Coast of São Miguel

Highlight • Viewpoint

Viewpoint with public WC
Parking is possible here

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3.35 km

Old Watermills of Maia

Highlight • Historical Site

Be sure to walk along the coastal path to the old watermills and look at the newly renovated mills, inside and out!!

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3.38 km

Nateiro Watermills and Waterfall

Highlight • Waterfall

The ruins are the old watermills of Nateiro. These were used in the past to make flour from wheat and corn, which in turn was used to bake bread.

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3.47 km

Praia do Porto Formoso

Highlight • Beach

Very nice coastal hiking trail to the old and restored water mill. We recommend!@

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3.58 km

Praia da Viola and the Watermills

Highlight • Beach

Praia da Viola is a narrow, quiet beach of coarse sand and pebbles, framed by a rocky cliff with several waterfalls. When crossing the beach, it is worth taking a …

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5.78 km

Calhau da Maia Beach

Highlight • Beach

Praia do Calhau da Maia, located on the curve of the Maia area, is one of the many volcanic sand beaches in the Azores. With basic services and a bar, …

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8.26 km

Coastal Trail with Waterfall and Ocean Views

Highlight • Trail

10.8 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

6.48 km

2.19 km

1.63 km

349 m

134 m

Surfaces

4.81 km

3.67 km

1.13 km

951 m

212 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (250 m)

Lowest point (20 m)

Weather

Today

Wednesday 21 October

21°C

14°C

21 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 10.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

June 1, 2023,Bergauf und bergab auf Dschungelwegen an der Küste - alte Wassermühle und ein wunderschöner Strand

You need sure-footedness, good hiking shoes (profile) and a certain level of fitness. At the end of the tour, there are what feels like an infinite number of steps. It may be advisable to do the tour the other way around, since the destination is then lower than the starting point - the ascent is then correspondingly less arduous. However, …

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November 14, 2022,➡️ São Miguel

Fantastically beautiful coastal hike! 🌿🌳🌊☀️🌺... on a beautiful forest path down to the coast... past waterfalls... over a secluded stretch of beach... again on a great hiking trail further along the coast. Great! We will always remember this hike fondly! 😃

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April 16, 2024,Azoren Insel São Miguel Wanderung Nahe Ribeira Grande 16.04.2024

Between the scent of meadows and forest air
The varied landscape is a paradise for hiking enthusiasts.
On this picturesque path you pass several watermills.
The path deserves the description "challenging".
Mostly forest paths. The path is uneven and can be slippery and muddy.
Sturdy shoes with sufficient tread and weatherproof clothing are required. The weather can change quite quickly.

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August 4, 2023,Acores-Portugal-Maia-Washplace-Praia da Viola- Moinhos Ribeira Fundo-Crim's Watermill/Waterfall-5 other Waterfalls-Phototour

Really One of the best Tours on the Island. Start in the morning. to walk in the shade along the Beach and Rocks with spectacular views. You can split the tour and let the car on a small parkspace near Viola Beach. A lot of Waterfalls and not crowded. We used the (closed path) but it is not cleaned. It …

May 31, 2025,Azoren - an der Nordküste und Bad im Atlantik

After yesterday's rainy day, the new day, which was also our last day of the trip, greeted us with sunshine, and it stayed that way throughout the day. The scenic tour took us past a dilapidated watermill, first through the forest, and then with magnificent views of the cliffs and the Atlantic. We even enjoyed a cool dip in the …

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December 31, 2022,Moinhos da Ribeira Funda PRC35 SMI & PR 27 SMI - Praia da Viola (São Miguel, Azores, PT))

This is a combination of the Hike Moinhos da Ribeira Funda PRC35 SMI and Praia da Viola PR 27 SMI (São Miguel, Azores, PT))

Trail

Trail Info PRC35 SMI:

trails.visitazores.com/sites/default/files/prc_35_smi_-_moinhos_da_ribeira_funda_3.pdf

This circular route at Ribeira Funda (Fenais da Ajuda), begins near the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Aflição. Go down the tarred road until you reach a fork. Here, follow …

October 5, 2023,Wasserfall mit Ruinen – Praia da Viola Runde von Lomba da Maia

We made the rounds to Maia and ate there in the small restaurant with a sea view. The beach is simply gorgeous. There is also plenty of water flowing from the mountain, so you can take a good shower after swimming. On the way back we walked above the beach. The road to the starting point is very steep and …

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