Zona de Paisagem Protegida das Sete Cidades, Protected landscape area in the Azores, Portugal

The Zona de Paisagem Protegida das Sete Cidades is a protected landscape area on the island of São Miguel in the Azores, centered on a large volcanic crater that holds several lakes, including Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul. The land around the crater is covered with green hills, small farms, and marked trails that connect different viewpoints overlooking the water.

The Sete Cidades massif's crater and its lakes lie within a landscape protected by Regional Decree No. 2/80/A of 7 February 1980, the founding act of the protected area. Since 2008 the area has been part of the São Miguel Natural Park. The protected zone covers the whole crater with its lakes, plus the Caldeira do Alferes, Caldeira Seca and smaller lakes near the national road and the Mata do Canário.

The two lakes at the heart of the area, Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul, take their names from the colors they appear to hold, which can shift depending on the light and weather. The small village of Sete Cidades sits beside them, and local residents still farm the surrounding land in a slow, steady way.

The area is easiest to explore by car, with several viewpoints accessible from the road, including the Vista do Rei, which looks out over both lakes. Weather here can change quickly throughout the day, so it is a good idea to bring a light rain jacket regardless of how the morning starts.

A local legend says the two lakes were formed from the tears of a shepherd and a princess who fell in love but were forced apart. The fact that the two lakes genuinely appear in different colors gives the story a strangely convincing quality, even if the real cause is a difference in depth and surrounding vegetation.