In early September our small party--three couples all c. 70-- will be spending six days on Sao Miguel before flying on to Lisbon. We're scheduled to arrive at 6:10 a.m. on the Azores Airlines flight from Boston that's scheduled to depart at 9:15 p.m. In other words, we'll arrive without a lot of sleep. We plan on renting a car and driving to our hotel in Ginetes, the Sensi Nature & Spa, which has agreed to sell us breakfast and allow us to shower, change, deposit our luggage, and use the hotel's facilities until we're able to check-in.
Since we'll be staying in the western part of the island, I thought that, depending on the weather, the timing of low tide, and our alertness, it might make sense to spend the day, or part of it, in Sete Cidades or the west coast (Ponta da Ferraria and Mosteiros), expecting to devote another, entire day to this part of the island.
So, here are a variety of possible activities I've culled from several sources. I'm hoping for comments and advice regarding what's a reasonable selection to think of attempting on our first day and what would make a good itinerary for another day. (After developing possible itineraries for other days, I hope to return for more advice.)
Miradouro Vista do Rei
Lagoa do Canário
Miradouro da Boca do Inferno (not perhaps for our first day on the island, AllTrails recommends a c. 1h loop trail from the Lagoa do Canário car park that includes the Boca do Inferno lookout; AllTrails also recommends a c. 1-1/4h loop trail that goes south from the car park.
Village of Sete Cidades (lunch possibilities: Restaurante Lagoa Azul, Casa de Cha "O Poejo", and Restaurante Sao Nicolau; canoeing from Garoupa Canoe/Kayak Tours)
Ponta da Ferreira
Mosteiros (possible sunset supper possibilities: O Americo, Poço da Pedra Bar, and Restaurante Gazcidla)
I understand that this is too much for us for a single day, especially for our first day. That said, I'd appreciate advise regarding plausible itineraries for both our first day and another day after at least one good night's sleep.
TIA