Centro de Interpretação Ambiental da Caldeira Velha

Beautiful nature park whete you can take a bath under waterfall.

Very cosy, 4 warm medium size thermal lakes. The security staff are not very friendly, and unnecessarly strict and not welcoming, which we didn't appreciate. Other staff members were ok. You also have to pay for hot shower and locker extra money, which is uncomfortable if you pay already quite enough for 1.5h entirence.

Amazing place regardless of the weather, but even more amazing if you know about these hacks:
1. Book your tickets in advance and, if you can, arrange your schedule so as to visit the hot springs on a weekday to avoid crowds of tourists (the place IS touristy though, so you'll probably be with a lot of other people).
2. When booking your tickets, choose the first time slot of the day (the one that starts at 9.00 AM).
3. Before heading to the park, pack a swimsuit, a towel AND swimming shoes! Ideally, it's better to already wear a swimsuit under your clothes (this will be life-changing for your experience, you will see why if you continue reading).
4. If you plan on taking a backpack with you, make sure to empty it from all things that won't be necessary for visiting the park and leave as many things as possible in your car or at your accommodation.
5. If you've just entered the park and haven't put on your swimsuit yet, you may want to change. DON'T stop at the very first changing cabins you'll see. There are other cabins higher up on the path which are considerably less crowded, behind which there are lockers to store your stuff in. On your way to those cabins, you will find a building with a desk, a small museum and, close to it, another small building with showers. Go to the desk and ask for a lock to close your locker (if you've booked the tickets online, I think it is possible to also mention whether or not you may want to use a locker... and trust me, you do!).
6. After getting the lock at the desk, head over to the changing cabins near the waterfall and get changed. Put your personal belongings in the lockers behind the cabins. A lot of people also put their stuff on the ground near the springs.
7. Head back towards the desk where you came from and take a shower (most tourists don't even see the showers so they don't use them and that might be very unhygienic!).
8. You are ready for a nice bath/swim. Enjoy!

I had such a magical time at Caldeira Velha, it’s peaceful and beautiful. If you’re lucky it’ll rain while you’re there, really such a cool place. There’s not many bathrooms though, but there’s plenty of changing rooms.

A beautiful natural setting with four thermal pools of varying temperatures. The coolest one is at the top, just beneath a small waterfall — perfect for a refreshing contrast to the warmer lower pools. The facility is located about 200 meters from the entrance. Everything is clean, well organized. The pools are surrounded by greenery, giving the whole place a very relaxing jungle vibe. Changing cabins are simple wooden structures under a shelter and aren't very spacious. The ones at the top tend to be less crowded. Lockers are available (for a fee) and just big enough for a small backpack. There are also several benches where you can leave your belongings, but be aware that there is no large shelter in case of rain. Toilets and showers are available on site, though queues are common during busy hours. One ticket gives you 1.5 hours in the pools, but you can still enjoy the surrounding area outside of that time. I highly recommend booking your tickets online in advance. You can select a specific time slot for your visit and make sure there’s availability when you arrive. Overall, it’s a fantastic experience that I 100% recommend.