Down at the bottom of the caldera, the view from the rim turns into something more intimate. The village of Sete Cidades sits on a narrow strip of land between two lakes, the Lagoa Azul and the Lagoa Verde, which are joined by a short channel and a little bridge. A neo-Gothic church, São Nicolau, stands among small houses, with a lane leading off to the water, and the whole place smells of wet grass, woodsmoke and cows.
The local legend is a love story, as legends should be. A princess fell in love with a shepherd, and when her father the king forbade them to meet, they said goodbye by the water; the princess's eyes were blue and the shepherd's green, and their tears filled the two lakes. Scientists prefer the explanation that algae and the reflection of sky and surrounding hills produce the difference, but the story is told with a straight face to every visitor. The lakes lie in a volcanic crater about five kilometres across, formed in an eruption long ago, and the surrounding walls are steep and green with forest and farm.
The road down from the rim is a treat, a narrow twisting descent with cobbled edges, hydrangea hedges and good views at every bend. It is mostly smooth, though patchy in places, and slick after rain, so take it gently. Cars and buses come the other way and the lanes are narrow, which makes a motorcycle the right tool. Early morning is best, when the water is still and the mist drifts across the surface.
Down in the village there are a few small cafés and snack bars, where a coffee and a cake called a queijada are about right. The local dairy tradition is strong, and cheese is worth buying to carry in your pannier if you have space. There are walking trails around the lakes and up to the rim, but do not underestimate how steep the climb back is on foot.
Ponta Delgada is the sensible place to fill up, and Mosteiros has a small shop but not much else. Allow time here for slow sipping and strolling, because the mood is more peaceful than almost anywhere else on the island.