Azores Deep Discovery: 8 Days — Sao Miguel, Terceira & Pico, Volcanoes, Whales & Hot Springs

Tour Overview

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrive Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel — The Green Island

Land at Joao Paulo II Airport on Sao Miguel, the largest of the nine Azores islands. The Azores, a Portuguese archipelago 1,500km west of Lisbon, are Europe’s Hawaii — volcanic islands of astonishing green, black sand beaches, hydrangea-lined roads, and some of the best whale watching on the planet. Transfer to your hotel in Ponta Delgada, the charming capital with its distinctive black-and-white basalt architecture. Evening: orientation walk through the city — the 18th-century Portas da Cidade (City Gates), the Church of Sao Sebastiao, and the waterfront promenade. Dinner featuring Azorean specialties: lapas (grilled limpets with garlic butter), fresh tuna steak, and Queijo Sao Jorge (the island’s famous cheese). Overnight in Ponta Delgada.

Day 2: Sete Cidades — The Twin Lakes of Legend

Full day at Sete Cidades, the most iconic landscape in the Azores. This massive volcanic crater (5km diameter) contains twin lakes — Lagoa Azul (Blue Lake) and Lagoa Verde (Green Lake) — separated by a narrow bridge. According to legend, the lakes are the tears of a princess and a shepherd boy whose love was forbidden — she had blue eyes, he had green eyes. Walk the rim of the crater at Vista do Rei (King’s View), named for King Carlos I’s 1901 visit. Hike down into the crater to the abandoned Sete Cidades village, its church standing by the lake. Kayak on the calm waters of Blue Lake. Afternoon: visit the Ponta da Ferraria, a natural ocean pool where volcanic hot springs mix with the Atlantic — you can swim in warm geothermal water while waves crash against the volcanic rocks. Return to Ponta Delgada. Overnight.

Day 3: Furnas — The Geothermal Kitchen

Drive east to Furnas, an active volcanic valley where the Earth’s heat cooks your lunch. Start at the Furnas Lake fumarole field — dozens of steam vents and boiling mud pools where the traditional Cozido das Furnas is prepared. This legendary dish — a stew of pork, chicken, chorizo, blood sausage, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes — is sealed in large pots and buried underground, where it slow-cooks for 6-7 hours in volcanic steam. Walk the Terra Nostra Botanical Garden (founded 1782), one of Europe’s finest — 12 hectares of exotic plants from around the world surrounding a massive geothermal swimming pool where the rust-colored, mineral-rich water stays at 35-40°C year-round. Soak in the thermal pool. Lunch: eat your Cozido das Furnas, unearthed from the ground, tasting distinctly of the volcanic minerals that cooked it. Afternoon: visit the Poca da Dona Beija, five thermal pools at 25-39°C in a tropical garden setting. Overnight in Furnas.

Day 4: Whale Watching & Islet of Vila Franca

Morning: whale watching expedition from Ponta Delgada. The Azores are one of the world’s top whale watching destinations — 28 different cetacean species have been recorded here, and the deep waters surrounding the islands are a permanent home to sperm whales. Spotters on land (the vigia system, a tradition dating from the whaling era) guide the boat to sightings. In a single trip you may see sperm whales blowing at the surface, pods of common and bottlenose dolphins riding the bow wave, and — in spring — blue whales, the largest animals on Earth. Afternoon: boat to the Islet of Vila Franca do Campo, a perfectly circular submerged volcanic crater that forms a natural swimming pool — a bay of crystal-clear water accessed through a narrow channel. Snorkeling inside the crater. Overnight in Ponta Delgada.

Day 5: Fly to Terceira — The Festive Island

Morning flight to Terceira (approximately 45 minutes). Terceira’s capital, Angra do Heroismo (UNESCO World Heritage), is one of the most beautiful towns in Portugal — a perfectly preserved 16th-century colonial city, laid out on a grid by the Portuguese crown as a mandatory stop for ships crossing the Atlantic. Walk the cobblestone streets, visit the Se Cathedral, and climb to the Monte Brasil fortress for panoramic views of the city and bay. Afternoon: visit the Algar do Carvao, an extraordinary volcanic chimney — you descend 90 meters into an empty magma chamber, with walls of black basalt and beautiful silica stalactites glowing in the light. The cathedral-like cavern, with its natural skylight, is one of the most remarkable volcanic sites accessible to tourists anywhere. Overnight in Angra do Heroismo.

Day 6: Fly to Pico — The Mountain Island

Morning flight to Pico. The island is dominated by Ponta do Pico (2,351m — Portugal’s highest mountain), a perfect volcanic cone rising from the sea. Visit the UNESCO-listed Pico Vineyards — a landscape of black basalt stone walls (currais) built by hand over centuries to protect grapevines from wind and salt spray, while the dark stones absorb daytime heat and release it at night. The resulting wines, particularly the Verdelho do Pico, were exported to the czars of Russia and the courts of Europe in the 18th century. Wine tasting at the Pico Wine Museum. Afternoon: visit the Gruta das Torres lava tube — walk through a 5km-long cave formed by an ancient lava flow, with stalactites of solidified lava. Overnight in Madalena.

Day 7: Pico Mountain & Whale Heritage

Morning: hike or drive up Ponta do Pico (full summit hike requires 6-8 hours and is for experienced hikers; a shorter trail to the mountain hut offers similar views). The mountain’s presence dominates everything on Pico. Afternoon: visit the Whalers’ Museum in Lajes do Pico, housed in the former whaling factory. It tells the story of Azorean whaling, which continued until 1986 — the last whalers used open boats and hand-thrown harpoons, a tradition immortalized in Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick. Evening: farewell dinner at a seaside restaurant in Madalena, with Pico wines and fresh seafood. Overnight in Madalena.

Day 8: Return & Departure

Morning flight to Ponta Delgada. Connect to your international departure. You leave having experienced Europe’s best-kept secret — volcanoes that cook your food, thermal pools in tropical gardens, whales in the deep Atlantic, and a Portuguese island culture unlike anything on the mainland.

Included

• 7 nights accommodation (4-star hotels)
• Daily breakfast + 4 lunches + 5 dinners
• Professional English-speaking guide
• Inter-island flights (Sao Miguel-Terceira, Terceira-Pico, Pico-Sao Miguel)
• Whale watching expedition (3 hours)
• All entrance fees (Algar do Carvao, Furnas, Terra Nostra, Pico vineyards, etc.)
• Thermal pool access (Terra Nostra, Poca da Dona Beija)
• Pico wine tasting
• Airport transfers