Breakfasts are buffet style with a variety of options on offer, including bread, jams, cereals, and tea and coffee. The lunches are either taken in local restaurants or picnic style, either in the form of a lunch box or a buffet with local produce.

In the evening, the tour leader will recommend local restaurants that serve traditional local food. Vegetarians can be accommodated in the Azores, although the choice at restaurants is limited. For other dietary requirements, it’s recommended to inform the restaurants/hotels in advance.

Cycle the south coast on rolling roads lined with stone walls and pastures, finishing in Vila Franca do Campo, a whitewashed town set between hills and sea. The route blends ocean breezes with volcanic panoramas.

Discover how this was São Miguel’s first capital until the 1522 earthquake reshaped its fortunes. Stroll the marina and churches, and, if you wish, try the town’s famed queijadas pastries during your visit.

Explore the capital on foot and join a guided walking tour past the Portas da Cidade arches, the whitewashed Church of São Sebastião, and the revered Senhor Santo Cristo sanctuary. Streets of basalt and white limestone trace the island’s Portuguese heritage.

Conclude among grottoes and exotic trees at the 19th-century António Borges Garden, a romantic landscape of tunnels and lakes created by a visionary collector, offering quiet corners for reflection beneath giant palms and cycads.

Cycle through Pinhal da Paz, pedalling quiet lanes and forest tracks beneath cryptomeria and eucalyptus, with occasional ocean glimpses. This rolling ride reveals curated clearings, ornamental gardens and shaded avenues ideal for easy riding.

Pause at viewpoints to absorb the mosaic of fields, hedgerows and laurel species that recall the islands’ original forests. A relaxed picnic of local produce completes the outing amid birdsong and cool woodland air.

Visit traditional Azorean pineapple greenhouses to see how this tropical fruit thrives in glasshouses rather than fields. Learn about the island’s ingenious, slow-growing method—up to two years from planting to harvest—guided by temperature, humidity and careful pruning.

Discover the unique “fumo” smoking method historically used to induce flowering, introduced after a 19th-century citrus blight. Small but intensely aromatic, São Miguel pineapples are prized for their balance of sweetness and acidity.

Trek volcanic uplands on the Serra Devassa Trail to peatlands, crater ponds and Pico das Éguas, culminating at the Grota do Inferno viewpoint to survey the Sete Cidades caldera. The twin lakes—one green, one blue—glow beneath steep, forested walls.

Trace the island’s past along remnants of the Muro do Carvão aqueduct and learn how a collapsed stratovolcano sculpted this vast amphitheatre. Linger to pause for photos and reflection over one of Portugal’s signature vistas.

Kayak the twin lakes of Sete Cidades, gliding across the sheltered waters of Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde framed by crater slopes and hydrangea-lined shores. Calm conditions make this an inviting paddle amid mirror-like reflections.

Absorb the quiet—broken only by bird calls and the drip of paddles—while learning about the legends and geology of this remarkable caldera. Stand-up paddleboards or a lakeside cycle may be available as an alternative on day 3.

Head offshore on purpose-built boats for whale-watching with marine biologists, scanning for resident sperm whales and playful dolphins. The Azores’ deep waters host over a third of the world’s cetacean species through the year.

Learn how coastal vigias lookouts guide crews to sightings and hear about responsible codes that protect the animals. A pre-departure briefing enriches the experience, helping you identify tails, blows and behaviours in the Atlantic swells.

Walk the shores of Furnas Lake from the neo-Gothic Nossa Senhora das Vitórias chapel to fields of earth vents and steaming fumaroles. Trails weave through azalea and hydrangea hedges with views to fern-draped ravines.

Continue to Grená Park waterfalls, where mossy stairways and forest paths reveal crystalline cascades. The route showcases geothermal power and the island’s lush, subtropical vegetation shaped by warm Atlantic air.

Taste the Azores’ signature dish, cozido das caldeiras, a hearty stew of meats, sausages and vegetables cooked underground by geothermal heat. Pots simmer for hours in the warm earth near Furnas Lake.

Witness the pots lifted from the earth and savour the smoky, mineral-tinged flavours unique to this method. It’s a living example of how islanders channel volcanic energy into daily life.

Bathe in the iron-rich thermal pool of Terra Nostra Garden, where 38–40°C waters soothe muscles beneath swaying trees. The ochre tint is natural, a sign of minerals drawn from deep underground.

Wander avenues planned since the late 18th century, from giant tree ferns to an acclaimed camellia collection. Formal beds, grottoes and lakes reveal centuries of horticultural passion in the heart of Furnas.

Visit one of Europe’s only commercial tea plantations to see emerald terraces facing the Atlantic. Learn how leaves become black and green tea using time-honoured rolling, withering and drying techniques.

Step inside century-old machinery halls and meet specialists who guard family methods dating to the 19th century. Conclude with a tasting of freshly brewed tea, its clean, briny-sweet profile shaped by ocean air and volcanic soils.

Follow old pipes and forest paths to the Salto do Cabrito waterfall, where clear water plunges into a shaded pool. Catwalks and suspension walkways trace the gorge for airy views over rushing streams.

Pass a disused hydroelectric plant that once channelled the valley’s energy, and climb to natural balconies above the canyon. It’s a varied circuit of basalt steps, leafy shade and photogenic cascades.

Ascend to a miradouro for sweeping views of Lagoa do Fogo, a sapphire caldera lake protected as a nature reserve. The amphitheatre of ridgelines and cloud wisps creates a powerful sense of remoteness.

Learn how the Água de Pau massif’s 16th-century eruptions shaped the basin and its fragile habitats. In clear weather, the Atlantic glints beyond serrated slopes; on misty days, the scene feels ethereal and otherworldly.

Launch from the marina to kayak Atlantic coves and caves, tracing honeycombed cliffs and hidden inlets with your guide. Sea-carved arches frame views toward the offshore Islet of Vila Franca do Campo, a protected volcanic tuff ring.

Hear coastal legends between paddle strokes and watch for seabirds nesting on ledges. If conditions allow, snorkelling gear may be used to glimpse marine life in sheltered bays along the route.

Slip into warm pools at the Caldeira Velha Nature Reserve, where a fern-draped ravine shelters rust-red thermal waters and a small waterfall. The setting feels like a natural spa hidden within a volcanic valley.

Interpretive trails explain how Fogo volcano’s hydrothermal system heats the springs. Between dips, listen for chaffinches and blackbirds in the canopy while sulphur-scented steam curls through tree ferns and laurels.

Gather for a convivial evening to meet your Tour Director and travelling companions over a group welcome dinner in the heart of Ponta Delgada. Taste island flavours shaped by the Atlantic—grilled fish, octopus stew and local cheeses—paired with Azorean wines.

Set within the Ponta Delgada old town, this relaxed introduction offers context for the days ahead as you hear stories of seafaring, volcanic landscapes and island traditions that still guide daily life in the Azores.