The Azores: Jewels of Portugal

The Azores: Jewels of Portugal

Thursday, July 10 – Tuesday, July 22, 2025

 

Day 1: Overnight Flight

From volcanic craters and thermal waters to lush vegetation and picturesque coasts, enjoy the natural splendor of this Portuguese archipelago and see why the Azores are commonly referred to as "the Hawaii of Europe."

Day 2: São Miguel, Açores, Portugal - Tour Begins

This is the Azores. A set of islands virtually untouched by urban development. Your adventure begins on São Miguel, the largest of the nine volcanic islands. Relax and explore as you wish, perhaps sit along the seaside promenade and breathe in the mild air of the Atlantic.

Day 3: Ponta Delgada

Get to know Ponta Delgada, the capital city of São Miguel, on a morning walking tour of the area. This afternoon, traverse the dirt paths to the Sete Cidades caldera’s highest point on an off-road adventure. On your way, gaze down upon the blue lake (reflecting the sky) and the adjacent green lake (reflecting the lush vegetation). As you take in the greenery around you, an Impact Moment introduces how our partnership with a local company is supporting reforestation efforts on the island. Celebrate the beginning of your journey with a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 4: São Miguel

Start the day with a visit to one of the few remaining basket weavers on the island. Learn how willow basket making has evolved and how this father-son enterprise has kept this traditional craft alive. Then, it’s your choice! Enjoy the thermal waters at the Terra Nostra pool,* built in the 18th century by the American consul to the Azores -OR- embark on a guided visit to the organic paradise that is the Terra Nostra Botanical Garden. For lunch, enjoy a traditional cozido das furnas meal, where your food is cooked in the earth’s volcanic heat. Later, continue on to the green fields of a nearby tea plantation where we will learn about this unique crop before an evening of leisure in São Miguel. Today breakfast and lunch will be included.

Day 5: São Miguel

Today enjoy a full free day to explore Sao Miguel at your own pace. Or you may choose to join a Flavors of Sao Miguel optional tour where you will taste your way through some of the unique products this island has to offer. At a local quinta, taste Azorean gin, blended with botanicals and seaweed and learn how a local foundation supports local marine conservation. End this optional excursion with a light lunch of locally-sourced ingredients. Regardless of how you choose to spend your day, gather tonight for a home-hosted dinner at a local village. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 6: São Miguel - Madalena, Pico

Board your flight to Pico, one of the most unique Azorean islands. Start with a visit to the Pico Wine Museum, where you will learn about the uniqueness and adaptability of the wine production on the island. See firsthand why the vineyard landscape is labeled as a UNESCO Heritage site. End the day at the rustic lava stone houses of Aldeia da Fonte, an eco-sustainable hotel and your home for the next two nights. Enjoy dinner at this cliffside abode. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 7: Pico

Bring your walking shoes today and start your day on Lagoa do Capitao and look out over Sao Jorge Island in the distance. Travel to one of the most prestigious wine producers in the archipelago for a tasting. After, visit the whaling museum that highlights the historical ties of the industry to the culture of the islands. Learn about the importance of whaling to Pico through the 1980s and the transition from hunting to protecting these giants of the oceans. End your day with an included dinner at a local restaurant. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 8: Pico - Angra do Heroismo, Terceira

Board your flight to Terceira and say hello to the colorful capital of Angra do Heroismo (UNESCO) with a local guide. Restored in traditional style, the city features white facades and vibrant trims. Learn about the Holy Ghost Chapels, known locally as Imperios, and customs surrounding this tradition. Tonight, get a taste of the culture at a local restaurant. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 9: Terceira

Start your day with a swim* in the natural volcanic pools of Biscoitos. Later, on your way to Algar do Carvao, stop at Serra do Cume viewpoint where views of the agricultural fields and their neat orderly stone walls will take your breath away. At Algar do Carvao, the "Cavern of Coal," feel the quiet stillness as you descend

into this ancient lava tube. Enjoy the evening to explore Angra do Heroismo as you wish. Today breakfast will be included.

Day 10: Terceira

Today, the day is yours to enjoy at your own pace. You may choose to join an optional tour to the western side of Terceira in the morning, sipping coffee at an organic coffee plantation and tasting locally grown bananas along the way and ending at a family-owned cheese factory for a light lunch made up of local products. End the day at a tapas home-hosted dining experience. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 11: Terceira - Lisbon

Say farewell to the Azores archipelago as you head to Lisbon in continental Europe. Lisbon, known as the city of the seven hills, and the starting point of many of its 15th century explorations, was also the departure point of many of its immigrants that crossed the Atlantic searching for a better life. Check in to your hotel after your flight and enjoy a free night. Today breakfast will be included.

Day 12: Lisbon

Start your morning with a panoramic tour of Belem. See the imposing 16th century Jeronimos Monastery and the Belem Tower, a fortress built to protect Lisbon and later used as a prison. Return to downtown Lisbon and join a walking food tour in one of the historical neighborhoods of Lisbon. Every corner of the city seems to be about to tell you a story, with a unique character and "tascas" with delicious "petiscos". Enjoy free time for the rest of the afternoon before you gather for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Today breakfast, lunch and dinner will be included.

Day 13: Lisbon - Tour Ends

Say adeus (goodbye) to Portugal and the Azores as you depart this coastal paradise. Today breakfast will be included.

 

A valid passport is required for this tour

Reservation Cut-Off Date is December 4

 

 

To Sign up - Call or Email our office to get a sign up form or visit HERE to sign up and get additional information

 

 

Rates: Double $5,399; Single $6,199

 

 

 

Package Includes:

Roundtrip airfare and transfers from Boston

3 nights at the Grand Hotel Acores Atlantico, Sao Miguel*

2 nights at Aldeia da Fonte Nature Hotel, Pico*

3 nights at Zenite Boutique Hotel & Spa, Terceira*

2 nights at Bessa Hotel Liberdade, Lisbon*

11 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 7 dinners

All mentioned touring

Motorcoach transportation 

 

*On some dates, alternate hotels may be used

 

Reservations made after the seat reduction date of December 04, 2024 are based upon availability.

Final payment due by April 11, 2025.

Deposits are refundable up until December 11, 2024.

 

Please Note:

Economy air rate and schedule are applicable for groups of 10 or more traveling on the same flights and dates.

 

The overall activity level of this tour is a level 3. This means you’re an on-the-go traveler. You don’t want to miss a thing, so walking and standing for longer periods of time (2-3 hours) isn’t a big deal. A moderately paced two-and-a-half-hour walking tour, covering several miles, hills, and uneven surfaces, is no problem for you. Walking four miles over the course of a day is very doable, as is climbing into and out of various modes of transportation (tuk-tuk, cable car, zodiac, etc.). During your Lisbon walking food tour, you will need to comfortably navigate uneven cobblestone sidewalks and some steep streets for the duration of the walking tour. You can climb three flights of stairs easily and handle altitudes between 6,000 and 9,000 feet. Expect some longer days with early mornings or late nights balanced with free time to recharge or set out on your own adventure. This level is not a fit for travelers who require mobility assistance devices.

 

Travel with no more than 24 guests on this tour where a smaller group setting means a more personal travel experience.

 

If you require any special assistance while on tour, please make us aware at time of reservation so the necessary request form can be sent to your attention.

 

Single accommodations are limited and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Single rate subject to change based on availability.

 

Complete passport information is required for this tour at time of deposit or by a maximum of 90 days prior to your tour departure.

 

To complete your tour, we include roundtrip airport-to-hotel transfers when purchasing our airfare with your tour. If you have arranged for your own air, we are pleased to provide you the option of purchasing these transfers. Please note that all transfers will leave at pre-scheduled times.

 

Due to flight schedules, a post night may be required (at an additional cost). Please inquire at time of booking.

 

For air-inclusive reservations, the name provided at time of booking must match your government-issued ID that will be used during travel. Name changes are subject to penalties.

 

Please be advised many airlines do not provide advance seat assignments until check-in at the airport. Advance seating will be subject to the airline's terms and conditions.

The internal flights on this tour are from São Miguel to Pico (55 minutes), Pico to Terceira (30 minutes), and Terceira to Lisbon (2 hours, 30 minutes).

Internal flights are required in order to participate on this tour and are included in the final price, quoted at time of booking.

 

Cancel for any reason insurance is available for $549 per person.

 

IDENTIFICATION

Passports are required for this tour at your expense. Certain countries require that your passport be valid at least 6 months beyond the dates of your travel. You are strongly urged to contact the appropriate consulate for details. Visit www.travel.state.gov for the U.S. State Department for the latest details about passports and visa requirements.

IMPORTANT: We recommend that travelers take a photocopy of their passport and applicable visas. It should be packed separately from your actual passport and visa. We also recommend leaving a copy at home with your emergency contact.

Effective for travel in May 2025, all visitors who do not need a visa to enter Europe will be expected to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver, for a fee, when visiting a Schengen Area Country. To identify Schengen Area Countries and to complete the ETIAS application, please visit https://www.etiasvisa.com/

 

*Bathing suits are required if partaking in the thermal water pools. You may choose to bring a towel from home, as well as water shoes as these will not be provided onsite.

Island activities are subject to change due to internal flight arrival times.

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