The Azores

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.”
Hotel Name: Vila Gale Collection São Miguel

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.

Visit Area: São Miguel Island

Get to know Ponta Delgada, the capital city of São Miguel, on a morning walking tour of the area. This afternoon, take a ride up to Sete Cidades caldera’s highest point and discover some of Mother Nature’s finest work: the twin blue and green lakes that make up this caldera and are explained by local legend: They are apparently the tears of star-crossed lovers, a green-eyed princess and a blue-eyed shepherd. This evening, celebrate the beginning of your journey with a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Sete Cidades
Sete Cidades is a civil parish in the center of Ponta Delgada, that is loczted in the center of a massive volcanic crater. The region comes from Latin origins and became a historical reference as the Island of the Seven Cities. The first documentation recognizing Sete Cidades was written in 750 A.D. The urbanized portion of the parish, the village of Sete Cidades, is located in the southwest of the crater. Most of the land is covered in farmlands, pastures, and forests.

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 to the green fields of a nearby tea plantation to learn about this unique crop before an evening of leisure in São Miguel.

Breakfast Included
Lunch Included

Admittance: Choice on Tour: Terra Nostra Botanical Garden or Thermal Pool Experience
Choose between a visit to a gorgeous botanical garden or a dip in relaxing waters. For the first choice, embark on a guided visit to the organic paradise that is the Terra Nostra Botanical Garden. From colorful flowers to palm trees, aquatic plants, bamboo, azaleas, and more, stroll through the garden alongside your guide to see what’s in bloom. Your second choice is to take a dip into the warm, mineral-enriched waters of the Terra Nostra pool. While you soak in the thermal spring waters, take in the gorgeous surrounding views of Terra Nostra Park and the Valley of Furnas. Savor the views in addition to appreciating the history; the pool was built in the 18th century by the American consul to the Azores. Walk in Terra Nostra Botanical Gardens - NEO Day 3 Activity Level: 2 Tour Manager or a local guide will guide the walk. Swim in the Terra Nostra Pools - NEO Day 3 Activity Level: 1 Travelers need to bring their own bathing suit and water shoes or flip flops.

Today enjoy a full free day to explore São Miguel at your own pace. Perhaps you will take to the waves on an optional** ocean excursion to watch for whales and dolphins, followed by a lunch at a local restaurant. Regardless of how you choose to spend your day, gather tonight for a home-hosted dinner at a local village.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included
Hotel Name: Hotel do Canal

Visit Area: Furnas Valley
Furnas Valley is a civil parish whose name originates from the Portuguese word for caverns. One of the earliest references to Furnas came from the harvesting of the trees in the valley in order to assist the construction of many of the homes destroyed by the 1522 earthquake and landslides in Vila Franca do Campo. After being deforested and isolated, the English Consul-General constructed a home in 1855, which eventually started renting out rooms to summer tourists.

Say bom dia (good morning) to Faial with a walking tour of Horta. Its marina and painted murals are a testament to the island’s importance to the sailors who have visited the island on voyages crossing the Atlantic. Later, encounter the volcanic vitality of Faial when you take in the surrounding rocky landscape and ash hills with a fascinating visit to the Capelinhos Volcano Interpretation Centre.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Admittance: Home-Hosted Dinner

The day is yours to enjoy on your own and relax on Faial Island! You may also consider joining an optional tour to Pico*** to encounter the Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture (UNESCO) and explore this scarcely populated island’s scenery, a sublime mixture of lava rock and exotic vegetation, during a walk along Lagoa do Capitao.

Breakfast Included
Hotel Name: Torel Terra Brava

Visit Area: Faial Island

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.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Admittance: Capelinhos Volcano Interpretation Center
Partially buried under volcanic sands, the Capelinhos Volcano Interpretation Center is an immersive experience that allows visitors to discover the inner-workings of the Capelinhos Volcano. Learn about this geological wonder and be amazed by Mother Nature’s power.

Start your day with a refreshing swim* in the natural volcanic pools of Biscoitos, known for their dramatic lava rock formations and crystal-clear waters. Continue to the Serra do Cume viewpoint for sweeping panoramic views of the island’s lush, stone-walled agricultural landscape. Then, it’s your choice! Visit the Museu do Vinho dos Biscoitos to learn about the region’s Verdelho wine -OR- explore Gruta do Natal, a remarkable volcanic cave that reveals the island’s unique geological past. In the evening, enjoy free time to explore the UNESCO World Heritage city of Angra do Heroismo at your leisure.

Breakfast Included

Visit Area: Terceira Island

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 petiscos home-hosted dining experience.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included
Hotel Name: Bessa Hotel Liberdade

Visit Area: Angra do Heroismo
During the pioneering Age of Discovery, this UNESCO World Heritage site served as the major port of call between Europe, Africa and the Americas. Today, the vestige of trade and commerce on the waterfront can still be seen with its maritime forts, manors and city squares.

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.

Breakfast Included

Admittance: Natural Volcanic Pools

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. Join a special tour exploring the grandeur of the Ajuda National Palace, once a royal residence of King Luís I. Then return to downtown Lisbon and enjoy some free time before you gather for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Lisbon
Spread across steep hillsides that overlook the Rio Tejo, Lisbon offers all the delights you’d expect of Portugal’s star attraction, yet with half the fuss of other European capitals. Gothic cathedrals, majestic monasteries and quaint museums are all part of the colorful cityscape, but the real delights of discovery lie in wandering the narrow lanes of Lisbon’s lovely backstreets. The Lisbon experience encompasses so many things, from enjoying a fresh pastry and bica (espresso) on a petite leafy plaza to window-shopping in elegant Chiado. It’s mingling with Lisboêtas at a neighborhood festival or watching the sunset from the old Moorish castle.

Say adeus (goodbye) to Portugal and the Azores as you depart this coastal paradise.

Breakfast Included