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

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. With no scheduled sightseeing today, spend the day as you wish, exploring Ponta Delgada independently, perhaps strolling along the seaside promenade and breathing 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. Discover the city’s rich history, culture, and beauty alongside your Tour Manager, seeing highlights like the iconic 18th-century Portas da Cidade and the stunning Igreja Matriz de São Sebastião, and perhaps even catching the farmers market, the vibrant Mercado da Graça. 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! On the way back, visit a pineapple plantation and learn about unique cultivation methods on the island, producing pineapples renowned for their sweetness and flavor. This evening, celebrate the beginning of your journey with a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Lagoa das Sete Cidades "Blue & Green Lagoons"

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 with a hands-on experience before an evening of leisure in São Miguel.

Breakfast Included
Lunch Included

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.

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 lunch at a local restaurant. Regardless of how you choose to spend your day, gather tonight for a home-hosted dinner in a local village.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included
Hotel Name: Hotel do Canal

Admittance: Home-Hosted Meals

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

Visit Area: Faial Island

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.

Breakfast Included
Hotel Name: Torel Terra Brava Hotel & Spa

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.

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

Visit Area: Terceira Island

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 exploring Angra do Heroismo as you wish.

Breakfast Included

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.

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

Admittance: Natural Volcanic Pools

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

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.

Start your morning with a panoramic tour of Belem. View the imposing 16th-century Jeronimo’s Monastery, a masterpiece of Manueline and Gothic architecture, its facade adorned with intricate carvings, maritime motifs, and religious symbols. Then, join a local expert to visit the National Coach Museum, which showcases beautifully decorated coaches from the 16th to 19th centuries and highlights the craftsmanship and artistry with each coach telling a unique story. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon as you wish before gathering tonight for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

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

Breakfast Included