Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Portugal – The Azores – Faial – Pico – Terceira – Sao Miguel
100% customisable for you
Your Azores adventure begins today. Head to the airport, whizz through security and relax in the airport lounge before your seven-hour-and-20-minute flight to Horta, with a stopover in Lisbon.
When you land on the island of Faial, collect your hire car at the airport and drive to the first property of your trip – a charming family-run property surrounded by tropical gardens, camelias and fruit trees. The estate has belonged to the same family for generations and still grows flowers and produce alongside its hotel life. This will be your home away from home for the next three nights so unpack and settle in.
Faial may be nicknamed the Blue Island, but there’s plenty of green here too. If time allows this evening, head down to Horta marina for your first wander along the waterfront.
Spend the next couple of days exploring Faial at your own pace. Horta is small but full of character, with colourful streets, colonial-era buildings and one of the world’s most famous marinas.
Peter Cafe Sport is practically an institution here – part sailor’s bar, part museum, part Atlantic legend – and absolutely worth a stop for a gin and tonic or espresso.
Make sure to drive up to the Caldeira, a vast volcanic crater sitting more than 3,000ft above sea level, for sweeping views across the island. On clear days, you’ll spot Pico rising dramatically from the ocean opposite. The contrast between Faial’s green hills and Pico’s dark volcanic slopes is pretty spectacular.
Elsewhere, Capelinhos feels almost lunar. Formed by a huge volcanic eruption in 1958, the landscape here looks as though it belongs on another planet entirely.
Fancy stretching your legs? We can arrange a guided walk through the Caldeira Nature Reserve, where endemic plants and volcanic scenery steal the show.
This morning, hop aboard the short ferry from Faial to Pico. You’ll spot the island long before arriving thanks to Pico Mountain, Portugal’s highest peak at over 7,700ft, rising sharply from the Atlantic.
After collecting your hire car, drive to Madalena on the island’s north coast, where you’ll spend the next two nights in an eco-conscious hideaway overlooking the sea.
Pico feels rawer and wilder than Faial. Black volcanic rock dominates the landscape and UNESCO-listed vineyards stretch across lava fields in geometric patterns designed to protect the vines from Atlantic winds.
This afternoon, settle in properly with a glass of Pico wine and ocean views. You have a full day of exploring tomorrow so settle in and take it easy for the rest of the day.
This morning, head out into the Atlantic for a whale and dolphin watching excursion. Pico is one of Europe’s best spots for cetacean sightings, thanks to the deep ocean waters surrounding the island. Sperm whales are regular visitors here, while dolphins often appear alongside the boat in playful groups. Depending on the season, you may even spot blue whales or orcas passing through these waters.
Back on land, spend the rest of the day exploring Pico at your own pace. The island’s UNESCO-listed vineyards are particularly striking, with lava stone walls creating geometric patterns across the dark volcanic ground. Tiny fishing villages, natural swimming spots and dramatic coastal roads make it wonderfully easy to fill an afternoon here.
Fancy something more active? We can arrange a guided hike through the wine region, where black lava fields meet Atlantic views at every turn.
This morning, catch a short 35-minute flight to Terceira and pick up your next hire care before driving 20 minutes to Angra do Heroismo, the island’s colourful capital. Once a key Atlantic trading port, the town still feels wonderfully grand in places, with pastel-coloured buildings, elegant churches and broad squares overlooking the harbour.
You’ll spend the next two nights in a charming manor house by the sea, complete with lush gardens, a swimming pool and plenty of old-world character.
Once you’ve settled in, head out to explore some of Terceira’s standout landscapes. Descend into the volcanic cave of Algar do Carvao, swim in the natural lava pools of Biscoitos or visit some of the brightly painted Imperios chapels scattered across the island.
Today, explore Angra do Heroismo with a private guide. Founded in the 16th century, the town became an important Atlantic trading post during Portugal’s maritime heyday and is now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Wander cobbled streets lined with colourful houses and visit landmarks including the cathedral, the Palace of the Captains Generals and the old Jesuit convent. Your guide will also point out hidden details you’d almost certainly miss on your own.
Afterwards, stop for coffee and pastries in a local cafe before spending the rest of the afternoon however you please – perhaps a dip in the lava pools or a relaxed seafood dinner overlooking the harbour.
This morning, head back to the airport and board a 45-minute flight to Sao Miguel, the largest island in the Azores and your next stop on the trip. Collect your hire car and drive towards Furnas, one of the island’s most famous geothermal regions.
You’ll stay for the next two nights in a stylish Art Deco hotel surrounded by botanical gardens and thermal pools. Furnas itself is full of bubbling springs, steaming fumaroles and volcanic vents, giving the whole town a faintly otherworldly feel.
One local speciality you absolutely have to try? Cozido das Furnas, a hearty stew cooked underground using volcanic heat. It sounds gimmicky until you taste it.
Spend the rest of the day wandering through the Terra Nostra gardens or soaking in the hotel’s warm thermal waters.
Today is yours to explore Furnas and the surrounding landscapes properly. Cycle or drive around Furnas Lake, stop at viewpoints overlooking the crater and watch steam rise from the geothermal fields scattered around town.
The scenery on Sao Miguel constantly shifts between dense greenery, volcanic craters and dramatic coastlines. It’s the sort of island where even the roadside viewpoints tend to be spectacular.
Fancy something more active? We can arrange a private bike ride around Furnas Lake, combining gentle trails with volcanic scenery and plenty of stops along the way.
This evening, settle in for one final soak in the thermal pool beneath the stars.
After a tasty breakfast at your hotel, pack your bags and drive one hour and 40 minutes to Ponta Delgada for the final stage of your Azores adventure. Sao Miguel’s capital feels livelier than the smaller islands, blending elegant churches, marina-front restaurants and leafy squares with an easy-going Atlantic atmosphere.
You’ll spend your final two nights in a beautifully restored Art Nouveau guesthouse with a central location that makes it easy to explore on foot.
Over the next couple of days, wander through the old town, visit landmarks like Sao Bras Fort and the Sao Sebastiao Church or browse the Carlos Machado Museum for a deeper look into Azorean history and traditions. In the evenings, stroll along the marina as the sun sets over the harbour and indulge in one last seafood supper.
Fancy ending the trip on a high? We can arrange a private surf lesson on Sao Miguel’s coast – ideal for beginners and a pretty memorable way to say goodbye to the islands.
Enjoy one last relaxed breakfast before driving ten minutes to the airport and returning your hire car ahead of your direct flight home, a journey that takes just under four hours.
By now, you’ll have explored four very different islands – from Faial’s volcanic craters and Pico’s lava fields to Terceira’s colourful towns and Sao Miguel’s steaming geothermal landscapes. Not bad for one Atlantic archipelago.
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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