Azores Food & Wine Tour

WELCOME TO AZORES

Upon arrival, your driver will welcome you and take you to your hotel. Check-in and take some time to relax.

WELCOME FOOD TOUR 

After resting go on a Ponta Delgada Drinks & Bites Tour (this tour only runs late in the afternoon and depends on your  arrival time). Enjoy a relaxing stroll through the largest city of the Azores, drinking delicious beverages paired with delicious foods: although the emphasis is on the drinks, there will be plenty of flavorful snacks to eat during the tour.

*If you arrive earlier, we would organize a private city tour of Ponta Delgada before dinner.

EXUBERANCE IN SETE CIDADES

There is something to highlight in São Miguel de las Azores, which is called Isla Verde for its extraordinary vegetation, or Isla de las Hortensias because these flowers will accompany you on the road on most roads to the lakes. In fact, if you've ever seen representative photos of the Azores, this is the Blue Lake and Green Lake located in Sete Cidades. Stop by It is the most famous viewpoint on the Island of São Miguel, Mirador do Rei, probaly the best in the Azores archipelago too. It is located to the south of the crater located next to the town of Sete Cidades. Finally, be wowed by the spectacular Blue and Green Lake. According to the legend, the two lakes were formed in the ancient mouths of a volcano as a result of the tears shed by two lovers, a blue-eyed princess and a green-eyed shepherd, who were forced to renounce to their love.

A picnic lunch with regional produce is foreseen at lunchtime.

AZORES REGIONAL WINES & COZIDO COOKING

After lunch, the plan is visiting a small boutique family winery with 5 hectares planted in 1989 predominantly with red varieties. It is a whole experience being welcome by the family and get to know how they work and how their passion has no limits.

Then, time to prepare your own cozido das Furnas, a volcanic stew cooked thanks the heat that emanates from the sulfur and boiling water due to the volcanic activity of the place. As it requires from six to eight hours to be cooked underground, you’ll make the work today and will savor it tomorrow.

Back to your hotel, time to unwind in your oasis of peace.

UNIQUE TEA PLANTATION

In Azores they are proud to share their agrarian heritage, not only they have a centuries-old cheesemaking and winegrowing tradition, but they imported the tea because their climate was very favorable. A beautiful tea labyrinth can now be observed, and the 86 acres of Chá Gorreana farm, founded in 1883, make it undoubtedly Europe's largest and oldest tea plantation.

FURNAS LAKE AND CALDERAS

The earth roars in Furnas valley set on a sleeping volcano. Feel the heat as you cross the fumaroles, sulfataras and boiling water boilers of As Furnas along a wooden walkway, and observe the mist that gives this place a mysterious air. At the end of the walkway walk towards the immense Lagoa das Furnas (Furnas Lake), an impressive lagoon of emerald green waters. It is fascinating not only due to its color, but to the fact that we are in front of the caldera of a volcano that has been flooded.

For lunch, remember you made your own cozido, it’s time to try it.

BOTANICAL GARDEN

After lunch, visit Terra Nostra Park – a “valley” that is is actually a crater, seven kilometres in diameter, what seems the last remains of an apparently long-extinct volcano. It all started when around 1775, Thomas Hickling, a wealthy merchant from Boston, who became an Honorary American Consul in São Miguel, built a simple wooden summer house and brought trees from North America that he planted all around. With a very interesting 200-year old story, you have the opportunity to bath in a natural thermal pools or to stroll around the impressive botanical garden. Today, Terra Nostra Garden is the site of one of the most remarkable collections of camellias in the world, with more than 600 varieties of different species and cultivars, with one of the largest, if not the largest, collections of Cycladades in Europe.

Back to Ponta Delgada, free evening.

ARRIVAL TO PICO

Transfer to Punta Delgada Airport to catch the flight to Pico island.

Upon arrival, check-in and relax.

Spectacular sunset: relax with a refreshing drink enjoying a spectacular sunset, with Faial Island as a backdrop with a wonderful meal, with all the best Pico has to offer.

DISCOVERY OF PICO ISLAND

Fantastic adventure on Pico Island, discover stunning landscapes in their purest state of preservation, with its flora and fauna. Explore the largest volcanic cave, with amazing geological formations and walk the longest lava tube in Portugal. All this in an unforgettable journey into the history of a people, their culture and gastronomy.

FOOD AND WINES FROM DOP PICO

Discover with us the unique gastronomy of Pico's island, as well as its wines, born of the volcanic rock. Along the day, delight yourself with singular tastes and wines, while knowing the traditions and culture of the Island, traveling through an incredible landscape, a UNESCO world heritage since 2004.

Transfer to Pico Airport to take your 39-minute flight to Terceira. Upon arrival, your driver will be ready to take you to your hotel. Check-in and relax for a while.

ANGRA DO HEROÍSMO

In Angra do Heroísmo, proudly listed UNESCO Heritage, the memories of Portuguese naval deeds are present in every corner. Both on the surface, in Angra do Heroísmo Museum, which collects the history of the archipelago and exhibits pieces of crafts, art and ethnography in the old convent of San Francisco (17th century), and in the very depths of the sea, in the Angra do Heroísmo Bay Archaeological Park, where you can see Lidador, a Brazilian ocean liner that was shipwrecked in these waters in the 19th century. The city itself looks from another universe, fall in bright colors framing whitewashed buildings. From Monte do Brasil, uphill the city, the Castle of San Juan Bautista shines in all its immensity. They say that it is the largest fortress built by Spain in the world, in the mountains of Brazil, on the beautiful bay of Angra do Heroísmo. from the 205-meter altitude you can observe the network of streets, alleys, churches, palaces, stately homes, monuments, squares and gardens that have lasted to the present day.

Free evening.

DISCOVER TERCEIRA

Touring Terceira is not hard, in fact the island is only 29 km long and 17.5 km large and offers an overwhelming range of natural surprises and beautiful landscapes. Two viewpoints will wow you this morning: Serra do Ribeirinha and Serra do Cume. Then, take the road inland to Algar do Carvão Natural Reserve, an impressive 330ft-long volcanic cavern, it is one of the only three lava tubes reachable by foot.

VITICULTURE IN TERCEIRA

Today go in search of the most emblematic grape variety of this archipelago, the Verdelho, in the only area destined to wine production in Terceira: Biscoitos. It is a parish facing north on the municipality of Praia do Mar; a true balcony to the Atlantic, decorated by green slopes and the blackness of volcanic rocks that dive deep into the sea. Only 20 hectares survice on these volcanic soils that are mineral-rich and relatively fertile, well known for producing grapes with higher acidity. Traditionally a region of fortified wines, Biscoitos is living a kind of revolution and we want you to discover it.

After the visit and great wine tasting time for lunch at some of the best home-food restaurants in the island.

KEEP EXPLORING TERCEIRA

After lunch, the show must go on. Keep touring the island, but don’t leave Biscoitos without observing the natural pools formed by lava rocks. Then, continue zigzagging to reach two beautiful viewpoints: Miradouro do Raminho – from you will see 3 islands of the central group: São Jorge Pico and Graciosa islands – and Miradouro da Ponta do Queimado. On the way back, it is nice to stop by Lagoa das Patas National Park. What about tasting some nice artisanal cheese just before getting back to Angra?

Free last evening.

END OF JOURNEY

Today, private transfer to Terceira airport.