Today our adventure in the Azores begins.
The whole group meets at the airport of the city of Horta (HOR) on the island of Faial, where you will fly on your own. We will help you choose a flight, at the very end of the program, you will also find recommended flights. There are direct flights from Lisbon.

Having met at the airport, we will go for a coffee and discuss the upcoming travel plan, leave our bags at the hotel, and go to explore the island.

Today an incredible place awaits us, we will start with a walk on solidified lava. In 1958, the underwater volcano Capelinhos erupted with such force that it created a new peninsula, more reminiscent of an alien landscape than Earth. Perhaps we will be able to feel like Armstrong, who takes his first timid steps on the lunar surface. Of course, we will take incredible photos and visit a small underground museum telling about the events of that time.

We will devote the evening to a walk around the town of Horta.

This small capital is rightfully considered one of the most charming towns in the Azores. Horta is nestled on green hills that descend to a picturesque harbor, which has become a real magnet for sailing yachts from all over the world. The heart of Horta beats on the waterfront, in the famous bar Peter Café Sport. For sailors, it has long been more than just a meeting place. Here they say goodbye and meet again after long voyages, make bets and find new companions for round-the-world trips. It is to this cafe that we will go for dinner to plunge headlong into the world of sea adventures and discoveries.

We will have the opportunity to try:

• Signature beef steak, prepared according to a special recipe of the cafe with a unique sauce or seasoning.
• Queijo do Morro - Local cheese from the Azores, known for its bright taste. Usually served as an appetizer with bread.
• Lapas Grelhadas - Fried abalone, a traditional Azorean seafood dish seasoned with garlic and lemon.
• Polvo Guisado - Braised octopus, a popular dish in the Azores, slow cooked until tender in a rich sauce.

A trip to the Azores cannot be called complete without trying our luck and trying to find whales and dolphins in the ocean.
After breakfast at the hotel, we set off on a boat trip. We will go out into the open water to get acquainted with the amazing inhabitants of the ocean: the whale migration route runs in the vicinity of the central Azores and there is even a chance to see sperm whales. We may also meet dolphins happily accompanying our boat and frolicking very close to its side.

By lunchtime, we will return to the port, have lunch, and catch our breath after our sea adventures.
But in the afternoon, we will go for a walk along the green caldera of an ancient volcano. Are you ready to immerse yourself in the world of Jurassic Park? Then let's go. Breathtaking views and an 8-kilometer route around the caldera await us, which will open up more and more incredible green landscapes to us.

In the evening we will watch the sunset and enjoy dinner.
Wonderful day, isn't it?

Difficulty of the route: medium

After breakfast, a ferry to Pico Island awaits us. We have enjoyed the view of this volcano from afar enough, now it is time to look at this giant up close.

Pico Volcano is the highest point in all of Portugal, we will not climb it, but we will definitely soak up the windless atmosphere that reigns on the island. We will definitely visit a lava cave and have lunch in one of the best restaurants.
We will devote the second half of the day to the most important craft of Pico Island - Azorean winemaking. The vineyards of Pico, more than a century old, are covered with the famous currais or curraletas (stone walls), created with soul by the inhabitants of Pico Island, this is what is necessary to protect the vines, but also gives uniqueness and beauty to this entire characteristic landscape of the island. Winemakers say that if all the stone curraletas were stretched out in a straight line, it would be possible to go around the globe along the equator twice. Do you think we will have a tasting of local wines? Of course. We will try drinks from different years, try to guess the notes and aromas, delve into the intricacies of winemaking and the peculiarities of preserving vines on a volcanic island.

After the tasting, we will stop by several beautiful viewpoints and visit the famous windmills, and in the evening we will drop in at a very stylish bar with a view of the ocean, which also serves incredible wine and delicious local snacks

In the morning we will enjoy the views of the peak once again, have a delicious breakfast, swim in the pool, and go to the airport. Closer to lunch, we will fly to the eastern and largest island of the archipelago, Sao Miguel, to the airport of Ponta Delgada.

We will check into the hotel and have lunch in one of the cozy restaurants of Ponta Delgada. The freshest seafood, cheeses and local steaks, fruits grown on the island - all this will give an even brighter taste to our trip. Sao Miguel will greet us very friendly and hospitable.

In the evening we can go for a swim in the hot springs, of which there are many on this island.

Wake up, have breakfast and set off to explore the island.

We'll start with the only tea plantation in Europe, this place is certainly very beautiful and impressive in its scale. We'll take lots of photos, walk among the green fields, and then go on an excursion and tasting at an old tea factory.
We'll be able to try different types of tea and even buy some to take with us.

After lunch in the legendary Furnas - where they cook a special stew called Cozido* right in the mouth of a volcano, we'll continue our journey and head to a real valley of geysers with hot thermal springs and geothermal zones. Here you can swim in a thermal pool and relax in the healing, comfortable warm water.

* Cozido das Furnas - a stew of assorted meats and vegetables, stewed for several hours in a volcano.

Immersing ourselves in the dynamic and colorful atmosphere of the island, we will head to its western lands, where nature reveals its true power and beauty.

The route will take us to the stunning crater lakes - a real treasure of the Azores. The largest of them is famous for its contrasting waters: azure blue and rich green surfaces create an amazing natural landscape that has become a symbol of the archipelago. Here, on the edge of an ancient crater, you feel how the world slows down, allowing you to enjoy the harmony of nature.

But this is not all that awaits us in the west of Sao Miguel. One of the most amazing locations will be the "hot ocean" of Ponta da Ferraria - a unique lagoon where the waters of the Atlantic Ocean meet hot thermal springs erupting from the depths of the earth. The water temperature, usually fluctuating between +27 and +30 degrees, depends on the tides and the weather, creating ideal conditions for relaxation and recuperation.

The morning will begin with an exciting boat trip to the small island of Vila Franca do Campo, one of the most unusual natural attractions of the Azores. This tiny island, located just off the coast, is known for its perfectly round lagoon formed by an ancient volcanic crater.

The lagoon is protected from the ocean waves, so its water is always calm and crystal clear. It is an ideal place for swimming and relaxing. Warm water and picturesque landscapes create conditions for complete relaxation and immersion in natural harmony.

By lunchtime we will return to Sao Miguel, have a snack and go to another interesting place - the Terra Nostra botanical garden. This is a real green treasure of Sao Miguel. An incredible number of flowers and trees grow here - endemics that you will not find anywhere else in the world. On the territory of the park at 12.5 there is a warm thermal pool, which is rich in iron and attracts tourists with its healing properties.

As you understand, it was not for nothing that we took our bathing suits with us.

After breakfast, we'll pack our things and leave them at the hotel. We have one more place in stock that we'd like to show you - a real pineapple plantation. Everyone who's tried Azorean pineapples says that they're unique and significantly different from the ones we're used to - they have a rich and soft taste, they're very juicy, incredibly aromatic and don't burn your lips.

After such a tropical chord, we'll head to the airport, where a plane to Lisbon will be waiting for us.