8 days – 7 nights

Faial Island – Pico Island – São Jorge Island

Come and discover the most sought after islands in the Azores on a trip:  Faial, Pico and São Jorge . Unique experiences, of flavors and adventure, that take you, walking in history, and savoring the present, where nature, still intact, makes time stop.

With us, with confidence and security, always in the company of a Local Guide, certified by the Azores Natural Park, enjoy the best experiences in these paradisiacal islands.

Faial Island

Faial Island was the scene of the last volcanic eruption in the Azores, 1957, and its effects are still clearly visible in Capelinhos, a place to visit as well as the respective museum. Having as its capital the city of Horta, facing the sea, a point of reference for all the boats that cross the Atlantic, it has one of the most beautiful marinas in the Azores. On its mountain there is a natural crater, Caldeira, which is worth visiting.

Pico Island

Island known for its imposing mountain, the highest point of the Azores and Portugal – the Pico Mountain – with 2351 m of altitude. The ascent, with a guide, or independently, is one of the most sought after challenges by those who visit Pico.

This island was also known for whaling, recorded in some museums, which are possible to visit. Currently, whale hunting is done with a camera, on whale watching boat trips.

The vineyards, planted in the rock, classified as World Heritage, are another attraction of the island of Pico.

Sao Jorge Island

São Jorge – the dragon island – with 64 km in length, is located in the heart of the Central Group of the Azores, forming part of the triangle islands with the islands of Pico and Faial.São Jorge has been a Biosphere Reserve since 2016.São Jorge is known for its famous cheese, whose production started more than 500 years ago – the Queijo de São Jorge – and for its Fajãs, unique landscapes in the Azores. In this environment of the Fajãs, mountains and unspoilt nature, there are still some of the best walking trails in the Azores, recovered from old trails used by the first settlers of the island, which provide visitors with the possibility to walk through the history of the island while enjoying stunning landscapes. and breath-taking tranquility.

Day 1 (Friday) – Flight from Lisbon to the island of Faial

Morning flight to the island of Faial.

TAP Option, Lisbon – Horta (see)

Option SATA, Azores Airlines (see)

Transfer and Check-in at the Hotel.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, tour the city of Horta or, if you prefer, a trip to the beach (Porto Pim), right outside the city.

free dinner

Day 2 (Saturday) – Faial island tour and boat trip to Pico island

After breakfast, tour in a 9-seater car, covering the entire island of Faial, with emphasis on a visit to Caldeira, in the central mountain of the island and Capelinhos, where the last volcanic eruption in the Azores took place, in 1957, with the possibility of to visit the museum. Lunch included at a local restaurant.

free dinner

Day 3 – (Sunday) Pico island

Tour in a 9-seater car, around the island of Pico, with a visit to the vineyard culture landscape, World Heritage Site, visit to the Wine Museum with tasting, visit to the Whale Museum.

Lunch included in Local Restaurant.

free dinner

Day 4 – (Monday) Pico Mountain / Whale watching

Free day in which they choose the activity they want:

1. Climb to Pico Mountain

This activity is always dependent on weather conditions, so it can be canceled and replaced by another, such as a visit to Gruta das Torres.

Once the weather forecasts are confirmed, our Certified Guide will remind you of what you need to make the climb. The ascent requires some physical preparation and a lot of care, hence the accompaniment by a Certified Guide is recommended.

With us, the ascent will be at your own pace with a dedicated Guide. Calm down because we have the whole day just for you.

starting at the «Casa da Montanha», it is time to check that we all have the proper equipment, protection, food, water and of course, the camera.
Registration is made at «Casa da Montanha» – mandatory –  http://parquesnaturais.azores.gov.pt/pt/pico/o-que-visitar/centros-de-interpretacao/casa-da-montanha

Our Guide will accompany you along a trail, most of which is made of volcanic rock, very irregular, which will require some effort and care. . Once the summit is reached, the effort is rewarded by the breathtaking, breathtaking landscapes. First the crater (it seems that we have reached the Moon), then the last stage: the «Piquinho». This one, with its 70 m height, will give more «fight» but inevitable for us to reach the goal: 2351 m of altitude, the highest point of the island of Pico, the Azores and Portugal. You will also see the «fumaroles» that show the magnificence of the (dormant) volcano. If you have opted for sunrise or sunset, the experience will be even more exciting. 1 hour is suggested to enjoy the place, the silence and «walk on the clouds».

Return to «Casa da Montanha», along the same trail, totaling approx. about 7.4 kms with an altitude rise of approx. 1,130m. Once the adventure is over, back to civilization, it is recommended to go through Lagoa do Capitão, for another photo, with the mountain in the background, as it is on the way (São Roque).

      2. Whale watching

This activity is always dependent on weather and sea conditions, so it can be canceled and replaced by another, such as a visit to Gruta das Torres.

On this tour, you will have the opportunity to see some of the cetacean species that have already been identified in the waters of the Azores. Our tour lasts about three hours, by boat, to meet the large cetaceans, where, sometimes, we can also see turtles, birds and other marine species.

At the beginning of the boat trip, our biologists explain some details about the cetacean species that we will be able to observe, talk about safety measures on board and some historical facts and also how we respect animals and observation rules at sea.

Lunch (sandwich, juice, fruit, typical sweet, water) included

free dinner

Day 5 –  (Tuesday) Trip to  São Jorge Island

After breakfast, proceed by boat (ferry) to S. Jorge. Transfer to the Hotel.

Lunch included in Local Restaurant.

Tour in Vila das Velas with option of walking trail to Morro de Velas overlooking the village.

free dinner

Day 6 – (Wednesday) Tour São Jorge

After breakfast, a tour of the entire island of São Jorge follows, highlighting the Parque Florestal das 7 Fontes, Farol dos Rosais, Fábrica do Queijo, Igreja de Santa Bárbara, Topo and numerous viewpoints. They will also taste the famous São Jorge cheese and the typical sweet of the island, the species, and the coffee from Fajã dos Vimes, produced there.

Lunch included in Local Restaurant.

We also offer, on this tour, the Snorkel activity, in one of the most beautiful natural pools in the Azores – the Poça de Simão Dias – where you can have a first contact with the equipment,  mask and fins,  and there you can observe some of the «colorful fish» that abounds. in the Azores.

If you know how to swim but have never used this equipment, don’t worry, our Guide will be happy to teach you how to use it, which certainly won’t take you more than 10 to 15 minutes.

free dinner

Day 7 – (Thursday) Fajã da Caldeira de Santo Cristo Trail/Return to Faial

This trail, with a linear route, about 10 km long, allows a unique walk with a mix of adventure, walking in the history of Fajã da Caldeira de Santo Cristo, cooling off in a waterfall, taking a dip in the Lagoon and visiting a cave. legendary. All this included in a car tour.

The walk starts on the regional road, next to the Serra do Topo Wind Farm.

The official trail, known as Trilho PR1SJO, starts on a dirt track, with another alternative, for the more adventurous, the Trilho das Polegadas, known to very few but, being the oldest of the trails to Fajã da Caldeira, with a degree of difficulty a little higher, is compensated by the surroundings and silence of the intact nature.

On the trail there are several examples of endemic flora, such as Heather (Erica azorica), Cedro-do-mato (Juniperus brevifolia) and Holly (Ilex azorica). It is also possible to observe and hear some avifauna such as the Galician Sandpiper (Numenius phaeopus), the Little Starfish (Calliphlox amethystina) and the Kite (Buteo buteo rothschildi).
In the middle of the route we will cross some streams, where one of them, with a small waterfall and lagoon, allows for a dip in the clear and fresh waters that spring from the mountain. A few minutes to rest and refresh.

Along the way, in descending phase, we will cross some fountains and a place from where it is possible to see the Caldeira de Santo Cristo. We continue to the fajã, passing by the Sanctuary of Senhor Santo Cristo and the Environmental Interpretation Center.
In this place, you can visit the Lagoa da Caldeira de Santo Cristo, an area classified as Protected Landscape and a place of cultural and scenic interest. Known mainly for the presence of clams, the lagoon is an important place for resident birds, as well as for some migratory species. With the increase in tourist activity in the region, the fajã was discovered by the water sports community and classified as a sanctuary for bodyboarding and surfing.
Here, you can take the opportunity to take a dip in the Lagoa (salt water) before lunch.

Lunch, to be arranged with your Guide, can be picnic (included), transported by us or, if you wish, we can make a reservation at the local restaurant (not included).

The route continues in the Northwest direction, along the coast, passing by Fajã dos Tijolos.
On the way out of Fajã da Caldeira, you can also visit a cave that, in the past, was of some importance to the locals and, although in the wild, difficult to access, it is worth visiting, which takes no more than 15 minutes.

Then, after Fajã dos Tijolos, we find Fajã do Belo, a place that remained inhabited until the 1980 earthquake. Currently, a resort is under construction.
Along the way there are steel cables, formerly used to transport firewood to population areas. From this point it is already possible to see the Fajã dos Cubres in the background, where the route ends, next to the church of Nossa Senhora de Lourdes.
From Fajã dos Cubres, by car, we continue to Velas.

Lunch, in pic-nic, (Sandwich, juice, fruit, typical jam, water) included .

2nd Option: Fajã dos Cubres trail – Fajã da Caldeira de Santo Cristo – Fajã dos Cubres

Alternatively, to the mountain trail, you can opt for the trail from Fajã dos Cubres, with a round trip.

This Fajã was elected one of the «7 wonders of Portugal – Villages», in the Sea Villages category, in 2017, recognizing its beauty and natural importance, in particular, its charming lagoon, with brackish waters and subject to tides. , enabling panoramas of rare beauty and peace of mind.

The narrow paths and between the so-called «casas de fajã», always with the lagoon surrounding them, invite you to take a walk, in a natural and calm environment.

Lunch (sandwich, juice, fruit, typical sweet, water) included

The return to Vila das Velas, after the trail to the «Caldeira», is done by car and takes about 30 minutes.

Return to Faial Island

free dinner

Day 8 – (Friday) Faial Trip – Lisbon

Return to Lisbon

TAP Option, Horta – Lisbon

Option SATA, Azores Airlines