Hiking the Azores: An Active Journey

Travel on an overnight flight to São Miguel, the largest of the nine volcanic islands of the Azores, an autonomous archipelago situated some 1,000 miles off the Atlantic coast of mainland Portugal. Settle into your hotel in the capital city of Ponta Delgada, and meet your  trip leader and fellow travelers for a welcome reception and a dinner of local specialties featuring Azorean wine and cheese. (R,D)

Take a walking tour of Ponta Delgada, which was founded in 1450 as a fishing village that provided safe harbor from the turbulent waters of the Atlantic. Admire the town’s colonial-era churches and manor houses and walk down toward the harbor to see the arched 18th-century city gates and St. Sebastian Church, both stunning examples of the Azores’ unique blend of architectural styles. Embark on a whale-watching excursion (conditions permitting), on the lookout for resident sperm whales and, in spring, blue, fin, and sei whales that migrate through one of the world’s largest marine sanctuaries. In the afternoon, enjoy free time to explore the city or visit the São Brás Fort and local market.  (B)

Begin the day with a visit to a pineapple plantation, sampling the tropical fruit and learning about unique cultivation techniques that have helped it adapt to the Azorean climate—and become one of the key crops on São Miguel Island. Then hike along the Sete Cidades caldera to the Boca do Inferno viewpoint and take in a spectacular vista of twin volcanic lakes—one blue, one green—and, on a clear day, the ocean beyond. Continue to a family-run farm for a walk and a delicious lunch of locally made cheese, freshly baked bread, and other regional fare. Back in Ponta Delgada, enjoy the evening at leisure. (B,L)

Hiking: 2 miles on trails that can be muddy and uneven, with a moderate ascent; 380 feet of elevation gain

Walking: 2-3 miles on flat paths through greenhouses and farmland

Pay a morning visit to Europe’s oldest tea factory, run by the same family for more than 140 years. On a guided tour, gain insight into the production of organic green, black, and oolong teas, and see British tea production machinery that was brought to the island in the 19th century and is still in use today. Enjoy a tasting before a walk through terraced tea fields that slope down to the sea. Continue to Furnas Lake, a crater lake formed by an ancient volcanic eruption, and hike amid bubbling mud pools and steaming fumaroles. Discover how local residents have long harnessed this geothermal energy for culinary uses, and sit down for a lunch of cozido stew, cooked in the fumaraloes of the lake. Later, stroll through Parque Terra Nostra, where diverse flora and fauna thrive amid thermal pools and waterfalls. (B,L)

Walking: 3-5 miles on dirt trails and paved paths

Fly to Terceira Island, home to four stratovolcanoes formed at the juncture of the Eurasian, African and North American tectonic plates. With eruptions last recorded in the late 1990s, these active volcanoes are tracked by the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program. Visit a coffee grower and hear about the challenges of growing Arabica in the island’s microclimate. Then take a walking tour of Angra do Heroísmo, uncovering the maritime history of the oldest city in the Azores. Now a World Heritage site, the port was an important stop between Europe and Africa and the West Indies from the 15th to 19th centuries. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon to explore Angra on your own, then gather this evening for a group dinner. (B,D)

Descend into the Algar do Carvão lava caves and discover a unique subterranean ecosystem that has evolved amid ancient basaltic lava flows. In the parish of Biscoitos, named by early Portuguese settlers for its rich volcanic soil, walk through a vineyard surrounded by walls of lava rock. Then visit a museum for a tasting of the wines produced in this protected terroir. Later, savor a traditional alcatra, a slow-cooked roast prepared in clay pots with local wine. (B,L)

Walking: 2-3 miles on vineyard trails, and paths with stone steps and moderate ascents and descents

Take to the trails for a final hike up Monte Brasil, an extinct volcano set on a peninsula that juts out from Angra. Wind up the mountainside, passing historic forts and watchtowers on your way to the summit, where panoramic views of the city, Terceira Island’s rugged coastline, and the vast Atlantic Ocean await. Visit an artisanal cheesemaker to sample vaquinha cheese, locally produced from the milk of cows that graze on the island's lush hillsides. Tonight, toast your Azores adventure at a farewell dinner. (B,D)

Hiking: 2 miles on dirt and gravel trails with moderate ascents and descents; 600 feet of elevation gain

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your onward flight. (B)