This post is a quick over view of the 5 islands we visited during our two week honeymoon to the Azores and how we spent each day. If you want to know how to plan 2 weeks in the Azores, this is a great outline of the activities we did. Be sure to check out my other blog posts on the Azores for a deeper dive on each island detailing what we did and what we should have done.
First things first, we missed a full day on the islands due to a flight delay. Luckily, we didn’t have anything planned, it was just an extra day to regroup when we landed. We were suppose to fly directly from the U.S. (Newark) to Ponte Delgado on Sao Miguel, but since we missed that flight we had to get on a flight into Lisbon and then hop over to the Azores from there. The good thing, I got my first airport lounge experience in Lisbon which was glorious and that was the only bad thing that happened during our two week trip.
Sao Miguel: 3 Days in Ponta Delgada
Day 1: Landed in the Azores!
Got a taxi and checked into the hotel (Hotel Ponta Delgada). Since we had reservations from the night before (due to that delayed flight) our room was ready and waiting for us so we were able to take our bags up and then had breakfast which was included in our stay, we then walked the city, booked a tour for the next day, and had dinner at Quinta dos Sabores. A wonderful farm to table restaurant with vegan options and wine pairing.
Day 2: Tour to Lagoa do Fogo and Sete Cidades.
This is the tour we booked the day before and it turned out really well. We had a small group with just two others who joined us. We did Lagoa do Fogo and Sete Cidades viewpoints, we drove out to Santa Bárbara and to a view point over looking Moisteros then to end a great day, the tour had a quick stop at a pineapple plantation. The tour took about 8 hours (8-4) and was well worth it. Afterwards, we changed into swimwear and took a taxi to visit some beaches in Ponte Delgado. We started at Popular Beach, walked to Praia das Milicias and then Praia de São Roque.
Day 3: Tour Sete Cidades (again) and Monstrois and then a swim in Ferraria
One day sight seeing Sete Cidades is not enough. I also REALLY wanted to swim in the ocean where thermal water meets the Atlantic that creates a natural thermal pool in the ocean. So, we booked another tour through Get Your Guide. Booking two different tours ended up being great because each tour took us to different view points. We also got to see Sete Cidades on a cloudy day and a sunny day. Our swim in Ferraria was a little underwhelming because in order to really feel the hot water, you should go during low tide, we did not. It was still a really neat experience to get to feel the warm water while swimming in the ocean amidst the black lava rock and green cliffs.
Miradouro da Boca do Inferno
Day 4: Partial Day in Ponta Delgado and Flight to Pico
There are beautiful botanical gardens all around Sao Miguel and one right in Ponta Delgado, Jardim Botânico António Borges! We spent the morning walking around the garden and then headed back into town for lunch before going to the airport to catch our flight to Pico! We did not have a rental car on Pico so we took a taxi into town for groceries and then to our Airbnb. There was a pool at the Airbnb so we went for a swim and then made dinner before settling in for the night.
Two Full days on Pico
Day 5: Vineyard Trail and Wine Tasting
Our first official hike in the Azores was on the island of Pico for the trilho das vinhas de criação velha (Old Creation Vineyard Trail). It was a beautiful hike that starts about 5 miles out of Madelena. It goes through vineyards, agricultural land and natural swimming pools. We had a taxi pick us up at our Airbnb and he knew just where to drop us off. The walk gets warm but there are plenty of natural pools along the way. We followed the trail right into Pico Wine Cooperative in Madalena where we had a wine tasting waiting for us! We finished the day by stopping at another natural swimming pool in Madalena and having dinner in town.
Day 6: Motorbike Tour on Pico
We slept in and then got a taxi into town, rented a motor bike and drove the ENTIRE island. We got the bike around noon. I would recommend renting earlier if you are only keeping it for the day since it has to be returned by 6:00pm. If we had the time, we would have stopped at 3 or 4 more swimming spots. They are just all so beautiful! Lunch at Sushi Mar is a MUST. It has beautiful views and even a full veggie sushi menu available. Driving around the island was an incredible experience. Pico has so much to see from the basalt lined vineyard to natural pools and beautiful green cliff sides. A road trip around Pico is a must!
Partial Day on Faial
Day 7: Ferry to Faial, flight to Flores
Faial was just a bonus island for us! Pico and Flores were on my must see list for this trip but there aren’t any flights from Pico to Flores. So, we took a ferry from Pico to Faial and then a flight to Flores. It worked out beautifully and we got to enjoy a little of Faial!
We caught the early morning ferry to Horta on Faial. Once we arrived on Faial, the ferry terminal was able to hold our luggage, while we walked the city, did a hike (Monte Queimado), almost went for a swim at Praia do Porto Pim but saw a jellyfish, so we enjoyed laying out on the beach instead. We had an amazing lunch at Restaurante Atletico. After lunch we walked back to the ferry terminal where we picked up our luggage and got a taxi to the airport where we flew into Flores. In Flores, we picked up our rental, stopped at the grocery store and headed to our Airbnb in Faja Grande. Be sure to stop at ALL the view points on the way. Our Airbnb was close enough to town to walk so we had dinner in Faja Grande, checked out the swimming holes, and watched the sunset.
Two Full Days in Faja Grande
Day 8: Waterfall Day
When planning, I thought that Faja Grande would be what my dreams are made of and it did not disappoint! I absolutely loved this area and would have stayed a few more days. It feels like a mix of prehistoric land and a sweet little fairytale scene. Its beyond beautiful.
We started our morning with a hike to the waterfall wall, Poco da Ribeira, and then to the tallest waterfall on the Azores, Cascata da Ribeira Grande. Both are a must do! We did these hikes as out and back hikes. The trailheads are close enough together that when you finish with one, you can walk to the other and then back to your car. Poco Da Ribeira and Cascata da Ribeira Grande hikes are both about 1 mile round trip and relatively easy with some rocky spots and slight inclines. Pack a little picnic or a snack and enjoy it with a view! Just be sure to pack it all back out.
After those hikes we headed into Faja Grande to check out another waterfall, Poco do Bacalhau. This is a 5 minute walk on a path that leads to a stunning and swimmable waterfall. After all that excitement, we found a little restaurant by a campground and had a beer and fries while watching the sunset!
Day 9: Lagoons on Flores
Waterfalls were yesterday, Lagoons for today! I was pretty bummed when I woke up and saw all the clouds since ideally you would want to do this hike on a clear day so you can see all the lagoons along the way. Luckily, I didn’t let the initial clouds stop us. Morro Alto at Miradouro das Lagoas is a loop trail just over 3 miles but took us close to 2 hours to complete. It wasn’t a difficult hike, but bring hiking boots since it was very muddy in spots and plan plenty of time to take in the scenery. We saw 4 lagoons on this hike, Lagoa Negra, (Dark Lagoon), Lagoa Comprid (Long Lagoon), Lagoa Seca (Dry Lagoon), Lagoa Branca (White Lagoon). These two lagoons, Lagoa Negra and Lagoa Comprid, were completely covered in fog when we started. This was our view upon our return.
Day 10: Left Faja Grande and headed to Santa Cruz
We had to return the rental car earlier than expected, so we headed back into Santa Cruz but first stopped at Miradouro do Portal which was an incredible and beautiful viewpoint. We checked into our Airbnb and then took a walk around the city to find a beer and bite to eat. Of course, I checked out a few of the natural swimming pools right away as well. Santa Cruz is a great spot for swimming in natural pools.
Day 11: Trip to Corvo
We took an adventurous and wild boat trip to Corvo through Extremocidente. It was a blast (and slightly terrifying)! The boat ride was an excursion within itself as we traveled along the rugged coast, by waterfalls and in caves. Once we got to Corvo, we loaded up in vans and headed to the Caldera. We spent 30 minutes relaxing up there and then got a ride back down to town. I would recommend bringing a snack and then either shoes and clothes to hike in or swim in. There wasn’t much else to do in town and one restaurant that served a buffet lunch, beer and coffee. Our boat ride back was nice and calm and we even spotted some dolphins. We got back around 4pm, stopped for a swim back in Santa Cruz and then made dinner at our Airbnb and watched the sunset.
Day 12: Left Flores to Head back to Sao Miguel
We had a relaxing morning and then walked to the airport to catch a mid day flight back to Sao Miguel. Once we landed, we picked up our rental car and drove to Furnas! We stayed at Terra Nostra Garden Hotel and once we checked in, we walked parts of the garden, had a drink and snack at the restaurant outside before going to dinner at the sushi restaurant on site.
4 Days on Sao Miguel
Day 13: Pampering in Furnas
We spent the morning walking around the town of Furnas. It is such a beautiful area with natural scenery and parks to enjoy. We had an afternoon of pampering at the hotel so we grabbed a quick lunch while we were out and made it back for our spa treatments (that’s right, plural!) at Terra Nostra Hotel. That night we did a food and wine pairing at the restaurant in the hotel and it was out of this world. The food was all so good, like the best thing I have ever had. Everything was absolutely incredible and I cannot recommend this experience enough! I wish I had photos for you, but I was too interested in eating and enjoying it to keep up with the pictures.
Day 14: Canyoning in Parque Natural da Ribeira dos Caldeiros, Tea Factory and Calderias
We started the morning early for a half day canyoning adventure at Parque Natural da Ribeira dos Caldeiros. This was so much fun! Our group ended up being only 4 people total since 4 others backed out last minute. Our guides were great and even took videos and photos of us which was super sweet since my go pro didn’t charge properly! There is a nice spot for lunch right in the park. We were starving so it worked out well for us!
On our way back to the hotel we stopped at the Cha Gorreana Tea Factory where we got a little tour of the factory and were able to walk around the grounds. After a little rest in our hotel room we enjoyed a beautiful walk through Furnas to the calderias. It is such a unique spot reminding me of a mini Yellowstone. We had a traditional furnas dinner close by at, Caldeiras e Vulcões which was really good! Once back at Terra Nostra Hotel, we enjoyed the thermal pools before calling it a night!
Day 15: Thermal Pools, Brewery, Nordeste, and a Waterfall Hike
We woke up in time to have another soak in the thermal pools before getting started on another fun filled packed day! We checked out of Terra Nostra Hotel and started our road trip with a stop at the Azores Brewing Company (great beer!). From there we traveled up to Nordeste to see the rugged coast. (There is a botanical garden in this area, we didn’t go but you should!). We stopped in the town of Nordeste for a quick walk around and a coffee and then made our way to the Salto do Prego hike where we went for a swim in the waterfall and then we drove back through Furnas to our Airbnb near Caloura where we had dinner overlooking the water at Bar Caloura.
Day 16: Laundry, Beach, Vila de Campo do Franco
Our last full day! We slept in, did laundry and then finally made it to a nearby beach to hangout for a few hours before heading to Vila Campo do Franco for a boat ride around the islet, a quick snorkel (WAY to many Portuguese man o war) and dinner back at the same restaurant for sunset. We would have loved to take the ferry out to the islet to actually get in but we would have had to get up WAY early and wait in line and that just wasn’t happening so I booked a tour for a boat ride around the island instead.
Day 17: That’s a Wrap
Our last day just consisted of packing up, returning our rental car and getting on a plane back to the states! The Azores is an amazing archipelago and I cannot wait to go back! Be sure to check out my other travel posts for more information on each of the Azores islands.
- Sao Miguel in 7 Days
- 3 Days in Pico
- 5 Days on Flores
