Tour Overview
7 Days, 6 Nights. Visit at your own pace these two islands, driving surrounded by the presence of volcanoes and wineries. Pico Island has the tallest mountain of Portugal with an elevation of 7713' and it's considered the youngest island of the Azores for its many young lava flows and another reason why this island is not a beach destination. Faial, famous for its Marina and paintings, a former port for ships on transatlantic routes between Europe and the Americas. This island is an obligatory stop for yachtsmen and sailors.
Please Note
We created self-drive packages to provide our customers with pre-planned services that include accommodations, rental car, ferry and air tickets. We do not provide daily planning and itineraries. However we do recommend that you check information such as we have on our pages (click here) or purchase a guide book (click here). We also recommend you check our guided tours (click here) which are more descriptive of specific itineraries and places to visit.
Day 1 - Pico
Arrival and pickup the car at the airport. Check in at the hotel for 3 nights in Pico with breakfast included.
Day 2 - Pico
Points of interest for this island.
- Pico Mountain with an altitude of 7713' stands as a challenging hike.
- Whaler museums in Lajes, Sao Joao, and Sao Roque are worth visiting and depict an important historic and era of Pico.
- Wine tasting in Madalena and visiting the UNESCO protected wine country in Lajido, Cabrito, and Madalena.
- Gruta das Torres. A must-do in Pico features the longest lava tube in Europe.
- Pico features the best natural swimming holes in the Azores. Worth mentioning are the ones in S. Prainha, S. Roque, Santo Antonio, and Madalena.
- Wine tasting in Madalena and Lajido’s “Museu do Vinho”.
- Whale observation in Sao Joao and Lajes.
Day 3 - Pico
Day to explore. (Optional tours available: Tours, hikes and sea activities. Please contact us for prices)
Day 4 - Pico/ Faial
Check out from the hotel and leave the car at the harbor. Ferry trip from Pico to Faial, 30 minutes duration. Arrival to Horta harbor and pick up the car.
Check in at your hotel in Horta for 3 nights with breakfast included.
Day 5 - Faial
Points of interest:
- Cabecao Gordo – Located at the center of the island with an altitude of 3422 feet (1043 meters), offers amazing views of the neighboring islands of Pico and Sao Jorge.
- The Caldeira – An enormous crater with 6560 feet (2 km) diameter and 1300 feet (400 m) deep, classified as a natural reserve.
- Monte da Guia – A mountain from where you can have a look over the town; also a protected natural reserve.
- Ponta dos Capelinhos – One of Faial’s main tourist attractions. Here visitors can see the results of the eruption of 1957/8 which transformed the landscape, burying fields and houses. The old lighthouse can still be seen.
- Lajinha and Ponta Furada – Great attraction for their caves and strange lava arches, where the sea crashes violently against the rocks.
- Vale de Flamengos – Attractive area full of colorful plantations, flowers and picturesque houses.
- Scrimshaw Museum – This is a private collection belonging to the owner of the popular Peter’s. Over a hundred pieces are exhibited here, engraved with beautiful sailing boats, mermaids, images of whale-hunting, among many others.
- Horta Museum – Housed in the former Jesuit College, the museum is noted for its collection of fig wood, one of the island’s traditional handicrafts.
- Port of Horta – Built in 1876, this important sea-port is a principal port-of-call for many transatlantic yachts. The sea wall is of special interest as it is covered with hundreds of paintings and messages left by the sea-travelers who call in at the port.
Day 6 - Faial
Free day to continue exploring. (Optional tours available: Tours, hikes and sea activities. Please contact us for prices)
Day 7 - Faial
