What is this Azores and mainland Portugal tour like?
Image of azores 3 island and mainland Portugal tour
This 11-day semi-private vacation combines private touring in the Azores with shared sightseeing from Lisbon. Visit Faial, cross to Pico for a guided day trip and explore Furnas, Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo on São Miguel.
Continue to mainland Portugal for Lisbon and scheduled excursions to Sintra and Cascais, Fátima and the central coast, and Évora. Hotels, breakfast, transfers and the listed inter-island transportation are arranged in advance.
Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1 — Faial Island — Arrival in Horta
Day 2 — Faial Island — Private half-day tour
Day 3 — Pico Island — Private full-day excursion
Day 4 — Faial to São Miguel
Day 5 — São Miguel — Private Furnas tour
Day 6 — São Miguel — Private Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo tour
Day 7 — São Miguel to Lisbon
Day 8 — Sintra, Cabo da Roca, Cascais and Estoril
Day 9 — Fátima, Batalha, Nazaré and Óbidos
Day 10 — Évora and the Alentejo
Day 11 — Lisbon — Departure
Is this package right for you?
This 11-day combination tour is designed for travelers who want the Azores and mainland Portugal arranged in one itinerary. It includes private sightseeing in the Azores, organized inter-island transportation and a Lisbon base for excursions to central Portugal.
The program is semi-private, combining private Azores tours with shared mainland sightseeing. Travelers should be comfortable managing airport and ferry transfers, changing hotels and walking on historic streets, steps and uneven surfaces during sightseeing.
This is a multi-stop itinerary rather than a slow-paced single-base vacation. Weather, airline schedules and mainland operating days require flexibility, and the sequence may change without reducing the principal included services.
Day-by-day itinerary
Flight and ferry schedules, weather and mainland tour operating days may change the order of destinations or activities. The descriptions below show the planned itinerary.
Day 1 — Faial Island — Arrival in Horta
Arrive on Faial and transfer privately to your hotel in Horta for a three-night stay. The remainder of the day is free to explore the marina and waterfront.
Day 2 — Faial Island — Private half-day tour
Explore Faial with a private driver-guide. Planned highlights include the Caldeira, Capelinhos volcanic landscape, Praia do Almoxarife and viewpoints toward Pico, subject to weather and local access.
Day 3 — Pico Island — Private full-day excursion
Transfer to Horta harbor and cross by ferry to Pico. Meet your private driver-guide for an island tour that may include the UNESCO-listed vineyard landscape, whaling heritage and traditional coastal villages before returning to Faial.
Day 4 — Faial to São Miguel
Transfer to Faial Airport and fly to São Miguel. On arrival, transfer privately to your Ponta Delgada hotel for a three-night stay.
Day 5 — São Miguel — Private Furnas tour
Travel through the island toward Furnas to experience geothermal landscapes, fumaroles and the Furnas Lake area. The precise route and admissions follow the confirmed program.
Day 6 — São Miguel — Private Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo tour
Discover two of São Miguel’s signature crater-lake regions with a private driver-guide. Weather may determine whether Sete Cidades or Lagoa do Fogo is visited first.
Day 7 — São Miguel to Lisbon
Transfer to the airport for the included flight to Lisbon. On arrival, transfer to your hotel and begin the mainland portion of the program.
Day 8 — Sintra, Cabo da Roca, Cascais and Estoril
Explore Sintra and Portugal’s Atlantic coast. The planned route continues to Cabo da Roca, Cascais and Estoril before returning to Lisbon.
Day 9 — Fátima, Batalha, Nazaré and Óbidos
Travel through central Portugal to Fátima, Batalha, Nazaré and the medieval town of Óbidos. Included admissions and stops follow the confirmed tour description.
Day 10 — Évora and the Alentejo
Visit UNESCO-listed Évora and explore the historic center, with possible stops including the Roman Temple, cathedral area and Chapel of Bones. Return to Lisbon after the tour.
Day 11 — Lisbon — Departure
After breakfast, transfer to Lisbon Airport for your onward flight.
What's included
Please note
Azores sightseeing is private; Lisbon and central Portugal sightseeing operates on shared services.
Lisbon sightseeing departures must normally fall on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. The sequence may be reversed when required.
Inter-island flights, ferry schedules, weather and local operating conditions may change the order of islands or activities.
Included
10 nights' accommodation: 6 nights in the Azores and 4 nights in Lisbon
Daily buffet breakfast
Azores accommodations on Faial and São Miguel, with a guided day trip to Pico
Private airport, hotel and harbor transfers in the Azores as described
Private guided sightseeing in the Azores by car or minivan with an English-speaking driver-guide
Inter-island transportation: Faial to São Miguel and São Miguel to Lisbon
Round-trip passenger ferry tickets between Faial and Pico
Four-star or similar hotel accommodation in Lisbon
Lisbon airport transfers
One half-day Lisbon tour and three full-day shared small-group or coach tours to Sintra and Cascais, Fátima and the central coast, and Évora
Transportation and guide services for scheduled mainland tours as described
Applicable hotel service charges, excluding municipal tourist taxes payable locally
Not included
International flights to or from Portugal or the Azores; ask us to include airfare in your quotation
Municipal tourist taxes payable directly at hotel check-in
Meals other than daily breakfast and any meal specifically listed as included
Admission fees unless specifically described as included
Porterage, optional activities and personal expenses
Tour format
Azores services are arranged privately. Mainland sightseeing is shared small-group or coach. Confirmed meeting points, pickup times, included admissions and the operating sequence will appear on your travel documents.
Transportation
Inter-island transportation is included as listed, but international airfare is separate. Flight and ferry schedules are subject to change, and the itinerary may be adjusted around confirmed services.
Dates & rates
Understanding the rates
Superior Package
Includes standard rooms, first class 4-star lodging.
Each package has a hotel summary description. For detailed information, please visit the hotel's official webpage online.
For specific hotel or ocean-view room preference, please notify us when filing your booking form. Additional charges may apply.
Pousada Forte da Horta (Faial) will be closed until March 31. Hotel Azoris Faial Garden will be booked as alternative.
Room Rate Type
Solo = Person traveling alone
Single = Person staying in a single room and sharing tour services with others in travel party
Note: Hotels shown are for reference only. We reserve the right to change hotels based on availability, group size or other factors. Should an alternate hotel be required, it will be of the same or a better rating.
Superior Hotels
Lisbon - Hotel Turim Saldanha
Situated in the heart of Lisbon, TURIM Saldanha Hotel offers a restaurant and bar for guests to enjoy. The hotel is conveniently located just 1,312 feet from Eduardo VII Park and Saldanha, with two metro stations within a 5-minute walk.
The cozy rooms come with a flat-screen satellite TV and a private bathroom, equipped with either a bath or shower, complimentary toiletries, and a hairdryer.
The upscale Liberty Avenue is just 0.7 miles away, home to numerous luxury shops and boutiques. TURIM Saldanha Hotel is a quick 15-minute Metro ride from Chiado and Rossio. The famous São Jorge Castle is located 2.5 miles from the hotel. The closest airport is Portela Airport, situated 4.5 miles from the property.
Horta - Pousada Forte da Horta
Just an 8 minute walk from the beach, The Pousada Forte da Horta is set in a 16th century fortress with a view of Horta Bay and Pico island. This Pousada features air conditioned rooms, a swimming pool, and a regional restaurant. Most of the rooms offer a view of the marina.
Classified as a National Monument since 1947, the Pousada Forte da Horta offers modern rooms with cable TV and a minibar. Each private bathroom is stocked with a hairdryer and bathrobe.
A breakfast buffet is served daily on the poolside veranda terrace. Guests may taste fried pork, tuna and passion fruit pie in Pousada Forte da Horta’s restaurant.
The swimming pool area is furnished with sun beds, tables and parasols. Indoors, there is a lounge with various seating areas and a bar with a piano.
The 24-hour reception offers car rentals and free on-site parking. The Horta Airport is just 5.4 miles from the Pousada Forte da Horta.
Ponta Delgada - Vila Gale Collection S. Miguel
Located in Ponta Delgada, São Miguel island, the Vila Gale Collection S.Miguel provides superior accommodations, excellent restaurant, bar, sauna, swimming pool, kid's club and private parking.
The 4-star hotel has air-conditioned rooms with free WIFI, each with a private bathroom, and is at a short walking distance to the center of town.
All guest rooms in the hotel are equipped with a flat-screen TV. Each room includes a safety deposit box, while certain rooms will provide you with a balcony. At Vila Gale Collection S.Miguel every room includes bed linen and towels. A buffet breakfast is available every morning.
At Vila Gale Collection S.Miguel guests are welcome to use a sauna and a Turkish bath.
The attentive and professional reception staff speak English, Spanish, French and Portuguese, and are always on hand to help.
Booking & policies
Booking Your Trip
While prices are shown in USA dollars, we can also charge in Euros at the prevailing currency conversion daily rate.
Early booking is advised. Availability of accommodations and inter-island flight is limited especially in summer months.
If hotels named in itinerary are not available at time of booking, alternate similar same rating properties will be confirmed, and subject to new quote.
Order of islands visited may need to be altered due to flight schedule changes.
Unless otherwise indicated, sightseeing tours are by private car with English speaking driver. Other languages are available upon request.
Quotations with different hotels have a non refundable deposit of $50. Deposit will be credited towards final booking price.
Booking Your Trip With Air
International airfare for this package is additional to price shown on Rates table. Departure cities are limited to those serviced by SATA International (Azores Airlines).
If you want a quote for airfare to be included make sure to check yes when prompted during the booking/reservation request process.
Booking Conditions
A non-refundable, non-transferable deposit of $350 per person is required to book and hold both land and air for you.
Final payment is due 50 days before departure.
Option to pay full price up front is available.
Cancellation Policy - Land Portion
Full-payment minus the $350 deposit per person is refunded if canceled up to 50 days prior departure.
75% of full-payment paid per person if refunded if cancelled 49-39 days prior departure.
50% of full-payment paid per person is refunded if canceled 38-31 days prior departure.
No refunds if canceled less than 30 days prior departure.
Cancellation Policy - Airfare
Airfare cancellation terms and conditions are those of the Airlines company and will be provided to you before ticket is booked.
Refund Fees
On any payments made via a bank credit card, a 3.9% bank credit card assessed fee will be subtracted from any refunded payment, including deposits refunded due to services requested not available for date of booking.
I Want To Book. What Do I Do Next?
Click on the Request pricing button to send your reservation request.
No payment will be collected at this time.
Our travel Associate will contact you via email to answer any questions and book your Package.
If you don't plan to book at this time please click here to contact us with any questions or concerns about your trip or your holiday.
Booking Changes
A fee of $35 per person, per transaction, will be charged
for any revision or alteration made to a reservation after the booking
is confirmed.
If the change increases the value of the booking, the $35
per person fee will be waived.
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend you purchase travel/cancellation
insurance.
Common questions about this package
Are the Azores tours private?
Yes. The scheduled Azores sightseeing is arranged privately with a driver-guide. The mainland tour format depends on the package version selected.
Are inter-island flights and the Pico ferry included?
Yes. The inter-island transportation listed in the itinerary is included. International airfare to and from Portugal or the Azores is not included unless added to your quotation.
Are the islands and mainland stops always visited in this order?
Not necessarily. Airline and ferry schedules, weather and mainland tour operating days may require the program to begin in Lisbon or the Azores or to use a different sequence.
Are entrance fees included?
Only admissions expressly identified in your confirmed itinerary are included. Other monument, museum, park, lake and garden admissions are paid locally.
Are lunches and dinners included?
Daily breakfast is included. Other meals are included only when specifically stated in the confirmed program.
What hotel category is used?
The package uses the hotel category shown in your quotation, generally four-star or similar accommodation. Named hotels are subject to availability and may be replaced with a comparable property.
Can international airfare be added?
Yes. Ask for international airfare when requesting your quotation. Availability and fares are confirmed before tickets are issued.
Can the itinerary be customized?
Changes may be possible before booking, particularly for the fully private versions. Revised routing, hotels or services may change the price.
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