This 7-day, 6-night Azores self-drive vacation links two neighboring volcanic islands by ferry. Explore Pico's UNESCO-listed vineyard landscape, whaling towns and mountain scenery before crossing to Faial for Horta, the Caldeira and the stark landscape created by the Capelinhos eruption.
Hotels, daily breakfast, automatic cars on both islands and the Pico–Faial passenger ferry are arranged. Return the Pico car before sailing and collect a separate car after arriving in Horta. Climbing Mount Pico, whale watching and cave visits remain optional.
Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1 — Arrive on Pico; collect your rental car
Day 2 — Madalena and the UNESCO vineyard landscape
Day 3 — Lajes, São Roque and Pico's volcanic coast
Day 4 — Ferry from Pico to Faial; collect a new car in Horta
Day 5 — Faial Caldeira, Capelinhos and western Faial
Day 6 — Horta, Monte da Guia and a flexible island drive
Day 7 — Return the car and depart Faial
Is this package right for you?
This package suits independent travelers who want more than a day trip on Pico and an easy ferry connection to Faial. It combines wine culture, mountain scenery, maritime history and two distinct volcanic landscapes.
Drivers should be comfortable with narrow roads, steep grades, winding routes and changing visibility. The itinerary also involves a ferry transfer with luggage and two rental agreements.
It is not ideal for travelers who assume Mount Pico climbing, whale watching or a single through-rental car is included.
Day-by-day itinerary
These routes are suggestions rather than included tours. Adjust them for weather, sea conditions, road access and attraction opening times.
Day 1 — Pico Island — Arrival
Arrive on Pico, collect your automatic rental car and drive to your hotel for three nights. The remainder of the day is free to settle in and explore nearby.
Day 2 — Madalena and Pico's vineyards
Explore Madalena and the UNESCO-listed vineyard landscape around Criação Velha and Lajido. Wine tastings, museums and guided vineyard visits are not included and may require reservations.
Day 3 — Pico island circuit
Drive toward Lajes do Pico and São Roque for maritime heritage, volcanic coastlines and natural pools. Use the highland road if weather and visibility are favorable.
A Mount Pico climb is a strenuous, separately arranged activity subject to current registration, capacity, weather and access rules.
Day 4 — Pico to Faial by ferry
Check out and return the Pico car at the confirmed harbor location. Take the passenger ferry to Horta, Faial, then collect a separate automatic car and drive to your hotel for three nights.
Day 5 — Faial Caldeira and Capelinhos
Drive through the Valley of Flamengos toward Faial's Caldeira, then continue to the Capelinhos volcanic landscape and lighthouse. Mountain fog may require changing the route.
Day 6 — Horta and flexible Faial exploration
Explore Horta's marina, Monte da Guia and Porto Pim, or follow the north coast through small villages and hydrangea-lined roads. Museums, whale watching and other activities are optional.
Day 7 — Faial Island — Departure
Check out, refuel and return the car at Horta Airport or the confirmed location. Allow time for the vehicle inspection and onward check-in.
What's included
Please note
This is an independent self-drive vacation. Guided sightseeing is not included.
Separate rental cars are provided on Pico and Faial. Return the Pico car before boarding the passenger ferry and collect another car in Horta.
Ferry schedules, road access and the itinerary order may change because of sea, weather or operating conditions.
Included
6 nights' accommodation: 3 nights on Pico and 3 on Faial
Daily breakfast
Automatic rental cars on Pico and Faial for the scheduled periods
Unlimited kilometers
Basic collision damage waiver and theft protection, subject to the rental agreement, exclusions and applicable excess
Passenger ferry ticket from Pico to Faial
Applicable hotel and transportation taxes, excluding municipal tourist taxes payable locally
24-hour assistance during the trip
Not included
Fuel, parking charges, traffic fines and other driving expenses
Super collision damage waiver, reduced-excess coverage and other optional insurance
Additional drivers, child seats, GPS units, upgrades and other rental extras unless quoted
Meals, admission fees, guided tours, Mount Pico climbs and optional activities
Municipal tourist taxes payable directly at hotel check-in
Rental-car information
Automatic transmission is included, but the exact make and model are subject to availability. The lead driver must satisfy each supplier's license, age, identification and payment-card requirements.
Driving preparation
Bring the original driver's license, accepted identification and a payment card in the lead driver's name. Expect narrow village roads, steep grades, winding routes and rapidly changing mountain weather.
Dates & rates
Understanding the rates
Package Type
Some packages offer a choice of hotel categories. The category selected affects the hotels and per-person price.
Superior/Premier Hotel Package — First-class 4-star lodging in standard rooms.
Comfort/Standard Hotel Package — Tourist-class 4-star lodging in standard rooms. On smaller islands, the package may use selected first-class 3-star properties.
Hotel Notes
Each package includes a summary of the proposed hotels. For complete property details, consult the hotel's official website.
Named hotels are subject to availability. If a listed hotel is unavailable, a comparable property of the same or a better rating may be offered.
If you prefer a specific hotel, ocean-view room or other room feature, tell us when submitting your booking request. Requests cannot be guaranteed, and additional charges may apply.
Room and Car Occupancy
Self-drive prices are per person and vary according to the number of travelers sharing the room and rental car.
Solo — One person traveling alone, occupying a private room and using the rental car alone.
Single — One person occupying a private room while sharing the rental car and package arrangements with others in the travel party.
Double — Two people sharing one room and the rental car.
Triple — Three people sharing one room and the rental car.
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.
Comfort Hotels
Madalena - Hotel Caravelas
Located on Madalena’s waterfront, Caravelas is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on 3 sides and overlooks Faial Island. It features an outdoor pool, a 24-hour front desk, and car rental.
The air conditioned rooms at Hotel Caravelas open out onto private balconies with views of the ocean or Pico Mountain. All rooms include a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a minibar, and a private bathroom.
Guests can enjoy a daily buffet breakfast at the restaurant of the hotel, or discover the many cafés that surround the property, serving traditional Azorean specialties. The in-house bar offers soft drinks and the renowned Pico Wine.
Horta - Hotel Horta
Located in the old Azorean town of Horta, the newly-renovated Hotel Horta offers views of Pico Island. It features rooms with balconies, a large garden and an outdoor pool.
Horta’s rooms are decorated in neutral colors, and have wooden furniture. Each of the air-conditioned rooms has a cable TV and a private bathroom with a hairdryer.
The hotel’s panoramic restaurant offers international and regional dishes. The bar and the lounge offer views of the outdoor pool, the pool bar and the garden.
Guests can rent a bicycle to explore the surrounding area. Horta is famous for the whale watching and the volcanoes of Capelinhos and Caldeira.
Horta Airport is 4.3 mi away, and the hotel provides free private parking on site.
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, rental car is included for all islands.
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 per vacation 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
$350 per person if canceled up to 50 days prior departure.
25% of total reservation if cancelled 49-39 days prior departure plus any other additional fee.
50% of total reservation if canceled 38-31 days prior departure plus any other additional fee.
No refunds if canceled less than 30 days prior departure.
Cancellation Policy - Airfare
Airfare cancellation terms and conditions will be provided to you before ticket is booked.
Refund Fees
A 3.9% 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 rental cars included on both islands?
Yes. Separate automatic cars are included on Pico and Faial for the scheduled periods.
Can I take the Pico car on the ferry?
No. Return the Pico car before sailing and collect another vehicle after arriving in Horta.
Is the Pico-to-Faial ferry included?
Yes. The passenger ferry from Pico to Faial is included. Transportation to Pico and onward from Faial is not included unless quoted.
What rental-car insurance is included?
Basic collision damage waiver and theft protection are included, subject to each supplier's agreement, exclusions and excess.
Is climbing Mount Pico included?
No. The climb is strenuous and separately arranged under current registration, capacity, weather and access rules.
Is whale watching included?
No. It may be added separately. Departures depend on sea conditions, and wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed.
Are fuel, parking and admissions included?
No. These and other personal expenses are paid locally.
What documents are required for the cars?
The lead driver generally needs an original valid license, accepted identification and a payment card in the lead driver's name. Confirm whether an International Driving Permit is required.
What happens if the ferry changes?
Sea and weather conditions can affect ferries. The local team will advise about available arrangements, and hotel or car bookings may require adjustment.
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To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
Required for the website to work properly and cannot be switched off.
Preferences
Allows the website to remember choices and settings that improve your experience.
Statistics
Helps us understand how visitors use our website so we can improve its performance and content.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
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