The Best Of The Azores

On arrival on Sao Miguel you’ll be met for your private transfer to your hotel on the marina front of the pretty city of Ponta Delgada. Tonight, eat in one of the town’s many delicious restaurants.

You’ll be met in reception for your full day of guided bird and nature watching. Lunch is included and this small-group tour is guided by the leading naturalist of Sao Miguel. If you’d prefer a more general guided island tour then this is available – let us know.

You’ll have a full day today, whale watching in the morning followed by lunch in the town of Vila Franca do Campo. In the afternoon you’ll take the ferry to the Ilheu da Vila off Sao Miguel’s coast. Here you can swim and snorkel in the lagoon formed by a collapsed volcanic cone! Azorean waters are clear and sealife is abundant.

We’ll include transfers so you can take a walk from the south coast up and into the wild central volcanic crater of the Fire Lake – Lagoa do Fogo.

The inter-island flights in cloud hopping turbo-prop planes are all part of the Azorean experience. You’ll fly to the island of Flores for a four night stay in a quirky guesthouse at the western edge of the archipelago – and the western edge of Europe.

You can take a walk from Faja Grande up to the impressive Lagoa das Patas where countless waterfalls cascade down verdant cliffs into the hidden crater lake. Afterwards take a dip in the natural sea pools on the coast of Faja Grande and dine facing the sunset.

Tiny Corvo island is visitable in a day trip from Flores. Our guide will take you there – either by RIB boat to first explore the sea cliffs of north eastern Flores, or via the ferry if small boats aren’t for you. On the island there’s time for a guided walk in the iconic caldera and a visit to Vila do Corvo before crossing back to Flores and your accommodation.

Our guides will take you on a full day tour of Flores, so you can see the volcanic scenery, waterfalls and culture of this beautiful place.

You’ll fly to the island of Faial and we’ll transfer you to your hotel, a former fortress that’s now a comfortable 4* hotel on the front of colourful Horta Marina, with views across the strait to Pico volcano.

If you’re a walker then we’ll transfer you to Faial’s Caldera so you can walk a spectacular trail from here towards the Capelinhos eruption site. If you’d rather tour with a guide andvehicle then we can arrange for you to be picked up for a small group guided island tour.

You’ll cross to neighbouring Pico and our guide will meet you for a full day tour concentrating on the unique vineyards – wine tasting is of course included! After your tour you’ll check in to your hotel on Pico’s south coast.

You’ll spend a full day looking for nature on land and sea between Pico and Sao Jorge, on a small boat full day tour. If you’d rather join a guide for an ascent of Pico mountain then let us know and we can talk you through the route and challenge.

Sao Jorge is across the channel from Pico and you’ll cross today on the inter-island ferry.

We’ll leave today free so that you can relax in the town of Velas. There’s a short walking route to the top of the 150m tall Morro Grande hill just outside town. On the coast there are lovely natural swimming pools.

There are great walking routes on Sao Jorge and as they are linear, we can include the necessary transfers if you are keen to explore on foot. If you’d rather take a guided tour then our resident guides will be happy to help.

You’ll fly to Terceira for a three night stay in the enviably-sited Pousada Sao Sebastio, with amazing views across historic Angra and to sea.

You’ll have a walking tour of Angra this morning and in the afternoon a boat trip to the Cabras islet off Terceira’s south coast.

Our guides will pick you up for a full day tour of Terceira. You’ll learn about the volcanic Black Mysteries, visit steaming fumarolic fields and hear about the history and culture of this unique island.

You’ll fly to Sao Miguel and we’ll transfer you to the spa town and caldera of Furnas where you’ll stay in the most famous hotel in the Azores – the Terra Nostra Garden. As residents you’ll have free access to the botanical gardens and volcanically-heated outdoor pool.

We’ve left your time free to explore fascinating Furnas and to take advantage of the facilities of the Terra Nostra.

If you’d like to book any spa treatments then let us know. To stretch your legs, there’s a walk up to and around the pretty crater lake, above town in the upper part of the verdant crater.

We’ll transfer you to the airport for your homebound flights.

The Aldeia da Fonte Hotel has an enviable position overlooking the ocean on Pico’s south coast.

The rooms, suites and studios are located in numerous buildings spread through the Aldeia’s wooded grounds.  There’s an excellent on site bar and alfresco restaurant that specialises in Azorean cuisine, an outdoor pool overlooking the ocean, a zen room, Tai Chi garden and it’s very own Vigia whale watching tower.

From the Aldeia da Fonte Hotel you can easily get to the neighbouring town of Lajes do Pico for whale watching, and use Pico’s excellent main roads to explore the wider island.

The Hotel Octant Ponta Delgada is on the ocean front of the capital of Sao Miguel, Ponta Delgada.

We like: the spacious rooms, each with their own balcony; the views across the harbour to the Atlantic Ocean; the quality of the food in the Octant’s in-house restaurant A Terra; the views and cocktails served in the top-floor Observando rooftop bar. 

The town is a short distance away and so the Octant Ponta Delgada is well placed for you to explore the many restaurants within the pretty streets.

The Octant Ponta Delgada is one of our go-to hotels when staying on the island of Sao Miguel.

The Hotel Sao Jorge is the largest hotel in Velas, flanked by the extinct Morro Grande volcano.

There are eighty air conditioned en-suite rooms, each with it’s own balcony overlooking the gardens and outdoor pool, and the neighbouring islands of Pico and Faial beyond. across the channel. It’s a short walk along the seafront into the centre of Velas, the island’s main harbour town, and the Zona Balnear da Preguica, one of the island’s best natural swimming spots, is right on your doorstep.

Flores is arguably the most beautiful island in the Azores, and Faja Grande, the village on the west coast where Argonauta is nestled, is a paradise on the island surrounded by cascading waterfalls and perfect tranquillity. It’s just a short walk to some good local restaurants (including Sri Lankan/Italian fusion!), the port and swimming area and some great rock pools for snorkelling. The village is also on the spectacular west coast footpath so is ideal for walkers.

Stefano, the owner of this delightful house is a resident Italian who is a photographer and island enthusiast. He’s filled the house with photos from his travels to India and created a bohemian and homely feel with original floral frescos from the 1930’s on the walls and woodwork from a vessel shipwrecked off Flores’ western reefs.

There are 5 en-suite double rooms available (bathrooms are quite small), including 2 large suites in the eaves of the house. There is also a guest lounge on the first floor with TV, CD player, library and internet access.

An award winning boutique hotel, the Art Deco style Hotel Terra Nostra lies within the volcanic basin of Furnas with its beautiful crater lake and hot springs. What makes it unique however are its grounds which are the internationally acclaimed Terra Nostra Botanical Gardens, a well established garden dating from 1775 with an area of 12.5 hectares. And then of course, there’s the wonderfully relaxing outdoor geothermal swimming pool within them which makes for a perfect end to the day after exploring the island.

Guests of the hotel have free entry to the botanical gardens which are open to the public during the day and can also enjoy the indoor heated pool and spa offering a full range of treatments and therapies. Many of the rooms at the Hotel Terra Nostra look directly out over the garden with its thousands of species of plant and tree displayed in the lush valley surroundings.

The hotel has 86 ensuite rooms including 7 suites all with telephone, TV, minibar and hairdryer.

The Pousada Sao Sebastiao is a modern four-star hotel overlooking the bay of Angra de Heroismo.

The hotel sits within the remains of a 16th century fortress which once protected Terceira’s main harbour. The hotel has twenty-nine rooms, with standard rooms on the ground floor and superior rooms on the first – we tend to prefer the latter for their sea views. All the rooms have air conditioning and Wi-Fi, and there’s a restaurant, bar and outdoor freshwater swimming pool.

Whilst the hotel’s nicely secluded with it’s hilltop location, it’s a short ten-minute walk into the bustling centre of Angra; the cultural capital of the Azores.

Dear Ian, Steve, Jake & Team,

Just wanted to drop a line to say a heartfelt thank you for arranging the trip of a lifetime.

After a global pandemic, two years of waiting to travel and three cancellations it seemed at times that our honeymoon was never going to happen. We have so appreciated your support in rebooking/reorganising and keeping in touch with us all the way through.

As fairly independent minded travellers we were a little unsure about booking through an agency but so grateful we did.

The island choices, the daily schedules and walk recommendations were just perfect for us. We were blown away by the wildness & waterfalls in Flores; the coastal paths, lakes and thermal baths in Sao Miguel and the stunning views of Pico from Horta.

As you can tell we are smitten with the Azores and already thinking about our next trip back. We will be sure to contact you again once that starts to come together.

Thanks again for doing a brilliant job.

Great feedback for Archipelago Choice from Jo and Family who recently visited the Azores with us (unabridged version!).

Booking Process: Excellent – Felt that our thoughts for an active family holiday were really listened to – very straightforward booking

Helpfulness of Team: Very helpful especially regarding accommodation changes and ultimate postponement & re-booking of our trip.

Information in Brochure: OK – though we preferred researching in more depth on the internet 

Information on website: Great – we also found a few more sites too e.g. visit azores

Q. How would we rate our holiday overall: Excellent

Q. Would we travel with you again: Very possibly and would recommend (10 out of 10) as everything from booking, travel, hire car was very smooth

Q. How did we find you: Google search on the internet

Q. Why did we decide to book with you: Because of your friendly approach on initial contact back in August 2020. We were seeking support and reassurance during the uncertainty around travel during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Q. What were the highlights: 

Sao Miguel: 

• Walking around the crater at Sete Cidades from Vista do Rei, found a taxi to take us back up as we’d started walking after lunch. Explored derelict hotel (as you would with 17 yr old!) but probably best not to advertise 😉
• Ponta da Ferraria – great experience and top tip we’d looked at the internet to time our visit just right for the tides!
• Gorreana Tea Plantation – Lovely small tour, tea tasting and complimentary tea in café.
• Quinta dos Sabores Restaurant – Has only tasting menu, but if you like food – it is a fantastic meal out for a romantic or special evening. We booked in advance from the UK having found restaurant recommendations on the internet as they have limited space. Thoroughly recommended.
• Poca do Dona Beija geo-thermal baths – Very clean changing rooms, well organised (timed entry). Need to book for popular times – great experience.
• Afternoon tea at Terra Nostra Hotel Garden Terrace – very enjoyable and thoroughly recommended. Main and smaller geo thermal pools good fun too
• Bar Restaurante Caldeiras &760  Vulcoes, Furnas – Opportunity to enjoy Cozido. Although top tip – best to book in advance. Trying mineral spring water was an experience!
• Diving with Azores Sub Dive Centre – Friendly centre, great to be back in the water again! 
• Canyoning in the Ribeira dos Caldeirōes Natural Park with Azorean Active Blueberry – They shared great photos & videos afterwards. Really friendly, nice park to explore whilst boys were busy having fun. Thoroughly recommend.
• Salto do Cabrito cold waterfall was fun – steep walk to find it but worth it (had tried to visit heated waterfalls at Caldera Velha, but that was fully booked – top tip – need to book ahead).

Q. Other good things:

• Lisbon Airport Mercado – great for a quick lunch between flights, and opportunity to try local food especially custard tarts!
• 4 Platanos Café / Restaurant – great first meal & opportunity to try local food.
• Canto do Cais, Capelas – Great opportunity to taste local fish and beef & eat local bean cake.

Pico: 

• Climbing Mt Pico – It was tough for me to keep up with the guide’s pace up to the crater, not so for the boys, who made it to the top peak too. Tough climb up, even tougher coming down but a fantastic achievement.
• Diving with Twin Peaks Centre on Pico – excellent dive centre!
• Whale watching was great – both with Terrazul & Espaco Talassa on Pico, which was particularly excellent – very friendly, very knowledgeable and smaller group size/ RIB and good to have drink and de-briefing on return. Thoroughly recommended. Amazing experience.
• Ancoradoura, Madalena – Lovely meal watching the sunset as at our accommodation we could see sun rise not sunset. Tried grilled limpets!
• Arcos do Cachorro – good fun finding the arches of the puppy & thinking about our own 4-legged friend back home. We booked Gruta das Torres, but there was a mix up with dates and we could not be accommodated due to being fully booked. They appear to be strict on numbers – so best to book ahead. We headed to Furna do Frei Matias for a self-tour in the grotto & tunnel instead 😊

Q. Other good things: 

• Fit Up Gym – Much appreciated by our son!
• Poca Branca, Prainha – nice for snorkelling
• Pastelaria Machado – Great local place for delicious pastries & coffee
• Cella Bar near Madalena was a lovely location for coffee & local cheese/sangria snacks.
• Wine Museum, Madelana – Very friendly and an enjoyable hour or so.

Accommodation: 

Casa Do Ouvidor: Really lovely spacious accommodation in Casa do Mar. Assen, the manager, was very friendly and helpful and kept everything, including the pool & jacuzzi very clean. We didn’t think to call ahead re our arrival but we soon met up with him. It might be worth adding this in your itinerary, so everyone knows when they will be arriving/when to be expected. Easy to spot accommodation from the road. Lovely view of sunrises & Pico Mountain. The first day complimentary breakfast was fantastic and much appreciated.

As we arrived on a Sunday, it was very tricky to find somewhere to eat for supper as a lot of restaurants were either closed or fully booked. We had to wait 2 hours for a burger van supper… which was very nice once it arrived. Again, top tip would be to book ahead if arriving on a Sunday.

Q. Would thoroughly recommend.

Casa Do Monte Pombal: Traditional building in lovely situation. Friendly owners. Basic provisions in fridge welcome for first breakfast on wonderful, covered terrace and lovely bottle of wine 😊 Lovely views for sunrises. If we are honest there was quite a musty smell in the kitchen cupboards & double bedroom, and the entrance to the farm is on a sneaky bend – you need to be brave!

Activities: See highlights above! The top tip is to book ahead either online or by phone to avoid disappointment.

Car Hire: Very easy with Autatlantis – no issues and would recommend on both islands.

Taxi Transfer: Very good suggestion after a long day travelling, thank you. Had a lift to a 4 Platanos and had a super first night supper.

Travel: Flights and transfer all very well organised and everything went like clockwork 😊

Paper: Always happy to receive details online to save paper.

Kind regards

Dear Jake.

This is a long email, so you might want to go grab yourself a cuppa before you start reading.

We just wanted to send you an email to say thank you so much for everything.

Our island hopping holiday to the Azores was absolutely amazing, it was far beyond our dreams and expectations, and that is certainly because of you and all your plans in putting this together for us. We just loved every second (apart from me and canyoning, we do not get along, but the boys absolutely loved it!) we just can’t believe all the things that we have seen, and done, and learned about! What an incredible place!

We have certainly been bitten by the Azorean bug and we can’t wait to get back there to explore the other islands. They’re very special places, each of them for their own right.

We felt as though we were treated like royalty from the minute we arrived in Sao Miguel, even the weather was kind to us (largely) we seemed to miss the adverse weather, either arriving somewhere that had had storms the day before, or leaving just before they arrived. We did have one morning of heavy rain when we went to the tropical gardens at Furnas, but we did manage to see some of the gardens before we gave up and went back to Caloura, where there was glorious sunshine, so we spent the afternoon at the pool and made the most of the Especial and fresh lemonade from the snack bar.

Every single person that we met, we were struck by how hard they work, and how happy they all are. Many of them never leaving the island they were born on, because, why would they want to?!

We love the Azorean people and their love and pride for their islands. Their sustainable way of living also struck deep with us. It’s the way we try very hard to live ourselves. Dave’s business is retrofit insulation, preparing old housing stock to a better more eco friendly way of conserving energy, so the way they live and respect their land, was of great interest to us.

For us all, Flores is a very special place. We went to the restaurant maresia while we were there and met the owner and his son. Although the restaurant itself is eclectic to say the least, after chatting to Vincent, we understood his dads way of living and the food was outstanding! We can’t wait to visit again.

All of our guides were amazing! Their knowledge and passion is admirable.

We just loved every second and can’t thank you enough for making our trip so smooth and completely stress free.

I will spend today writing reviews online for all the companies and guides that helped us on our trip.

A million thanks to you all Jake.

Really great company, will be recommending them. We had never visited the Azores before but this company helped us decided which islands to visit.

Great little company with friendly staff. Organisation of flights & accommodation very efficient. When problems arise they are helpful and very reasonable in their efforts to resolve them. We would definitely use them again for a return trip.

Azores Choice provided a prompt, helpful service. they found us the perfect accommodation for our needs and provided superb, expert advice on how to spend our week walking on San Miguel. I would certainly use them again.