Discover one of the world's "best-kept secrets," off the coast of Portugal.

Welcome to the Azores! We meet with our fellow travelers and our local guide in the hotel lobby for an informational session and a preview of our activities in the days to come.

We then head out on our first excursion together to stretch our legs in this lush archipelago. Sete Cidades is comprised of two jewel-colored lakes in the heart of São Miguel—one bright blue, the other green—nestled inside a dormant volcano crater. Hiking along their western edge, we learn about the region's flora and fauna, history, and volcanic formation, and the legendary love story behind Sete Cidades' creation. We enjoy a picnic lunch on the shore, taking in the sparkling waters and steep, verdant slopes.

This afternoon we have the opportunity to take a dip at Ponta da Ferraria, a therapeutic spring and bathing site renowned for its healing powers since the 15th century.

This evening, we dine together at Anfiteatro Lounge, a contemporary hotel management school restaurant overlooking the bay of Ponta Delgada.

Accommodations

Hotel Azor
Ponta Delgada, Portugal

With 123 modern rooms overlooking the surrounding ocean, the five-star Hotel Azor boasts an award-winning restaurant and rooftop bar, gym, and panoramic outdoor swimming pool.

After breakfast, we make the short, 40-minute plane transfer from São Miguel to Pico, famous for its towering, long-dormant volcano — the highest point in Portugal. Our day of exploration begins with a visit to the famed Gruta das Torres lava tube, with a length of nearly 17,000 feet. It is estimated that the tube was formed about 1,500 years ago, during an eruption originating from Cabeço Bravo volcano. An expert guide takes us through the tube, flashlights in hand, and teaches us about its unique geology.

Next, we transfer to the town of Madalena on the western coast, where we enjoy a short walk around Criação Velha vineyards, part of a 2,400-acre UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wine has been an important export for the Azores beginning in the 17th century, but the islands' volcanic terrain makes viticulture a unique challenge. Over the centuries, wine growers have adapted, creating 5-foot-tall rock wall wind breaks, knows as currais, which create heat pockets to protect and cultivate the grapes. Our guide will point out interesting geologic sites before we sit down for a traditional, winery-style lunch, complete with estate-grown vintages.

Our last stop today is the 15th-century Lajes do Pico, the island's oldest settlement, where we enjoy a conservation talk and tour of the town's whaling museum with a local marine biologist. We then board a RIB boat and head out to sea for a chance to spot more than 25 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

This evening, we dine at a local restaurant on our way to Terra Alta near the parish of Santo Amaro, our home for the next three nights.

Accommodations

Lava Homes
Terra Alta, Portugal

Overlooking the Bay of Amaro and Pico Mountain, this small design hotel was built with sustainability in mind, boasting a cliff-side spa and yoga studio, traditional restaurant, and breathtaking infinity pool.

Today, we lace up our boots for a full day of hiking along the Caminho dos Burros, or "Path of the Donkeys." Linking the north and south of Pico, this old trail traverses the plateau moorland, connecting the mountains with the island's coastal trading center. Historically, farmers would exchange full milk churns harvested from their high pasture cows with essential goods from the mainland and beyond. Our choice of hikes today — one moderate, the other strenuous (hiking poles are recommended) — offer expansive views of the ridgeline of São Jorge on the horizon.

Our moderate route proceeds slightly downhill from south to north along Pico's Planalto Central, where we pass native grasses, multi-hued moss, and an endangered, endemic evergreen shrub known as Euphorbia stygiana. We break for a picnic lunch and a bit of exploration at Praínha Forest Park, after which our path leads on to the coast at Baía das Canas. From here, a short transfer brings us to a nearby arts and crafts school where we join the artisans for a hands-on workshop.

If the group elects for the more challenging trail (weather-depending), we will instead begin at Casa da Montanha, or "Mountain House," located at an elevation of nearly 4,000 feet. Our steep, rocky climb proceeds to the summit of Pico Mountain, where our efforts will be amply rewarded with a picnic lunch and, if skies are clear, views of the Atlantic and the four surrounding islands.

Tonight, we celebrate our hard work at the hotel restaurant, Magma, over a menu of traditional Pico dishes.

Accommodations

Lava Homes
Terra Alta, Portugal

Overlooking the Bay of Amaro and Pico Mountain, this small design hotel was built with sustainability in mind, boasting a cliff-side spa and yoga studio, traditional restaurant, and breathtaking infinity pool.

This morning, we enjoy a short ferry ride to the island of Faial, known as the "blue island" for its long rows of blue hydrangea plants and as a convenient stopping point for yachts on trans-Atlantic crossings. Our guide will highlight the island's volcanic history and the 1957 eruption of Capelinhos, which lasted for 13 months and added nearly a square mile of new land.

Our hike begins at the impressive Faial Caldeira, more than a mile wide in diameter and 1,300 feet deep. Overlooking the surrounding villages, São Jorge, and Pico, our path leads around the crater rim, where we explore the volcano's lunar landscape, picnicing for lunch along the way.

From here, we continue to the lunar-like landscape of Capelinhos, which ejected more than 30 million tons of ash and lava extending the island of Faial further into the sea.

Upon our return to the lively port town of Horta, we board our ferry to Pico, arriving in time for dinner at Ancoradouro, a renowned seafood restaurant offering panoramic views of Faial.

Accommodations

Lava Homes
Terra Alta, Portugal

Overlooking the Bay of Amaro and Pico Mountain, this small design hotel was built with sustainability in mind, boasting a cliff-side spa and yoga studio, traditional restaurant, and breathtaking infinity pool.

Today, another ferry brings us from São Roque do Pico to São Jorge, our base for the next two days. Long and narrow in shape, the island's rugged topography is the result of volcanic activity, which created its tall, surrounding cliffs and coastal erosions known as fajãs. The fertile plains and unique microclimates created by these fajãs make for excellent growing conditions, including some of the best coffee in Portugal.

We arrive in the town of Velas, known for its picturesque cobbled streets, renovated square, and 17th-century church. Here, we stop for lunch at one of the town's quaint restaurants before proceeding to Café Nunes, in the village of Fajã dos Vimes. At this renowned coffee plantation Arabica coffee is made from beans grown in the village. Above the café, we visit a small weaving center where Señora Nunes and her sister make woven woolen bedspreads.

Our short hike this afternoon skirts the coast on our way north to Portal. Afterwards, we are treated to a lesson in São Jorge's most iconic export: cheese. Known as the best in all of Portugal, the island's cheddar-style queijo—made using milk from the thousands of happy cows that call São Jorge home—was created out of necessity for the island's sailors, who needed a hearty food staple that could survive for months at sea. We sample the acclaimed cheeses before returning to check into our hotel in Velas and enjoy a delicious dinner and another restful evening in the Azores.

Accommodations

Cantinho das Buganvilias
Velas, Portugal

A series of modern, whitewashed apartments comprise this São Jorge mountainside property, complete with a restaurant, gym, outdoor swimming pool, and views of the ocean and islands.

Our hike today is one of the highlights of our journey, bringing us along the spine of the island from Serra do Topo to Fajã dos Cubres. The dramatic scenery here alternates from dense woodlands and high heathers to deep ravines, at one point approaching the town of Fajã da Caldeira de Santo Cristo, with its pretty white church. We pass by a series of now-abandoned fajã villages, traveling mostly downhill while enjoying views of the coast and the Terceira and Graciosa islands.

Our efforts on the trail this morning are rewarded with a refreshing dip in a natural lagoon and a picnic lunch along the route before reaching our destination.

Tonight, you are free to explore Velas and enjoy dinner on your own at one of the town's delightful, regional restaurants.

Accommodations

Cantinho das Buganvilias
Velas, Portugal

A series of modern, whitewashed apartments comprise this São Jorge mountainside property, complete with a restaurant, gym, outdoor swimming pool, and views of the ocean and islands.

A late-morning flight brings us back to São Miguel, the largest island in the archipelago. Upon arrival, we transfer to the lakeside town of Furnas, a 19th-century spa village nestled in a huge caldera. The active landscape here houses many fumaroles and several hot springs known for their medicinal waters.

This afternoon, you are free to relax and explore Furnas and its attractions on your own, including Terra Nostra, one of Portugal's most beautiful parks featuring a thermal swimming pool and more than 2,000 species of trees. You can also visit the serene Lagoa das Furnas, one of three main crater lakes on São Miguel, or stop by the town's other well-known thermal pools at Poca da Dona Beija. In fact, Furnas contains a plethora of mini-geysers, hot springs, and other geologic wonders sprinkled around the village. Among them are thermal pockets used to make Furnas's famous, cozido—a slow-cooked stew made in pots heated in the ground by volcanic steam.

Tonight, we have the chance to try cozido de Furnas at our farewell dinner, where we raise a glass to our time together and our magnificent adventure here in the Azores.

Accommodations

Terra Nostra Garden Hotel
Furnas, Portugal

Surrounded by a sprawling, 19th-century garden complete with canals and lakes, this award-winning, 1930s Art Deco hotel features elegantly-designed guestrooms, a gourmet restaurant, bar, and spa.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport in time for your departing flight home.