The Azores & Madeira: Portugal's Island Gems
Duration: 8 days
Highlights: Dolphin discovery around the Azores, São Miguel's 'tea route', Sete Cidades, Madeira's botanical gardens, local winery in Funchal.
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Itinerary
Day 1 - Ponta Delgada
Arrive in Ponta Delgada, Portugal — located on São Miguel Island in the Azores — where you are met and transferred to your hotel. Set amid dramatic volcanic scenery, the city combines a rich maritime tradition with an unhurried pace of life.
Overnight: Octant Ponta Delgada
Meal Plan: D
Day 2 - Ponta Delgada
Embark on a morning cruise to watch for whales and dolphins. As you behold these magnificent mammals, learn about them and other Azorean marine life from the experienced resident biologists who accompany you throughout the experience. Return to Ponta Delgada to enjoy lunch time at leisure before visiting splendor-filled Sete Cidades. Set out on a moderate hike along mountain trails to absorb breathtaking views over mystical blue and green lakes, and walk a road lined with hydrangea bushes, taking in their colors and scents, in this lush volcanic caldera. Tonight, dine at a local restaurant.
Overnight: Octant Ponta Delgada
Meal Plan: B, D
Day 3 - Terceira
Rise early and fly to Terceira, your next island experience. Visit UNESCO-listed Angra do Heroismo, considered the most beautiful town in the Azores, where you enjoy lunch. Then, view the island’s stunning volcanic landscape, especially Algar do Carvão, an astonishing volcanic chimney left behind from an eruption around 2,000 years ago. Later, fly back to Ponta Delgada.
Overnight: Octant Ponta Delgada
Meal Plan: B, L
Day 4 - Terceira - Ponta Delgada
Explore the island’s volcanic region, where you stop at one of the few tea plantations in Europe. Sample a variety of teas, some of which have been grown here since the early 19th century. Break for lunch in a local restaurant in the delightful village of Furnas, sampling a local traditional dish cooked by natural volcanic heat. Return to Ponta Delgada with the rest of your day at leisure.
Overnight: Octant Ponta Delgada
Meal Plan: B, L
Day 5 - Madeira
Fly to Madeira, landing in the city of Funchal. Proceed to a local winery for an A&K-exclusive experience. Visit the old cooperage, aging rooms, museum and private family collection, finishing in the vintage room, where you sample the winery’s iconic 1920 Bual, paired with dried fruits, cheese, dark chocolate and madeira cake for a sublime Chef ’s Table experience. Learn how each bottling of this 1920 vintage was unique, owing to variations in heat, humidity and cask size. Later, check in to your hotel and dine at a local restaurant.
Overnight: Reid’s Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Madeira
Meal Plan: B, L, D
Day 6 - Madeira
Explore the food and wine of Funchal, led by a local guide, starting at the Mercado dos Lavradores (Farmers’ Market), where locals gather to buy and sell fresh exotic fruits, vegetables, spices and herbs as well as leather and wicker goods. Take in the colors, aromas, sounds and traditions on display around you and enjoy time at leisure for lunch. This afternoon, roam through Funchal’s magnificent Botanical Garden with a professional botanist, and then Ride Like a Local by cable car up to Monte Palace Tropical Garden to further admire Madeira’s natural splendors. Return to Funchal, with the option of a thrilling descent aboard a wicker toboggan.
Overnight: Reid’s Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Madeira
Meal Plan: B
Day 7 - Madeira
Venture west of Funchal to Cape Girão, site of the highest sea cliff in Europe, from which you take in the captivating vistas. Afterward, hike along one of the island’s many levadas — manmade water channels that gently slope down the mountainside — before heading to Porto Moniz for the opportunity to swim in the natural rock pools. Enjoy time at leisure in Porto Moniz before heading back to Funchal. This evening, toast your journey followed by a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight: Reid’s Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Madeira
Meal Plan: B, D
Day 8 - Depart Madeira
Today you are transferred to the airport to board your departure flight.
Overnight: N/A
Meal Plan: B
