5 Days in the Azores - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Lisbon & Azores Highlights

Pair remote Azores landscapes with some urban exploration on this whirlwind Lisbon and São Miguel tour. Begin in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, where you'll admire traditional architecture on a walking tour, indulge in the best local food and wine, and soak up soulful fado music. Then, fly to the largest Azorean island of São Miguel to experience kayaking, whale watching, and geothermal hot springs.

On arrival in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, you'll have free time to taste favorite local dishes, such as grilled sardines or bacalhau (cod) and pastéis de nata (egg custard tarts), before watching the sunset at Miradouro do Monte Agudo. On your second day, a tour on foot and then via tuk-tuk will acquaint you with the city's sites, including the Jerónimos Monastery, where you can enjoy views of the iconic 25 de Abril Bridge. You'll also have a chance to sample Portuguese wine at Lisbon Winery and end the evening with dinner and a fado (traditional music) performance.

The second half of your trip takes you to the Azorean island of São Miguel, where you'll be immersed in the natural environment with a kayaking excursion on the Sete Cidades lagoons followed by a tour of the island's west and the Salto do Cabrito waterfall. On your final full day, join a whale watching boat tour, then return to dry land to explore the island's volcanic wonders, including Furnas, known for its thermal baths and mud pits. Squeeze in a walking tour of Ponta Delgada's ornate churches and Micaelense architecture and grab one last queijada (Portuguese cheesecake) and coffee before departure. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Azores Self-Drive Adventure: São Miguel Island

Ideal for outdoor enthusiasts who prefer the flexibility of a self-guided experience, this intrepid São Miguel road trip offers a mix of land and sea activities, including a hike through one of Europe's last subtropical rainforests, a wildlife cruise to spot blue whales and dolphins, a walk along the caldera rim at Sete Cidades (with the option to kayak the lagoons), and numerous opportunities to soak in geothermal hot springs along the way.

After touching down on the island of São Miguel, grab your rental car and head to Ponta Delgada for a self-guided tour that could include wandering the cobblestone streets and feasting on fresh seafood. Or, if you've got the energy, you can visit the lava cave of Gruta do Carvão outside the city. In the morning, pack your swimsuit, then hit the road to Sete Cidades for a hike along the rim of the volcanic caldera, followed by a soak in the seaside thermal pools of Ponta da Ferraria. Start your third day with a whale and dolphin watching cruise, then drive to the Lagoa do Fogo viewpoint to capture photos of the lagoon.

Stop by Caldeira Velha for a dip in the hot springs before continuing to Areais for an afternoon swim at the black-sand beaches and a visit to Europe's only tea plantation at Gorreana. Then you're off to Furnas, where you'll encounter smoking fumaroles, bubbling mud pits, and more hot springs. Fit in one last soak in the mineral-rich waters at Terra Nostra Gardens or Poça da Dona Beija, then drive to Ribeira dos Caldeirões Park to check out the waterfalls. You can also opt for a hike through one of Europe's last subtropical rainforests before returning to the airport for departure. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Best of the Azores: São Miguel & Terceira

Travelers eager to experience two islands in a short amount of time will appreciate this São Miguel and Terceira itinerary that highlights the Azores' natural environment, relaxed pace, and farm-fresh cuisine. Start on São Miguel to spot whales and visit the Salto do Cabrito waterfall, then hop over to the agriculturally rich island of Terceira, where you'll spend a day at a local dairy farm, learn about traditional farming practices, sample fresh cheese and local wine, and round out your trip with a gastronomic tour and tastings of some Terceira specialties. 

Your driver will collect you at the Ponta Delgada Airport and take you to your hotel to drop off your bags before your first adventure: a kayaking excursion at the Sete Cidades lagoons. In the afternoon, you'll tour the island's western end, strolling through the town of Ribeira Grande, visiting the Salto do Cabrito waterfall, and ending your day in the seaside village of Mosteiros, known for its lava rock tide pools. On your second day, your driver will whisk you to the island's eastern side to witness the volcanic activity, including the chance to taste cozido das Furnas (a stew cooked underground using geothermal heat). 

Next, you'll fly to the island of Terceira, an agricultural hub of the Azores. Here, you'll spend the day visiting a local dairy farm, learning traditional farming practices, and getting hands-on experience by milking a cow. Of course, there will be a cheese and wine tasting to reward your hard work. Cap off your trip with a full-day gastronomic tour where you'll savor traditional dishes like alcatra (a pot roast seasoned with peppercorns, garlic, onion, cloves, and red wine) and massa sovada (sweet bread) paired with local white wines, then indulge in the grand finale of queijadas (Portuguese cheesecake). Learn more

Itinerary #4: Cuisine & Culture in the Azores

This relaxed Azores culinary tour is perfect for foodies who want to experience the Atlantic archipelago through its local flavors and outdoor activities. You'll taste your way around Ponta Delgada on a food and wine tour, have the unique opportunity to cook an Azorean stew using geothermal heat, soak in hot springs under the stars, hike to a small café within a crater, visit a tea plantation, and feast on local ingredients in a multicourse dinner. As this trip takes place fully on the island of São Miguel, you won't feel rushed or waste any time changing hotels. 

Dive into Azorean cuisine on arrival with a culinary tour of Ponta Delgada that includes local fruit, honey, bread, pastries, seafood, artisanal meats, and desserts—all paired with local wines. The following day, you'll participate in a unique volcano cooking experience and learn to prepare the famous Azorean dish of cozido das Furnas, a stew cooked underground using geothermal heat. Afterward, marvel at volcanic vents, active lava fields, and the Furnas Caldera en route to Furnas Hot Springs, where you'll have an evening to unwind under the stars with a soak in the mineral-rich pools.

On your third day, set off on a 4WD tour around the Sete Cidades, stopping at overlooks to view the turquoise lagoons. Then, you'll hike the Cumeeiras Trail along the rim of the crater and down to a village where you can have coffee at a local café. In the morning, there's one more chance to hike, this time up to Pico do Ferro for sweeping views, before visiting the Gorreana Tea Factory. Lastly, toast your trip with a multicourse dinner that showcases local flavors and tea grown in the fields you visited. If you have time before your flight, you can even squeeze in a final horseback ride or snorkeling excursion. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Off-the-Beaten-Path Azores: São Miguel & Pico Island

Step off the tourist trail to explore remote volcanic landscapes and taste the fruit of rugged Atlantic vineyards on this two-island Azores adventure. After strolling the capital city and marveling at geothermal vents and mud baths on São Miguel, you'll pop over to the lesser-visited Pico Island for some wine tasting, a swim in the Pico Lagoons, a lava tube visit, and a lunch of lobster and other local delicacies.

Your Azores adventure begins in Ponta Delgada, the capital city of the archipelago, known for its Baroque architecture and tiled mosaics. After checking in to your hotel, your driver will take you on a tour of the eastern side of the island, stopping at Miradouro de Santa Iría for panoramic ocean views and cruising past steaming volcanic vents in Furnas. The next day, you'll go on a whale watching excursion, then visit the western side of São Miguel for a chance to see the famous turquoise lagoons of Sete Cidades and walk the black-sand beaches of Mosteiros.

Next, you'll fly to Pico Island, home of the dormant stratovolcano Montanha do Pico. The subtropical environment and volcanic landscapes create fertile grounds for grape growing, so your first activity is a guided wine-tasting tour, complete with local cheeses that have distinctly sulfuric notes. Head to bed early tonight; you'll pack a lot of activity into your last full day, which includes a Jeep excursion, a swim in the Pico Lagoons, a hike, a lunch featuring local delicacies like cavaco (lobster) and polvo grelhado (grilled octopus), and a stop at Gruta das Torres, the largest lava tube cave in Portugal. Learn more

More Great 5-Day Azores Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to the Azores? Check out these other five-day Azores itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.