Overview

It can be tricky deciding which of the nine Azores islands to visit – we often find that if you focus on the things you’d like to do during your holiday,  you’ll naturally be steered towards the right islands. With the island of Pico, the two biggest draws are her whales and her wines. 

You can whale watch from most of the Azores’ larger islands, but on Pico you’re heading out to sea with the originals – with Espaco Talassa: the first company to offer whale watching trips in the Azores. You’ll also have a chance to explore the island’s long history of wine production. The Adegas vineyards on the island are a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site and you’ll spend time with our resident guide Joao Xavier, tasting his family’s own wines. Your holiday also includes a short stay on the island of Faial – flight-wise, Faial’s better connected to the outside world so it’s easier to begin and end your stay on Pico’s closest neighbour, (the two islands are well-connected by ferry). If you’re considering a ten night or two week trip, we can extend your stay on Faial – giving you time to explore some of the Azores’ most spectacular volcanic landscapes.

Itinerary

You'll begin by flying (via Lisbon) to Pico’s neighbour - the island of Faial, where you’ll catch the ferry to Pico. You’ll collect your hire car from the ferry terminal in Madalena before driving to your accommodation.
You’ll have plenty of freetime to allow you to explore Pico at your leisure. You could begin with a visit to the lava caves at Gruta das Torres. The total length of the cave system is still not 100% confirmed but it’s thought to be in the region of 5km.
You’ll spend today with our resident guide, exploring the island’s vineyards. Vines have been cultivated on the island since the original settlers made Pico their home in the 15th Century. Following a series of local protections laws, UNESCO granted the vineyards World Heritage status ensuring the landscape is now protected for future generations.
Today you’ll drive to the town of Lajes, for a three-hour whale and dolphin watching trip from the local marina. The seas around the Azores are one of the best places to observe cetaceans and ocean wildlife: bottlenose dolphins, Atlantic-spotted dolphins and sperm whales can be seen throughout the year, with bigger migratory species such as blue and fin whales passing through in the spring.
Following yesterday’s whale watching trip, you might like to learn more about the island’s successful transition from Whale hunting to Whale tourism. You could begin the day with a return to Lajes to visit the whalers museum, followed by a tour of the whaling museum in Sao Roque.
For your final full day on the island, you might like to include a guided ascent of Mount Pico – Portugal’s highest peak at 2,351m.
You’ll return your hire car to the ferry terminal in Madalena, before catching the morning ferry to Faial for an overnight stay in Horta. After lunch, our local guide will take you on a half-day tour of Faial, including a visit to Capelinhos: the site of the last major volcanic eruption on the island.
You'll be transferred to the airport for your flight home, via Lisbon.

From £1195 per person

We can create a tailor-made holiday to suit your budget.

INCLUDED: international flights, accommodation in twin/double en-suite rooms on a B&B basis, airport transfers, car hire, a half-day jeep tour of Faial, a whale and dolphin watching trip, and a full-day guided tour of Pico.

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