Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival
You'll arrive and have the rest of the day to yourself. You can wander around the area and get your bearings whenever you want. Just keep in mind that getting from the airport to your accommodation isn't covered, so you'll need to arrange that separately.
- Start point
- 3 R Cons Terra Ribeiro, 9950-329, Madalena, Azores, Portugal (Hotel Caravelas Office, 08:50)
- Day 2
Pico Wine Tour
Start with a guided tour through Pico's wine heritage, which is protected as a UNESCO site. You'll walk through the historic vineyards at Criação Velha and step inside traditional wine cellars called adegas to taste local wines. After checking out the regional wine laboratory or wine museum, head to São Roque on the North Coast, passing through areas where wine production happened for centuries. The day finishes with a tasting at a local producer's cellar.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Guided walk through Criação Velha vineyards
- Visit to traditional wine cellars (adegas)
- Wine tasting with ocean views
- Visit to regional wine laboratory or wine museum (depending on availability)
- Professional wine tasting with winemaking engineer
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Travel through Cachorro and Lajido wine production areas
- Wine tasting at local producer's cellar (Czar or Buraca, depending on availability)
Landmarks Criação Velha São Roque Cachorro Lajido 
- Day 3
Lajido Wine Heritage Hike
Hike through Lajido, which works as an open-air museum showing how Pico looked during its peak wine era. You'll walk across UNESCO World Heritage vineyards with dense vegetation, pastures, and old stone paths. Throughout the hike, learn about the island's wine culture and try traditional Pico wine. The landscape is full of well-preserved wine cellars and manor houses from that historic period.
- Meals
- Lunch (Light picnic meal)
Included Activities
- Guided hiking trail through Lajido wine landscape
- Walk through UNESCO World Heritage vineyards
- Visit to historic wine cellars and manor houses
- Traditional Pico wine tasting
Landmarks Lajido - Day 4
Whale and Dolphin Watching
After checking in and getting a briefing from a marine biologist about the species you might see and conservation efforts, head out on the boat. You'll spend about 3 hours watching for whales and dolphins in the Atlantic Ocean while taking in the island's coastal scenery. This spot is one of the best places on Earth for seeing these marine mammals.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Marine biologist briefing on cetacean species and whale watching history in the Azores
- Whale and dolphin watching excursion (approximately 3 hours)
- Guided coastal observation
- Day 5
Caminho dos Burros Hiking Trail
Hike the Caminho dos Burros, an ancient donkey trail crossing Pico's northern plateau through changing landscapes. Starting at 830 meters altitude near Caminho das Lagoas, you'll descend toward the North Coast through the Mistério da Prainha natural reserve, passing volcanic cones, pastures, and forests while learning about the 1562-64 eruption. Later, grab a picnic lunch in Prainha forest park, then finish the day with a swim in the ocean at Baía das Canas.
- Meals
- Lunch (Picnic lunch in Prainha forest park)
Included Activities
- Guided hiking on Caminho dos Burros trail (9.5km, approximately 3.5 hours)
- Walk through Mistério da Prainha natural reserve
- Observation of volcanic cones and geological formations from 1562-64 eruption
- Learning about local flora and fauna
- Picnic lunch in Prainha forest park
- Swimming at Baía das Canas
Landmarks Mistério da Prainha Baía de Canas Caminho das Lagoas - Day 6
Central Plateau and Gruta das Torres Cave
Explore Pico's central plateau where over 200 volcanic cones and rare mountain lakes dot the landscape. You'll stop at multiple viewpoints and see Pico da Urze volcano with views stretching in all directions. After a picnic lunch, visit Gruta das Torres, Portugal's longest lava tube at 5,150 meters. The guided cave tour lasts about an hour, and you'll see stalactites, stalagmites, and lava balls while wearing a helmet and carrying a flashlight.
- Meals
- Lunch (Picnic lunch)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Pico's central plateau and volcanic cones
- Visits to multiple lakes and viewpoints
- Visit to Pico da Urze volcano
- Observation of volcanic complex in island's eastern part
- Picnic lunch
- Guided tour through Gruta das Torres lava tube (approximately 1 hour)
Landmarks Pico da Urze Gruta das Torres Cabeçao Bravo - Day 7
Departure
Check out of the hotel by noon and then have the rest of the day to yourself before heading to the airport. You can explore more of the area or just relax and prepare for your departure. Airport transfer isn't included, so you'll need to make arrangements for that separately.
- End point
- 3 R Cons Terra Ribeiro, 9950-329, Madalena, Azores, Portugal (Hotel Caravelas Office, 17:00)
