Azores Archipelago Self Drive Tours & Road Trips

Drive your rental car to São Miguel's Sete Cidades twin lakes, where one shines bright blue and the other turquoise from the crater rim viewpoint. Relax in 40°C thermal baths at Terra Nostra Park in Furnas valley, then walk through Pico Island's UNESCO-listed lava stone walls in Zona de Adegas before climbing Portugal's highest volcano. Head to Faial's Capelinhos to see ten volcanic craters that end at a Mars-like black ash desert, check out the hidden Furna de Frei Matias lava cave near Pico, and kayak from Lajes village for whale watching in the Atlantic.

Drive around Terceira Island at your own speed, starting with UNESCO-listed Angra do Heroísmo's Rua Direita and Monte Brasil Natural Reserve with its Atlantic views. Pass by Serra do Cume's patchwork countryside, check out the volcanic Algar do Carvão cave and Furnas do Enxofre, and try wines at Biscoitos Wine Museum. Finish with a 3-hour whale watching tour from Angra's harbor, where you'll spot dolphins and sea turtles in their natural habitat.

Navigate São Miguel Island at your own pace with unlimited mileage in your rental car, checking out volcanic landscapes from the twin lakes of Sete Cidades to the steaming caldeiras of Furnas. Drive through Ribeira dos Caldeirões Nature Park to reach cascading waterfalls, then wind along coastal roads to Miradouro da Ponta do Escalvado's cliffs and the natural rock pools at Piscinas Naturais Caneiros in Mosteiros.

You'll drive through the UNESCO-listed lava stone walls of Zona de Adegas on Pico Island and stay in a traditional stone cottage in Madalena. Winding roads lead to the twin lakes of Sete Cidades on São Miguel, where you can hike along crater rims with views of one bright blue and one turquoise lake. The Rocha da Fajã Trail takes you through the mystical Laurissilva forest in Faial, and later you can soak in 40°C thermal baths at Terra Nostra Park in Furnas.

Drive São Miguel's coastal roads to the UNESCO-listed twin lakes of Sete Cidades, where one crater lake appears bright blue while its twin shows turquoise tones. Head through Pico's Zona de Adegas lava stone wall labyrinth, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, before making your way to Madalena's waterfront Cella Bar. On Faial, take your rental car to the Caldeira volcanic caldera rim for wide views of Pico volcano across the Atlantic, then check out the black sand beach at Praia do Almoxarife with your vehicle parked nearby.

Drive across São Miguel's volcanic terrain at your own pace, starting at the twin crater lakes of Sete Cidades where the waters shift between blue and turquoise shades. Head to Furnas to see the steaming caldeiras where hot springs bubble up at 40°C. The coastal route takes you to Piscinas Naturais Caneiros in Mosteiros, a series of natural swimming pools carved into the rocks. Stop at Miradouro da Ponta do Sossego for clifftop views looking out over the Atlantic. You'll stay in a wooden bungalow in Furnas and have time to walk the waterfall trails at Ribeira dos Caldeirões Nature Park on your own. Later, you'll join a whale-watching trip departing from Ponta Delgada.

Take the wheel through three Azorean islands on this self-drive adventure across São Miguel, Pico, and Faial. You'll navigate winding roads to the twin volcanic lakes of Sete Cidades. The steaming Caldeiras in Furnas are included with hiking through the lush Ribeira dos Caldeirões Nature Park to cascading waterfalls. Pico's rugged coast offers routes to the hidden Furna de Frei Matias lava cave and the Arcos Vulcânicos rock formations at Cabrito.

Navigate volcanic landscapes across São Miguel, Pico, and Faial islands with a 9-day self-drive adventure at your own pace. Stay at the São Miguel Park Hotel in Ponta Delgada, the Caravelas Hotel in Madalena on Pico Island, and the Hotel do Canal in Horta. Visit the Vista do Rei viewpoint overlooking Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul at Sete Cidades. See the geothermal wonders of Furnas village and the Capelinhos volcanic formation on Faial. Head out on three whale watching trips with Futurismo, Espaço Talassa, and Peter Whale Watching Company. Drive to the whaling museum in Lajes and take a 30-minute ferry crossing from Pico to Faial. Stop by Peter's Café Sport, the Atlantic's most famous harbor bar.