Thank you
Your trip has been shared
We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: North America on overnight international flight to Ponta Delgada, Azores. Refer to your personal air itinerary for specific flight information. NOTE: You must ensure your luggage is checked all the way to Ponta Delgada (PDL) and that you have a ticket/receipt confirmation. If flying from a local airport with a change of planes for the onward flight to Portugal, you must retrieve your luggage at the connecting airport in the USA and re-check it on the flight to Ponta Delgada.
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus; driving 6 miles, to the hotel in Ponta Delgada Walking about 2.5 miles, approximately 2 hours; cobblestone pavement.
Breakfast: Upon arrival.at the hotel a breakfast buffet will be available if you wish
Morning: Transfer from Ponta Delgada airport to the hotel. You will be able to enjoy a breakfast and check-in to your room on arrival at the hotel and have free time to unpack and rest until the introductory walk this afternoon and orientation. NOTE: The Group Leader will confirm the timing of the introductory walk and the orientation session to be held this afternoon.
Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Afternoon: We will be joined in the lobby by a local expert and set off for a walking field trip. We’ll first pass by the Farmers’ Market (if open) and experience the vibrant life of the locals on their weekly family shopping. We’ll then continue to the former Jesuit College chapel before strolling along the main commercial streets. Arriving at Senhor Santo Cristo Sanctuary, we’ll learn about this most important and respected religious image on the island, a wooden carving of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres (Christ of the Miracles). Brought from Rome in 1530 C.E., it has been venerated for miracles that people of faith have attributed to this “Ecce Homo” image of Jesus. Every year, a great procession follows the image as it is paraded throughout the town. We’ll walk through Sao Francisco Square past the Military Fortress Sao Bras, ending the walk at the City Gates where we will have free time to explore on your own or return to the hotel. Program-related travel and transfers will be via private bus unless noted otherwise. We will learn from a series of local experts who will give lectures and lead field trips. Meals will feature local cuisine in a variety of settings.
Dinner: At a local restaurant
Evening: The remainder of the evening is at leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus; driving about 50 miles, approximately 2 Hours averaging up to 25 minutes at a time with stops along the way. Walking on level surface, approximately 1 hour; few stairs and uneven surface at viewpoints & Sete Cidades.
Breakfast: At hotel restaurant
Morning: We will board the bus and ride to Ponta do Escalvado view point. Moving on, we will ride to the village at the edge of the Lagoa de Sete Cidades for a self-directed exploration. We continue up to Vista do Rei, a vantage point overlooking three-mile-wide Lagoa de Sete Cidades — Seven Cities Lagoon — considered one of the most beautiful natural settings in the Azores. Our expert will point out the Twin Lagoons within the crater. Lagoa Azul is the blue lake reflecting the open sky and Lagoa Verde the green lagoon reflecting the lush green vegetation on the surrounding steep walls of the crater. We will then continue through the hilly countryside to Capelas on the north of the island for lunch.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: After lunch we ereturn to the Hotel. The afternoon is at leisure At the end of afternoon we will meet the group leader at the Hotel lobby to be directed to our Lecture about the Azores by a professor from the University of the Azores. ores.
Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out, transfer, and flight in the morning.
Activity note: Fly from Ponta Delgada to Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira Island - (45 mins flight). Getting on/off a bus and of an airplane carrying your own hand luggage; driving about 20 miles, approximately 40 minutes averaging 20 minutes at a time,
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: After our breakfast, we will check out of the hotel, board our bus and drive to Faja de Baixo to visit a local pineapple farm. Pineapples were brought here from Brazil in the 19th Century, but unlike those of its native land, Azores pineapples are grown in greenhouses and take about two years to mature. This slow process makes them very sweet. We’ll look inside greenhouses to see the plants in different stages of growth. Returning to our bus we continue to Capelas for our last field trip visiting Museu das Oficinas, the Workshop Museum. We will meet the owners who will introduce their private collection. The ethnographic display is a labour of love by a couple determined to preserve for future generations memories of every craft, profession, or traditional labour from these islands and Portugal as a whole. After the visit we transfer to the airport for the flight to Terceira Island.
Lunch: Buffet lunch at the Hotel
Afternoon: On arrival we will board our waiting bus and drive 25 minutes from the airport through the countryside and villages to our Hotel in Angra do Heroismo and check-in to our rooms. Take some time to refresh and unpack. At the end of the afternoon we will have a lecture at the Hotel conference room and learn about the Azores Geothermal resources and projects.
Dinner: At a local restaurant.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus; driving about 29 miles (46.5 km), approximately 30 minutes at a time. Walking up to 1/2 mile, approximately 1/2 hour; mostly level terrain, some steps and uneven surfaces at Biscoitos. Over 360 steps at Algar do Carvao if you venture all the way to the bottom…and back
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We start the morning with a guided walk led by our local expert through the main streets of Angra do Heroismo the city founded in 1478 and one of the three capitals of the Azores. In 1983 it was recognised as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. We will visit the Town Hall and the local museum. Your local expert will point out and introduce the most important buildings and landmarks, as well as introducing the people and their life in the island. We end our walk at our waiting bus and take a ride up to Monte Brasil viewing point at 500 ft. up affording views over the bay and the city. After learning about this important landmark and the city we continue our drive to a local restaurant.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: After lunch we return to the bus and continue to “Balneario dos Biscoitos” an area of natural pools by the sea very popular with the locals. We return to Angra do Heroismo and the rest of the afternoon and evening are free for you to explore on your own.
Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus; driving about 45 miles, approximately 2 Hours, averaging up to 25 minutes at a time. Walking up to 1/2 mile, approximately 1/2 hour; mostly level terrain, some steps and uneven surfaces. Over 360 steps at Algar do Carvao if you venture all the way to the bottom…and back
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: After breakfast we board our bus to explore the East side of the island to explore the Bay and the city of Praia da Vitoria and see the former American village for workers at the American Base nearby. Continue our drive going up the mountain to 542 meters (1788 feet) to Miradouro da Serra do Cume, affording views of the South side of the island and the patchwork of fields inside the planes of Lajes inside one of the largest Caldera in the Azores, approximately 9 miles across. We continue for lunch at a nearby restaurant.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: After lunch we will continue to Algar do Carvao an empty vertical basaltic lava tube with a depth of 90 meters (300 feet), length of 100meters (330 feet) with the entrance at 583 meters (1.913 feet) above sea level. The viewing platform is reached by a man made concrete tunnel, from where you can choose to descend to any of the platforms at four different levels with the bottom at over 360 steps down on the tube at 90 meters (300 feet) below. But please remember how far down you go you have to come up again. Returning to the Hotel enjoy some free time before a Lecture on Geothermal resources on the Azores by a leading engineer of the Azores Geothermal program.
Dinner: Tonight dinner is on your own to explore local restaurants.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out, transfer, and flight in the morning.
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus; driving about 20 miles, approximately up to 20 minutes at a time. Walking up to 2 miles, approximately 1,5 hours; mostly level terrain, some streets with cobbled stones. Carrying your own luggage, getting on/off an airplane flying for approximately 35 minutes to Faial Island. Steps to Scrimshaw collection.
Breakfast: At the hotel.and chekout.
Morning: After breakfast we transfer to Terceira airport and check-in to our morning flight to Horta in Faial Island. On arrival in Horta we will have a guided introductory walk of Horta with a visit to the small but important Museu da Horta to learn of the importance of this island for the communications between America and Europe, also as a stopping point for the first transatlantic flights as well as its strategic role during the second World War. After the walk we will arrive at the Hotel Depending on our flight schedule we might have our lunch and check-in and the guided introductory walk be after lunch.
Lunch: At the hotel.
Afternoon: After lunch check-in to your rooms and the afternoon is at leisure to unpack, relax or explore the town on your own. At the end of afternoon meet your group leader in the hotel Lobby and walk across to Peter Café Sport for a private guided visit of Peter’s family collection of scrimshaw. Learn the history of the family and about the art of Scrimshaw while admiring the collection including over 3.000 pieces .After the visit we go down to the café restaurant for dinner.
Dinner: Dinner At the Iconic Peter Café Sport .
Evening: 'At leisure
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus; driving about 50 miles, 2.5 Hours, approximately up to 25 minutes at a time. Walking up to 2 miles, approximately 1,5 hours. Botanical Garden has mostly level terrain with steps and a short incline at entrance. Caldeira situated at altitude (3.300ft), colder temperatures to be expected. Level ground at main viewpoint, may be slippery when wet. Optional steps for secondary viewpoint.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Begin the morning with a brief stop at the Espalamaca viewpoint, looking out onto the bay and town of Horta below and Pico Island across the sea. Continue on a short 15 minutes’ drive to the Faial Botanical Garden where you will be introduced to the Azorean flora. After a short video presentation, we start a guided lecture with one of the garden’s local experts walking around the gardens. Return to our waiting bus and drive to the centre of the Island up to an altitude of 3,422 feet (1,043 meters) to view the famous Caldeira, a vast volcanic crater measuring approximately one mile (1.5 kilometres) wide and more than 1,200 feet (370 meters) deep, now a nature reserve and an impressive reminder of the volcanic origins of the Azores
Lunch: At a local restaurant
Afternoon: After lunch, we drive along the north coast to the east of the island to take guided visit to Capelinhos Volcano Interpretation Centre. Located underground, the centre conducts continued research on the volcanic eruption of 1957-58 and monitors activity of the Capelinhos volcano. This unusual and futuristic looking scientific facility was built underground under the ashes of the 1957 eruption to house the research and monitoring facility as well as a permanent exhibition on volcanology featuring volcanoes from all the Azorean islands as well as other islands from around the world.. After the visit and some time to explore the surrounding landscape of the crater. After the visit we return to our Hotel.
Dinner: We’ll walk to a local restaurant where we will cook our own dinner! We’ll choose from a selection of meat, fish, and vegetables and cook them on hot basaltic stone placed before us.
Evening: At leisure
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus; driving about 65 miles, approximately 3 hours, averaging up to 25 minutes at a time. Walking up to 1 mile, approximately 1 hour; at vineyards, mostly level terrain, some gentle slopes, and uneven surfaces. Getting on/off a ferry boat 30 minutes sailing each way
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: After an early breakfast we transfer to Horta ferry terminal and take a 30 minutes crossing to Pico Island where we board our waiting bus and start our exploration of Pico Island, named for its dormant volcano. At a height of 7,700 feet the volcano is the highest point in Portugal. One of the most beautiful islands in the Azores. We head first to Lajido da Criacao Velha and take a guided walk inside the vineyards learning about the traditional agricultural methods and the methods production that makes the island wines unique. Then the rest of the morning we will learn about the whales. We head first to Lajes do Pico and will have a guided visit of the Whalers museum where you will hear about these brave men and their way of life, and observe the various instruments and boats used for this now dead trade. Our expert, will introduce the various instruments used on this activity that once was the most important economic activity of the islands. Amongst the various products extracted from the whales, perhaps the most important was the oil, used to light the streets of London and New York. This industry has now ended since 1983 when the whale hunt was terminated by the European Union and replaced with very popular tourist activity of whale watching which enhances the preservation of this magnificent aquatic animal. Next we stop at a local traditional winery for lunch and a visit.
Lunch: At a local traditional winery
Afternoon: After lunch we have a short guided visit of the winery and the opportunity to taste some of the wines and liqueurs produce here. Following the visit we head to Cachorro basaltic rock formations viewpoint for a photo opportunity. Back on the bus we take a short drive to the island Wine Museum to learn a little more about this important local industry. After this last visit of the day we head to the ferry terminal for our return 30 minutes sailing to Horta, where we board our bus and transfer to the Hotel.
Dinner: Tonight dinner is on your own to explore the town restaurants.
Evening: At leisure to prepare for tomorrow's departure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus; driving about 40 miles (64 km) in Faial Island, approximately 1 hour, not more than 30 minutes at a time. Walking up to 1 mile, approximately 1 hour; short walk on pathway from bus to Capelinhos Volcano Center. Inside the center wheelchair ramp is also available. Carrying your own luggage, getting on/off an aircraft 45 minutes flight to Ponta Delgada. Transfer from the airport to Furnas is about 40 miles (64 km) 45 minutes driving to Hotel Terra Nostra Garden.
Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning: After breakfast we checkout of our rooms and depart to the airport in Faial. Check-in to our 55 minutes flight to Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island. On arrival we board our waiting bus.
Lunch: Enjoy a picnic at an outside location en-route
Afternoon: In the afternoon we board our bus and drive to the village of Furnas inside the central caldera of the Volcanic complex of Furnas. After a stop in the centre of the village to see the Caldeiras and try some of the 32 thermal springs around we arrive at Terra Nostra Garden Hotel and check-in, time to relax and unpack.
Dinner: A light buffet at the hotel
Evening: Free
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus, driving about 40 miles, 1.45 hours total, approximately up to 30 minutes at a time. Walking up to 1 mile, approximately 1/2 hour at a time; some steps and uneven terrain with protruding tree roots around Ribeira dos Caldeiroes and at fumaroles.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: After breakfast we board a bus ride to Ribeira dos Caldeiroes to explore this natural park. Back to our bus we drive to CIAF (Centro de Interpretacao Ambiental das Furnas) for a visit. One of the centre expert will lead a private tour of the centre and explain their activities preserving the lagoon and surrounding areas. After the visit we drive again a short distance to the Fumaroles where we’ll watch our own lunch the famous Azorean delicacy, known as ‘Cozido’ being retrieved from the cooking place. This varied selection of meats or fish with vegetables is prepared in a special layered manner, in a big pot and lowered into underground holes for up to six hours where volcanic steams will cook the dish. Back aboard the bus we then ride back to the Hotel to have our ‘Cozido’ for lunch
Lunch: At the hotel restaurant, we will have the traditional 'Cozido' meal. The meat and vegetables cook together for hours. The gravy comes from the natural juices of the ingredients.
Afternoon: Your group leader will inform participants the time to gather after lunch in the hotel lobby for a walk around the hotel private Terra Nostra Botanical garden guided by one of the botanist expert through gardens and thermal pools (approximately 1.5 hours) The remainder of the afternoon is free. You might like to enjoy the hotel spa facilities, take a dip in one of the thermal pools on the park, or stroll around the Terra Nostra Park that is closed to the public and reserved for hotel guests after 5:00 p.m
Dinner: Tonight dinner is on your own.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus, driving about 62 miles, approximately 2.5 hours total, up to 30 minutes at a time. Walking up to 1 mile, approximately 1/2 hour leisure walk, some steps and uneven terrain at Caldeira Velha
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Drive to Vila Franca do Campo, the first capital of Sao Miguel Island (1472) raised to the ground by the 1522 earthquake. In the 18th Century it prosper again from the orange plantations and later pineapple production. After a stop to try one of its well-known “pasteis de Vila Franca” we continue up to Miradouro do Pico da Barrosa at 2.950 ft. the viewpoint to observe Lagoa do Fogo, the lagoon 1220 ft below at the bottom of the crater. We continue to a local restaurant for our lunch.
Lunch: At ta local restaurant.
Afternoon: After lunch return to the hotel in Furnas .The afternoon is free for you to explore the gardens and the village on your own. You might like to enjoy the hotel spa facilities, take a dip in one of the thermal pools, or stroll around the Terra Nostra Park that is closed to the public from 5:00pm to 10:00 am and reserved for the exclusive use of hotel guests. The Group Leader will inform the time and place where we will met for a farewell drink and exchange our stories before dinner
Dinner: At the hotel. Enjoy a drink while sharing favourite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner
Evening: At leisure. You might like to have a drink at the bar with fellow Road Scholars. The Group Leader will also provide information about transfer arrangements for tomorrow. The Group Leader will also provide information about arrangements for tomorrow’s departure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus, driving about 33 miles, 1 hour total, approximately up to 20 minutes at a time. Walking during visit to Gorreana and on your own in Ribeira Grande, up to 1 mile, approximately 1/2 hour leisure walk, some steps and uneven terrain. Hotel check out 10:00 a.m. a group transfer is provided for all participants.
Breakfast: At the hotel followed by checkout. The Group Leader will be at hand to confirm departure instructions.
Morning: After breakfast and checkout of the Hotel, we board our bus and drive a short distance to Gorreana Tea Factory next to its plantation. At the end of the visit, we will have the opportunity to taste some of the teas they produce. Straight after we will proceed to Santa Iria view point by the coast. Then we continue to Ribeira Grande where you have some free time to explore and try the various liqueurs produced in this region. And perhaps some local chocolate before walking to a local restaurant for our last lunch.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: After lunch we will head to the airport and check-in to your return flight home. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to login in to the Tripcast album created by your Group Leader and load you pictures to share with your fellow participants the memorable moments you have registered of this exciting Road Scholar experience, and to join our Facebook page and the and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!