Azores
An Active Exploration of the Azores With Your Family
Program No. 24820RJ
Walk, kayak and swim your way through the natural wonders of the Azores with your family!
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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date.
Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
10 days
9 nights
What's Included
21 meals (
8B, 7L, 6D
)
3 expert-led lectures
15 expert-led field trips
8 hands-on experiences
An experienced Group Leader
8 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
In transit to program
Location:
In Flight
Activity Note
In flight
Day
2
Orientation Walk of Ponta Delgada, Check-in, Welcome Meeting
Location:
Ponta Delgada
Meals:
D
Stay:
Hotel Marina Atlantico
Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 3.00 p.m. Walking approximately 2 miles. Mostly level urban stone streets/sidewalks, unavoidable stair, cobblestones, inclines
Breakfast:
Breakfast is not included
Morning:
Transfer from Ponta Delgada airport to the hotel. NOTE: The Group Leader will be in the hotel lobby to meet and welcome participants arriving. They will confirm the timing and place of the introductory walk and the orientation session to be held this afternoon. Check-in after 3:00 p.m.
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’ll meet the Group Leader in the hotel lobby to set out on an orientation walk through town of Ponta Delgada, learning about the city’s most important landmarks such as the former Jesuit College chapel, the Portas da Cidade (City Gates), and the sanctuary of Senhor Santo Cristo housing the most important religious icon on the island. We will also note places of interest such as banks and ATMs, pharmacies, etc., along the route. We will return to the hotel to check in and rest, before our Orientation Meeting later in the afternoon. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Program-related travel and transfers will be via private bus unless noted otherwise. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. This is a Road Scholar family program. Adult participants are responsible for their children at all times. Program staff will supervise if/when separate age group activities are conducted concurrently. Minors must never be left unsupervised. Breakfasts will be buffets. Other included meals will be plated and served from a set menu unless indicated otherwise; wine for adults, water and other beverages for the kids are included with meals. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times might change due to local circumstances/conditions. We will alert you as quickly as possible in the event of changes. Thank you for being so understanding.
Dinner:
Dinner at the hotel
Evening:
At leisure. Relax and get to know your fellow participants
Day
3
The Twin Lakes at Sete Cidades, Kayaking & Cycling
Location:
Ponta Delgada
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Marina Atlantico
Activity Note
Getting in and out of 4x4 jeeps; driving about 40 miles, approximately 2 hours total riding time. Walking at your own leisure, cycling down by the lagoon, mostly level grass terrain, dirt paths, earth and gravel terrain, minor inclines. Kayaking, stand up paddling in the Sete Cidades lake.
Breakfast:
At the hotel
Morning:
We’ll meet in the hotel lobby and depart by jeep to the village of Sete Cidades, home to arguably one of the most famous landscapes of the Azores islands. Stop at the iconic Vista do Rei (King’s View) viewpoint, before hiking around a portion of the rim of the caldera and then descending into the village below to see the famous Twin Lakes.
Lunch:
A picnic lunch in the village of Sete Cidades.
Afternoon:
After lunch we will spend the afternoon enjoying different activities in the village of Sete Cidades. We can kayak and stand up paddle on the Twin Lakes and also cycle around the village, before boarding our jeeps to return to the hotel in Ponta Delgada.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant
Evening:
At leisure
Day
4
Marine Biologist for a Day
Location:
Ponta Delgada
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Marina Atlantico
Activity Note
Getting on/off a boat, riding for approximately 2:30 hours at sea,
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will take a short walk from our hotel to Ponta Delgada Marina, where we will meet our local expert. After a security and information briefing, we will board a boat to start our day’s adventure. We will observe sperm whales, dolphins and other cetaceans, recording their sounds, collecting samples of skin, stools and other materials for analysis back in the office. We will also have an opportunity to photograph and identify the species during the expedition.
Lunch:
A picnic lunch.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we will meet with a marine biologist to analyse the samples we collected and to learn more about the cetaceans and maritime life in the Azores. At the end of the activity, we will return to our hotel to enjoy the remainder of the afternoon free, before meeting in one of the hotel’s function rooms for a game’s night with food.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
5
Oficina Museu Ethnographic Museum, Gruta do Carvao Cave
Location:
Ponta Delgada
Meals:
B,L
Stay:
Hotel Marina Atlantico
Activity Note
Getting on/off a bus; driving 20 miles, approximately 1-hour total driving time. Optional walking/standing on level floor at the museum and up/down steps with possible uneven terrain during guided visit of the cave.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Free time. This period has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances.
Lunch:
At the hotel
Afternoon:
After lunch, meet in the hotel lobby and board a bus to drive to the village of Capelas, where we’ll visit the Oficina Museu, a family home that has been converted into a unique museum, preserving items and traditions from days gone by. Return to the bus and take a short drive to an ancient underground lava tube called Gruta do Carvao. We’ll be given a safety and information briefing, then enjoy a guided visit inside the cave. After the visit, we’ll return to the hotel for the remainder of the afternoon free.
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.
Day
6
Canyoning, Furnas Environmental
Location:
Ponta Delgada
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Marina Atlantico
Activity Note
Getting on/off a bus; driving about 70 miles, approximately 2.5 hours total riding time. Walking on slippery cobblestones, urban concrete streets, uneven terrain, steps, inclines/descents (optional), walking/swimming in river.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Meet in the hotel lobby and depart by bus to the Ribeira dos Caldeiroes natural park. Upon arrival, we’ll be given a safety and information briefing before getting suited up to begin our 2-hour Canyoning adventure. Walking inside the water, jump into crystal clear water pools, sliding between rocks shaped by the flow of the stream and abseil down and under waterfalls. Those not wanting to take part can explore the park and its waterfalls on foot.
Lunch:
A picnic lunch
Afternoon:
After lunch, we’ll board the bus and drive to the Furnas Environmental Interpretation Centre (CIAF), where we’ll learn about the history and evolution of the Furnas Volcano and the formation of the Azores. We’ll also hear about the great conservational work done to protect and restore the ecosystems around the Furnas Protected Landscape Area. After the guided visit we’ll return to the hotel by bus for the remainder of the afternoon free in Ponta Delgada.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
7
The Quinta do Agricultor Azorean Farm, Mosteiros Rock Pools
Location:
Ponta Delgada
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Marina Atlantico
Activity Note
Getting on/off a bus; driving about 44 miles, approximately 2 hours total riding time. Walking approximately 90 minutes mostly level, dirt path, earth and gravel terrain. Swimming in ocean rock pools.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Meet in the hotel lobby and depart by bus to the nearby Quinta do Agricultor, a traditional family run Azorean farm. We will be met by a member of the family who will walk us through the land, teaching us about their crops and giving us samples of the organically grown produce. We will see the animals and end the walk inside a traditional Azorean stone house, preserved to display what Azorean life was like in the past.
Lunch:
At the farm
Afternoon:
After lunch, we’ll board the bus and drive along the coast to the village of Mosteiros. Learn about the lava rock formations that created the natural pools in the ocean, and, weather permitting, take the opportunity to swim. At the end of the afternoon, we’ll board the coach and return to the hotel. Enjoy some free time to relax and refresh before meeting again in the hotel conference room for a lecture about the Azores.
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.
Day
8
Treetops Adventure Park, Cozido Lunch, Terra Nostra Garden
Location:
Ponta Delgada
Meals:
B,L
Stay:
Hotel Marina Atlantico
Activity Note
Getting on/off a bus; driving 57 miles, approximately 2 hours total riding time. Walking on dirt paths, uneven earth and gravel terrain, minor inclines and steps, cobblestones and urban streets. Climbing at the Treetops Adventure Park.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Meet in the hotel lobby and drive by bus to the village of Furnas. Walk around the Furnas Lake to the Treetops Adventure Park where we’ll have a safety and information briefing before having an opportunity to venture through the trees on one of five different courses with varying degrees of difficulty. At the end of the activity, we’ll return to the Furnas Lake fumaroles and watch the famous Cozido dish being removed from holes in the ground where they are cooked by volcanic steam for 6 hours. We’ll then board the bus and drive to the Caldeiras das Furnas in the center of the village, to witness a host of thermal springs and to drink some natural volcanic water, before driving to a restaurant to taste the traditional Cozido dish.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we’ll meet in the hotel lobby to set out on a guided visit of the Terra Nostra Garden. One of the local experts will lead us around the grounds, introducing the history of its creation and explaining the various endemic and introduced species growing in the garden. We’ll also have an opportunity to swim in the hotel’s thermal swimming pools located inside the garden.
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.
Day
9
Pineapple Plantation, Gorreana Tea Factory, Farewell Party
Location:
Ponta Delgada
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Marina Atlantico
Activity Note
Getting on/off a bus; driving about 67 miles, approximately 2.5 hours total riding time. Walking/standing for up to 30 minutes at a time, mostly level ground, paved ground, some gravel slightly uneven.
Breakfast:
At the hotel
Morning:
We will meet in the hotel lobby and depart by bus to the Ananases Arruda Pineapple Plantation for a guided field trip. See the famous Azorean Ananases up close and learn about the two-year growth process that makes this local fruit so unique. We’ll continue by bus to the famous Gorreana Tea Factory & Plantation. Owned by the same family for five generations, it is the only place in Europe that both grows and manufactures tea. We’ll enjoy a guided visit of the factory and take some free time to explore the plantation in the fields surrounding the property.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant
Afternoon:
After lunch, we’ll board our bus and drive up to the Lagoa do Fogo (The Fire Lake), a crater lake within the Água de Pau Massif stratovolcano located in the center of the island and one of the most iconic viewpoints. Continue by bus along the southern coast to the village of Vila Franca do Campo, the first capital of Sao Miguel Island. Enjoy the ocean views looking out onto the famous Islet of Vila Franca and take some time to explore a black sand beach and the local Queijada cake factory.
Dinner:
Farewell pool party at the hotel. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Day
10
Program Concludes, In Transit from Program
Location:
Home
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 12:00 p.m. An airport transfer will be provided to all participants who purchased international air tickets with Road Scholar. The Group Leader will advise on meeting times and places. See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers.
Breakfast:
At the hotel followed by check-out. The Group Leader will be at hand to confirm departure instructions. This concludes our program.
Morning:
We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to Like our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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