Highlights of the Azores: Self-Launched Island Hopper (São Miguel to Faial)
7 days · Azores, Portugal
Intrepid Travel charges £2,520
No-markup version: ~£615 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Intrepid's 7-day Highlights of the Azores: three days based in Ponta Delgada on São Miguel (Furnas caldeiras, Terra Nostra hot springs, Sete Cidades crater lakes, pineapple and tea plantations), then a short domestic flight to Horta on Faial with a day trip by ferry to Pico's UNESCO vineyards and a day exploring Faial's Capelinhos volcano. Same landscapes, same experiences — you just book the buses, ferries and day tours yourself instead of paying for a guided group. Costs are backpacker-to-midrange estimates in GBP and assume you share or take a private budget room; the Azores are not cheap, so this is a modest but real saving over the tour price.
Day-by-day
Arrive Ponta Delgada — old town and waterfront
Ponta Delgada, São Miguel
Fly into João Paulo II Airport (PDL). Most flights from the UK go via Lisbon or direct seasonally — check Ryanair/easyJet via Lisbon or Azores Airlines direct from Gatwick/Stansted. From the airport, local bus Line 5 or a shared taxi gets you into town for around €2-8; a metered taxi is about €10. Check into a guesthouse or hostel in the historic centre, then spend the afternoon walking the black-and-white basalt cobbles of the old town: the Portas da Cidade gates, Praça do Município, and the seafront promenade. Pop into Mercado da Graça farmers' market for Azorean cheese, pineapple and passion fruit, and eat grilled limpets and fresh tuna at a tasca. Note: many restaurants close Sundays — plan accordingly.
🚌Airport bus Line 5 or taxi (~€2-10); walking in town
🛏Guesthouse or hostel private double in Ponta Delgada centre (~£35-45/room, £18-23pp sharing)
- →Walk Ponta Delgada seafront promenade and Portas da Cidade
- →Browse Mercado da Graça farmers' market
- →Sample local seafood and limpets at a tasca
Furnas: volcanic stew, hot springs and pineapple plantations
Furnas & Gorreana, São Miguel
Book a small-group west/east São Miguel day tour on GetYourGuide or Viator (roughly £55-75pp including lunch) — this is the cheapest way to string together the sites that are awkward by public bus. Alternatively, take the local bus from Ponta Delgada to Furnas (~€5, 1hr, limited departures — check horários) and walk between sites. Whichever way: walk around Lagoa das Furnas and watch the caldeiras where cozido das Furnas is slow-cooked underground in volcanic steam — many restaurants in Furnas village serve it (€15-20). Soak in Terra Nostra Park's warm iron-rich mineral pool (entry ~€10-16; bring an old swimsuit, the water stains). Continue to the Miradouro de Santa Iria viewpoint, then a tea plantation visit at Gorreana or Porto Formoso (free entry, free tasting) and the Ananás dos Açores pineapple plantation near Ponta Delgada with a glass of pineapple liqueur (~€3-5). Budget car-share or a private driver if you'd rather self-drive — a one-day rental is about €35-50 plus fuel.
🚌GetYourGuide small-group day tour (~£60) or local bus (~€5 each way) plus walking
🛏Same Ponta Delgada guesthouse
- →Walk Lagoa das Furnas and the Furnas caldeiras
- →Eat cozido das Furnas cooked in volcanic ground
- →Soak at Terra Nostra Park hot springs and botanical garden
- →Gorreana tea plantation visit and tasting
- →Ananás dos Açores pineapple plantation and liqueur tasting
- →Miradouro de Santa Iria viewpoint
Sete Cidades crater lakes and Ponta Delgada at leisure
Sete Cidades, São Miguel
Half-day tour (or taxi/bus combo) up to the Sete Cidades caldera — the famous green-and-blue twin lakes viewpoint at Vista do Rei, plus the Santiago and Boca do Inferno miradouros. A GetYourGuide half-day tour runs about £35-45pp; the public bus to Sete Cidades is cheap (€3-4) but infrequent, so check times the day before. Back in Ponta Delgada in the afternoon: visit the Museu Carlos Machado (~€2), catch sunset from the Forte de São Brás area, or rent a bike for a coastal spin (€12-15/half day). Evening in the old town with a glass of Azorean wine.
🚌Half-day tour bus (~£40) or local bus (~€8 return)
🛏Same Ponta Delgada guesthouse
- →Sete Cidades twin lakes and crater viewpoints
- →Museu Carlos Machado
- →Bike rental along the coast or free exploration of Ponta Delgada
Fly to Horta, Faial — orientation and marina life
Horta, Faial
SATA/Azores Airlines flies Ponta Delgada–Horta daily, roughly £70-110 one way (book early; 20kg baggage normally included). Flights are often morning or midday, so you'll lose half a day in transit — that's simply island life in the Azores. Check into a guesthouse near the marina in Horta. Do your own orientation walk: the marina full of transatlantic yacht crews, the famous painted harbour wall, and Café Sport (Peter's Bar) — the legendary sailor haunt with its scrimshaw museum upstairs. Dinner of local cheese, fish stew and Faial wine.
🚌Azores Airlines/SATA domestic flight ~£85 one way; walking in Horta
🛏Guesthouse private double in Horta (~£40-50/room, £20-25pp sharing)
- →Fly São Miguel to Faial
- →Self-led orientation walk of Horta marina and harbour wall
- →Visit Café Sport (Peter's Bar) and its scrimshaw museum
Day trip to Pico: lava arches, vineyards and a distillery
Pico Island (from Horta, Faial)
Take the early Atlanticoline ferry from Horta to Madalena on Pico (~30 min, €4-6 each way; buy online or at the kiosk, foot passengers only). On Pico, rent a scooter or small car for the day (~€35-50) or join a local minivan tour of the island's vineyards (~€45-60). Head west to the Arcos do Cachorro lava arches and the Criação Velha vineyard landscape — UNESCO World Heritage dry-stone-walled vines growing in black basalt — and do a tasting at a family distillery of licor de vinho (Pico's fortified wine, €5-10). Climb as far as the Casa da Montanha on Portugal's highest peak if the weather allows. Ferry back to Horta in the late afternoon. Optional add-on: whale-watching from Horta (~€60-65, book a day ahead — the Azores are one of Europe's best whale spots).
🚌Atlanticoline ferry Horta–Madalena return (~€10) plus scooter/car rental or island tour (~£40)
🛏Same Horta guesthouse
- →Ferry to Pico Island
- →Arcos do Cachorro lava arches
- →Criação Velha UNESCO vineyard landscape
- →Family distillery tasting of Pico fortified wine
- →Optional whale-watching from Horta (~£55)
Faial walking trail and Capelinhos volcano
Capelinhos & western Faial
Do a self-guided section of Faial's best coast walk — the Caldeira rim trail if the day is clear (4-5hrs, free, take layers) or the shorter Ponta dos Capelinhos clifftop path. Get out west to the Capelinhos volcano, where a 1957-58 eruption added a square kilometre of new land to the island: the interpretation centre under the old lighthouse is around €10 and genuinely excellent. Public buses to Capelinhos run but are few; a taxi round trip is about €40-50, or combine with a shared island tour (~£40). Evening back in Horta.
🚌Local bus (~€6 return) or shared taxi/tour (~£35)
🛏Same Horta guesthouse
- →Self-guided Faial walking trail (Caldeira rim or Capelinhos cliffs)
- →Capelinhos volcano interpretation centre and lighthouse
Departure from Horta
Horta, Faial
Morning free for a last coffee at Café Sport and a swim at Porto Pim bay. Flight out of Horta (usually via Lisbon or Ponta Delgada on Azores Airlines/SATA, roughly £80-140 to Lisbon depending on when you book) — if you're heading back to the UK, expect to route Horta–Lisbon–London. A cheap option if your onward flight is late: the inter-island ferry network can take you onward to São Jorge or Terceira if you want to extend, though ferries are slow and weather-dependent.
🚌Airport taxi (~€8); flight Horta to Lisbon/UK ~£110
🛏—
- →Morning at Porto Pim bay
- →Departure flight from Horta
Self-launched vs. Intrepid Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Intrepid Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£615 | £2,520 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,905 per person (76%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Intrepid Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£615
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Highlights of the Azores: Self-Launched Island Hopper (São Miguel to Faial) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £615 per person for 7 days in Azores, Portugal. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Intrepid Travel?+
Yes — Intrepid Travel charges around £2,520 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £615 — a saving of roughly £1,905 (76%) per person.
How long is the Azores, Portugal trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Azores, Portugal.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Azores, Portugal, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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