Self-Launched: Hike, E-Bike and Whale Watch in the Azores

Fly into João Paulo II Airport (PDL) in Ponta Delgada. From the airport, take a taxi or pre-booked transfer to Furnas on the eastern side of the island — roughly 40–50 minutes and around £25–35 by taxi, or look for shared shuttle services offered by local operators like Azores Shuttle. Check in to your guesthouse or B&B in Furnas. Spend the afternoon wandering the geothermal valley, dipping into the public thermal pools at Parque Terra Nostra (entry ~£6), and settling in. Grab dinner at a local restaurant in Furnas — Tony's Restaurant is a local favourite with hearty Azorean food for around £12–18pp.

🚌Taxi from PDL airport to Furnas (~£25–35). Alternatively, rent a car for the week from Ponta Delgada (~£30–40/day) for maximum flexibility across the island.

🛏Casa do Cômputo or similar guesthouse/B&B in Furnas — well-rated options available on Booking.com from ~£45–65/night for a private room

• →Taxi or shared shuttle from PDL airport to Furnas (~£25–35)
• →Visit Parque Terra Nostra thermal pools (entry ~£6)
• →Explore Furnas village and geothermal vents
• →Welcome dinner at a local Furnas restaurant (~£15pp)

Drive or taxi (~£15–20) south-east to Faial da Terra to walk the Sanguinho Trail — a well-marked, free-to-walk loop of 4.5km through dense laurisilva forest, past small orchards and the restored ghost village of Sanguinho, finishing at the stunning Salto do Prego waterfall and its plunge pool. This is a self-navigable trail using AllTrails or the Azores Trails app (both free). Pack a picnic lunch from the local mini-market in Furnas (~£5). In the afternoon, drive or taxi to Nordeste to explore one of the island's most traditional and least-visited towns, before returning to Furnas.

🚌Taxi from Furnas to Faial da Terra (~£15–20 each way) or hire car. Return to Furnas in the afternoon.

🛏Guesthouse/B&B in Furnas (~£45–65/night)

• →Sanguinho Trail hike — 4.5km loop, ~2.5hrs, free to walk (AllTrails map available)
• →Salto do Prego waterfall and plunge pool
• →Picnic lunch on the trail (~£5)
• →Optional: afternoon visit to Nordeste town

Start the morning by heading to the market in Furnas to pick up ingredients for a Cozido das Furnas — or, for a more authentic experience, simply book a table at Restaurante Tony's or O Miroma, both of which serve the famous geothermal stew cooked in the volcanic earth by Furnas Lake (around £15–20pp including the stew). In the afternoon, book a canyoning session at Ribeira dos Caldeirões with a local operator such as Azores Adventures or Furnas Aventura — half-day canyoning trips including all equipment, certified guides, abseiling and natural water slides are bookable directly for around £45–55pp. Return to Furnas for dinner — your cozido if you cooked it yourself, or a local spot.

🚌Short drive or taxi to Furnas Lake and Ribeira dos Caldeirões (~£10–15 combined).

🛏Guesthouse/B&B in Furnas (~£45–65/night)

• →Cozido das Furnas experience at Furnas Lake — cook or book at a local restaurant (£15–20pp)
• →Half-day canyoning at Ribeira dos Caldeirões with local operator (~£45–55pp, all gear included)
• →Abseiling, natural water slides and pool jumping (optional) with certified guides

Check out of your Furnas accommodation and transfer west to Vila Franca do Campo. Book a whale-watching trip directly with a local operator — Futurismo Azores and Terra Azul are two of the island's most reputable cetacean tour companies, both operating 2.5–3hr whale-watching trips with marine biologists on board for around £50–65pp. Sperm whales are resident year-round; blue, fin and sei whales are common on migration (April–May peak). After the trip, continue to Caloura on the south coast to check in to your new base for the final four nights. Caloura is a tiny fishing hamlet with dramatic clifftop scenery — book a guesthouse or B&B in Caloura or nearby Água de Pau.

🚌Taxi or hire car from Furnas to Vila Franca do Campo (~£20–25), then onwards to Caloura (~£10).

🛏Guesthouse or B&B in Caloura or Água de Pau (~£50–70/night). Search Booking.com or Airbnb for sea-view options — there are some excellent value stays right on the coast.

• →Whale-watching trip from Vila Franca do Campo with Futurismo Azores or Terra Azul (~£50–65pp, marine biologist on board)
• →Check in to Caloura-area accommodation
• →Explore Caloura harbour and clifftop viewpoints
• →Swim in the natural seawater pools at Caloura (free)

Drive or taxi north to Ribeira Grande — the surf capital of São Miguel — and book an e-bike rental or guided e-bike tour with a local operator such as Azores Bike (bookable directly or via GetYourGuide, ~£30–45pp for a half-day guided tour, or ~£20–25pp for self-guided e-bike hire). The route winds past the Fontanário da Ribeira Seca lava spring, the eight-arched Ponte dos Oito Arcos, the Espírito Santo Church, the Faja do Redondo Dam and the hot springs at Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande, finishing along the dramatic volcanic north coast past Santa Iria viewpoint and lighthouse. Finish with lunch at an ocean-view café or restaurant in Ribeira Grande (~£12–18pp). Spend the afternoon exploring Ribeira Grande's beaches and town before returning south.

🚌Hire car or taxi from Caloura to Ribeira Grande (~£20–25 each way, ~35km).

🛏Guesthouse/B&B in Caloura area (~£50–70/night)

• →E-bike hire or guided e-bike tour in Ribeira Grande (~£20–45pp depending on guided/self-guided)
• →Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande hot springs
• →Ponte dos Oito Arcos and Espírito Santo Church
• →Santa Iria viewpoint and lighthouse
• →Lunch at ocean-view restaurant (~£12–18pp)
• →Optional: Ribeira Grande beach afternoon

Today's the biggest hike of the trip. Drive to the trailhead for the Lagoa do Fogo trail — a 10.2km out-and-back route (approximately 4 hours, 350m ascent) that's the only certified path with access to the shores of the protected crater lake. Download the route on AllTrails or the Azores Trails app before you set off. The views of the lake and surrounding volcanic slopes are stunning. For a gentler option, the Janela do Inferno circular trail (7.6km, ~2.5hrs) is a beautiful and far quieter alternative through historic water infrastructure. In the evening, book a local Azorean food experience — several local restaurants in the Caloura/Água de Pau area offer Azorean taco nights or local tasting menus; alternatively, pick up fresh local ingredients from a supermarket and prepare your own Azorean-style tacos at your accommodation.

🚌Hire car or taxi to Lagoa do Fogo trailhead (~£15–20 from Caloura).

🛏Guesthouse/B&B in Caloura area (~£50–70/night)

• →Lagoa do Fogo hike — 10.2km, ~4hrs, 350m ascent (free, AllTrails route available)
• →Alternative: Janela do Inferno trail — 7.6km, ~2.5hrs (free)
• →Azorean taco dinner — local restaurant or self-prepared (~£15–20pp)

In the morning, relax at your accommodation or explore Caloura at your own pace. In the afternoon, head west to Sete Cidades — book a jeep 4x4 tour with a local operator such as Top Atlantic or Azores Bus for around £35–50pp (bookable via GetYourGuide or direct), taking in the iconic viewpoints over the twin crater lakes and volcanic caldera. Several operators run afternoon jeep tours specifically designed for Sete Cidades. On the way back, stop at the Gin Library (Biblioteca do Gin) in Ponta Delgada — a real place and a highlight for gin lovers, offering tastings of locally produced Azorean gins with knowledgeable staff. Budget around £10–15 for a gin tasting session. Return to Caloura for a farewell dinner at a clifftop restaurant overlooking the Atlantic — Restaurante Caloura or similar (~£20–30pp).

🚌Hire car or taxi from Caloura to Sete Cidades (~£25–35 each way) and on to Ponta Delgada for gin tasting, then back to Caloura.

🛏Guesthouse/B&B in Caloura area (~£50–70/night)

• →Jeep 4x4 tour of Sete Cidades viewpoints with local operator (~£35–50pp, bookable on GetYourGuide)
• →Gin Library (Biblioteca do Gin) tasting in Ponta Delgada (~£10–15pp)
• →Farewell dinner at clifftop restaurant in Caloura (~£20–30pp)

Enjoy a final breakfast at your accommodation or at a café in Caloura or nearby Lagoa. Check out and transfer to João Paulo II Airport (PDL) in Ponta Delgada in good time for your flight home. Taxi from Caloura to PDL is approximately 25–30 minutes and costs around £20–30. If you have time before your flight, Ponta Delgada's old town is well worth a morning wander — the black basalt São Sebastião church, the famous black-and-white Portas da Cidade gates, and the covered market (Mercado da Graça) are all within easy walking distance of the airport area.

🚌Taxi from Caloura to Ponta Delgada Airport (~£20–30, approximately 30 minutes).

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Final breakfast at accommodation or local café
• →Optional: morning wander in Ponta Delgada — Portas da Cidade, São Sebastião Church, Mercado da Graça
• →Transfer to PDL airport (~£20–30 by taxi)