Travel with an exclusively invited, small group and spend Christmas week enjoying the Azorean love for the holiday.  Beautiful decorations, great food, delightful people, and stunning scenery.

First, a couple of days in Ponta Delgada to see the city and shops decorated for the holiday.  And then a few days in Furnas — the most magical place on São Miguel — where you can check out the ambitious cribs (nativity scenes), eat food cooked in a volcanic caldeira, and soak in the thermal pools.

Keep in mind that our itinerary is dependent on the weather.  Azoreans like to say that you can experience all four seasons in one day.  So, if it dawns clear and sunny, we may switch our activities so that we can go to sites on that day where we need a clear view.  We will attempt to see everything listed below, just perhaps in a different order.

Day 3

Transfer to Furnas

After checking out of our hotel, we’ll tour the western end of São Miguel, including Sete Cidades, enjoying amazing views of the island including the famous King’s View and take a hiking tour to the Miradouro da Boca do Inferno.  After a stop for lunch in a small town by the lake, the drive continues to the west coast of the island and the beautiful rocks of Mosteiros.  And then we’ll drive along the northwest coast as we continue to Furnas and check into the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel.  You’ll have a chance to settle into your room and then  we’ll check out the Furnas crib (creche) amongst the Caldeira.  We’ll stop in the Terra Nostra Garden to show you the thermal pool and jacuzzis, highly recommended for a post-dinner soak!  Then it’s time for dinner — Queijaria Furnense is highly recommended!  Meals included: breakfast.

Day 6

Furnas

Today’s adventure will be a leisurely afternoon drive along the northeast coast.  We’ll stop at several miradouros, learn about the importance of water mills in São Miguel’s history, view a couple of waterfalls, and maybe check out the studios of two or three artisans.  We’ll arrive in Povoacao at dusk so you can see their holiday decorations to best advantange and then there are several excellent restaurants to choose from for dinner.    Meals included: breakfast.

Activity Level

Moderate

Activities are generally not very strenuous; however, we expect guests to enjoy two hours or more of walking, be sure-footed on cobbled surfaces, and walk up and down stairs without assistance. In rural and small-town settings, unpaved roads and pathways will be common with some short sections of rough trail, which we expect that guests can traverse with no more than a companion’s hand to steady them. Historic city centers are frequently more accessible by foot than a vehicle, and sometimes your motorcoach can’t drop you off at the hotel and site entrances. Due to the structure of some buildings, facilities for the disabled may be limited.