Experience São Miguel getting ready for Christmas.

Holiday Lights in the Azores

On this eight-day tour, you’ll see natural beauty, enjoy great food, meet amazing people, and see beautiful holiday decorations.

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Explore the world like a local with badams TRAVEL!

Explore culture, history, nature, hotels, and restaurants guided by locals, immersed in the essence of each destination in a fun, relaxing, and stimulating way!

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Tours

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Please use the drop-down menu below to indicate which tour you are curious about.

Tours

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Advent in the Azores

December 5 – 12, 2026

Experience the enchanting Azores with our one-week tour of São Miguel, the largest island in this stunning archipelago. This is your perfect opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of the holiday season at home, all while ensuring you return in time to tackle your to-do list! Begin your adventure with a few delightful days in Ponta Delgada, where you can marvel at the city and its shops adorned for Advent, perfect for a bit of festive shopping. Then, immerse yourself in the magic of Furnas, the most captivating spot on São Miguel. Here, you can explore elaborate nativity scenes, savor delicious meals cooked in volcanic caldeiras, and unwind in the soothing thermal pools.

Please note that our itinerary may shift based on the weather, as locals often say you can experience all four seasons in a single day. If the sun greets us with clear skies, we might rearrange our plans to visit sites that require a stunning view. Rest assured, we will strive to cover everything on our list, just perhaps in a different order.

Day 1

Arrive in Ponta Delgada

Catch the red-eye flight from Boston and land in Ponta Delgada by 6:30 am, or opt for an early departure from Lisbon to arrive by 10:00 am. A quick taxi ride will take you to the welcoming Hotel Talisman, where you can check in, enjoy a delicious breakfast, freshen up with a shower, and even sneak in a rejuvenating nap. Once you’re refreshed, join us for an exciting walking tour of the historic city center and the food festival. As you indulge in delightful food and drinks, you’ll also explore the city’s main sights and immerse yourself in the local culture and lifestyle while strolling through charming cobblestone streets. After some afternoon leisure time, we’ll enjoy an orientation dinner together and take an enchanting evening walk to admire the twinkling lights, festive creches, and inviting shop windows. Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

Day 2

Ponta Delgada

Embark on an unforgettable journey today as your tour leader takes you on a delightful walking tour, showcasing three breathtaking botanical gardens and the intriguing Museu Carlos Machado. As evening falls, we’ll meander through the bustling city center, ensuring you experience the mesmerizing lights and iconic sights that illuminate the night. Meals included: breakfast.

Azores Christmas festival

Day 3

Ponta Delgada

Today is yours to enjoy as there are no scheduled activities. Take this opportunity to delve deeper into the charming areas of the city center that you’ve explored over the past two days, or venture beyond the city center to discover new sights. Consider visiting the historic Forte de São Brás and the fascinating Military Museum of the Azores, or uncover the wonders of Gruto do Cavao along with a variety of history museums and art galleries. As the sun sets, join the locals in the vibrant celebration of Dia das Montras, or the Day of the Windows. Meals included: breakfast.

Ponta Delgada Azores Christmas tree

Day 4

Sete Cidades/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 5

Furnas

After breakfast, we’ll have a private tour of the Parque Terra Nostra guided by one of the botanical engineers. Then we’ll explore Furnas including a short drive to the Miradouro do Lombo dos Milhos and the Lagoa do Furnas. Here, you can choose to explore the grounds of the Jardim Jose do Canto, visit the Furnas Volcano Monitoring Center, or, take a five-mile walk around the Lagoa (level ground) to the Fumarolas where the famous Cozido das Furnas is cooked. (Or you can ride over in the van.) At the Fumarolas you can see the mounds where the various restaurants and hotels are cooking their cozidos. If our timing is good, we’ll get to see one or two huge pots lifted out of the ground. In the evening, there’s an option to sample cozido at Tony’s Restaurant. 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.

Day 7

Flights home

After we check out of the hotel, we’ll visit the Gorreana Tea Plantation and Ceramica Micaelense on the way to the airport to check in for our evening flights home. 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.