Portugal Vacation Package

Azores 4-Island Self-Drive Adventure: 10-Day Island Tour

10 Days/9 Nights: Explore four Azores islands independently with rental cars and suggested scenic drives.

This printable guide is intended as a convenient reference. Final vouchers, confirmations and travel documents remain the official record of services included in a reservation.

Tour Overview

Discover four of the Azores Islands on this 10-day independent island-hopping vacation through Terceira, Faial, Pico and São Miguel. With rental cars and a suggested route, you can explore volcanic landscapes, historic towns, coastal scenery and island villages at your own pace.

Begin on Terceira with Angra do Heroísmo and the island’s volcanic interior, then continue to Faial and a self-drive day trip to neighboring Pico. Finish on São Miguel, where suggested drives include Furnas, Sete Cidades, Lagoa do Fogo and Ribeira Grande. Accommodations and daily buffet breakfast are included, while the sightseeing schedule remains flexible.

Map of four island self-drive tour of the Azores

Itinerary

Day 1 - Terceira: Arrival

Arrive at Terceira Airport, collect your rental car and drive approximately 24 kilometers to Angra do Heroísmo. Check in for three nights and spend the rest of the day exploring the historic city center at your own pace.

Day 2 - Terceira: Island Drive

Suggested drive: explore Terceira’s south coast and interior, with possible stops at Porto Judeu, São Sebastião, Praia da Vitória and Serra do Cume. Continue toward Algar do Carvão when open, then consider the natural swimming pools at Biscoitos before returning to Angra.

Day 3 - Terceira: Angra & Monte Brasil

Enjoy a slower day around Angra do Heroísmo. Consider visiting Monte Brasil for panoramic views and walking trails, then spend additional time discovering the city’s streets, gardens and waterfront.

Day 4 - Terceira to Faial

Check out of your hotel, return your rental car at the airport and fly to Faial. Collect your new car on arrival and drive to Horta. Check in for three nights and use the remainder of the day to explore the marina and historic waterfront.

Day 5 - Faial: Caldeira & Capelinhos

Suggested drive: head through the island’s green interior toward the central Caldeira, then continue west to Capelinhos and its dramatic volcanic landscape. Return to Horta with time for scenic coastal stops along the way.

Day 6 - Pico: Ferry & Self-Drive Day Trip

Leave your Faial rental car at Horta harbor and take the ferry to Madalena on Pico. Collect a car on arrival and spend the day exploring Pico’s volcanic scenery, vineyard areas, villages and coastline. Return the car in Madalena and take the ferry back to Faial.

Day 7 - Faial to São Miguel

Check out of your hotel, return your rental car at Faial Airport and fly to São Miguel. Collect your car on arrival and drive to your hotel in Ponta Delgada. Spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

Day 8 - São Miguel: Furnas & the East

Suggested drive: travel east through Lagoa and Vila Franca do Campo toward Furnas. Explore the lake, geothermal areas and village, then cross toward the north coast with optional stops at scenic viewpoints and a tea plantation before returning to Ponta Delgada.

Day 9 - São Miguel: Sete Cidades & Lagoa do Fogo

Suggested drive: begin with Sete Cidades and the Vista do Rei viewpoint, then continue through the western countryside. Later, consider Ribeira Grande and Lagoa do Fogo, with additional stops depending on your interests and available time.

Day 10 - São Miguel: Departure

Check out of your hotel, drive to the airport and return your rental car before your departing flight.

What's Included

Not Included

International airfare
City taxes
Meals other than mentioned
Super CDW and other optional insurance coverage
Gas

Hotels

Note: Hotels shown are for reference only. We reserve the right to change hotels based on availability, group size or other factors. Should an alternate hotel be required, it will be of the same or a better rating.

Comfort Hotels

Hotel Cruzeiro

Angra do Heroismo

Located in Angra do Heroísmo, a 7-minute walk from Zona Balnear da Prainha Beach, Hotel Cruzeiro features views of the city. Featuring a bar, the 4-star hotel has air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi, each with a private bathroom.

Hotel Cruzreiro provides room service, a 24-hour front desk and luggage storage for guests. At the hotel, all rooms have a closet. Selected rooms will provide you with a kitchen with a fridge, a dishwasher and an oven. All guest rooms in Hotel Cruzeiro are equipped with a flat-screen TV and free toiletries.

Hotel Cruzeiro offers a continental or American breakfast. Silveira Beach is 1.2 miles from Hotel Cruzeiro. The nearest airport is Graciosa Airport, 80 miles from the hotel.

horta, faial, azores, portugal wine view pico mountain

Hotel Horta

Horta - Faial Island

Located in the old Azorean town of Horta, the newly-renovated Hotel Horta offers views of Pico Island. It features rooms with balconies, a large garden and an outdoor pool. Horta’s rooms are decorated in neutral colors, and have wooden furniture. Each of the air-conditioned rooms has a cable TV and a private bathroom with a hairdryer.

The hotel’s panoramic restaurant offers international and regional dishes. The bar and the lounge offer views of the outdoor pool, the pool bar and the garden. Guests can rent a bicycle to explore the surrounding area.

Horta is famous for the whale watching and the volcanoes of Capelinhos and Caldeira. Horta Airport is 4.3 mi away, and the hotel provides free private parking on site. A car rental service is also available.

Hotel Ponta Delgada

Ponta Delgada

Hotel Ponta Delgada is 5 minutes by car from the airport and 5 minutes walking distance from the historical city center.
The hotel has 98 rooms with city view, bar, restaurant, jacuzzi, sauna, steam bath and an elevated indoor pool with a panoramic terrace.
All rooms open into a private balcony and are equipped with air-conditioned, double-glazed windows. Rooms also include cable TV, a private bathroom with amenities, a hairdryer, and a telephone.

Superior Hotels

Azoris Faial Garden Resort Hotel

Horta

The Azoris Faial Garden Resort Hotel is just a 7 minute walk to the beach. This property is situated in parkland on the edge of the city of Horta. The hotel features both indoor and outdoor pools and breathtaking views of the Horta marina and Pico Mountain.

The hotel’s restaurant offers panoramic Atlantic Ocean views, as well as, a buffet breakfast and an à la carte lunch and dinner of Portuguese specialities. There is also a snack bar and an outdoor café.

The hotel’s guest rooms open onto balconies overlooking the pool area. Each is air conditioned and equipped with a minibar.

Azoris Faial Garden – Resort Hotel features a tennis court and a fitness centre. After a workout, guests can unwind in the spa pool or the sauna.

Azoris Faial Garden is just 6.2 miles away from Horta Airport. The town and marina of Horta is within walking distance of the hotel.

pousada angra heroismo castelo sebastiao aerial

Pousada Sao Sebastiao

Angra do Heroismo

This property is a 8-minute walk from the beach. Set on top of a cliff, Pousada de Angra do Heroismo Castelo de S. Sebastiao is a modern hotel housed in a 16th century Fortress known as Saint Sebastian's Little Castle.

The Pousada offer rooms and one suite with modern décor and furnishing. The suite and some rooms include terraces with views over the sea and the Monte Brasil. All living units contain LCD TV and internet connection.

There are 2 swimming pools: one for adults and the other for children. Guests can enjoy the regional cuisine while taking in views of the sea and pool area.

The Pousada is located in the village centre of Angra do Heroísmo was classified World Heritage by UNESCO. Angra do Heroísmo also offers many activitiy options, such as marine hunting, diving, sport fishing and boat tours.

Pousada de Angra do Heroismo Castelo de S. Sebastiao is located at a 23-minute drive from the Lajes International Airport.

Vila Gale Collection São Miguel

Ponta Delgada

Situated in Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island, the Vila Gale Collection S. Miguel offers premium accommodations alongside an excellent restaurant, bar, sauna, swimming pool, kids’ club, and private parking.

This 4-star hotel features air-conditioned rooms with complimentary Wi-Fi, each equipped with a private bathroom and located just a short walk from the town center.

All guest rooms come with a flat-screen TV and a safety deposit box, with select rooms featuring a balcony. At Vila Gale Collection S. Miguel, guests will find bed linens and towels provided, and a buffet breakfast is served each morning.

Guests can enjoy access to a sauna and a Turkish bath during their stay.

The friendly and professional reception staff are fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese, and are always available to assist.

Booking & Policies

Booking Your Vacation

Prices are shown in U.S. dollars. We can also charge in euros using the prevailing daily currency conversion rate.
Early booking is recommended. Availability of accommodations and inter-island flights can be limited, especially during the summer months.
If a hotel named in the itinerary is unavailable at the time of booking, a similar property of the same rating may be offered. Any change in price will be reflected in a revised quotation.
The order in which the islands are visited may need to be changed due to inter-island flight schedule changes.
When sightseeing tours are included, unless otherwise indicated, they are operated by private car with an English-speaking driver. Other languages may be available upon request.
Quotations requiring different hotels are subject to a non-refundable $50 deposit. This deposit will be credited toward the final booking price.

Booking Your Vacation With Air

International airfare is additional to the price shown in the Rates table. Departure cities are limited to those served by Azores Airlines.
If you would like airfare included in your quotation, select “Yes” when prompted during the booking or reservation request process.

Booking Conditions

A non-refundable, non-transferable deposit of $350 per person is required to confirm and hold both land and air arrangements.
Final payment is due 50 days before departure.
You may also choose to pay the full package price at the time of booking.

Cancellation Policy - Land Portion

If canceled 50 days or more before departure, the amount paid will be refunded less the non-refundable $350 deposit per person.
If canceled 49 to 39 days before departure, 75% of the total amount paid per person will be refunded.
If canceled 38 to 31 days before departure, 50% of the total amount paid per person will be refunded.
No refunds are provided for cancellations made fewer than 30 days before departure.

Cancellation Policy - Airfare

Airfare cancellation terms and conditions are determined by the airline and will be provided to you before the ticket is booked.

Refund Fees

For payments made by credit card, any refund will be reduced by a 3.9% credit-card processing fee assessed on the payment. This also applies to deposits refunded because requested services are unavailable for the requested travel dates.

I Want to Book. What Do I Do Next?

Click the “Request Quote” button to send us your reservation request.
No payment will be collected when you submit the request.
One of our travel associates will contact you by email to answer your questions and assist with booking your package.
If you are not ready to book, please contact us with any questions about your trip or vacation.

Booking Changes

A fee of $35 per person, per transaction, will be charged for revisions or changes made to a reservation after the booking has been confirmed.
If the requested change increases the total value of the booking, the $35 per person change fee will be waived.

Travel Insurance

We strongly recommend purchasing travel and cancellation insurance.