Guided Walking Tours Tours in portugal

*  One of the world’s most beautiful and diverse archipelagos
*  Verdant gorges, sparkling waterfalls, thermal pools, hot springs
*  Wonderfully varied hotels – all with swimming pools – superb food
*  Ginger lilies, banana plants, azaleas, candleberry trees
*  Unforgettable whale watching trip included

This exciting walking holiday explores the best of the Azores slands - one of the world’s most fascinating archipelagos. Travelling with Rui, our local guide, our tour starts in São Miguel.  Here, we follow forest paths through Japanese cedars and coastal trails lined with violet morning glories to discover first Sete Cidades’ green and blue lakes. It’s then on to the beautiful Furnas Valley with its fumardesand thermal waters, where we eat cozido(casserole) baked in the volcanic soils. It’s then a short flight (1 hour) to São Jorge, in the centre of the archipelago. We enjoy panoramic views over neighbouring islands as we follow paths through verdant gorges and along coastal terraces to pastel coloured villages. Onwards to Faial for an unforgettable whale watching trip and a walk around the lunar landscape of Capelinhos, the newest part of the Azores formed by the 1958 eruption. Finally  a day trip by ferry to neighbouring Pico to discover its curious lava stone vine terraces sheltered under its brooding volcano, finishes our tour.

The places where we stay provide some equally wonderful contrasts. Favourites include a restored musical conservatory whose inner courtyard now houses a tempting swimming pool, and a traditional farmhouse where we’ll taste excellent fresh fish such as tuna and red snapper or maybe morcela com ananas washed down with a glass of verdelho wine.