14 Day Macaronesia Tour

• Day 1: 

  Arrival in the Azores, Portugal
  Arrival in Ponta Delgada, Azores (PDL), located on San Miguel Island, the largest in the archipelago.*
  
  Welcome to Macaronesia, a collection of four archipelagos in the North Atlantic Ocean belonging to three countries: Portugal, Spain, and Cape Verde. Apart from the Azores and Madeira, which are considered mainly as part of Europe, the other islands of Macaronesia are closer to Africa. The name is derived from the Greek words for "islands of the fortunate," a term used by Ancient Greek geographers for islands to the west of the Straits of Gibraltar. Macaronesia is occasionally misspelled "Macronesia" in false analogy with Micronesia, an unrelated Pacific archipelago.
  
  Ponta Delgada is a graceful centre with cobbled streets meandering down to a marina lined with restaurants. As most flights from North America land in the morning, we recommend that you spend some time exploring its historical centre where you will discover the squares, well-tended gardens, and handsome monuments built when Ponta Delgada was an important trading port in the 18th and early 19th centuries. For a pleasant overview of Ponta Delgada, stroll along the town’s harbourfront promenade.
  
  This evening we assemble for our welcome dinner and trip orientation.
  
  Overnight in Ponta Delgada.

   

  Included Meal(s): Dinner, if required
• Day 2: 

  Fly to Faial Island: Horta & the Scrimshaw Museum
  This morning a short flight of roughly 30 minutes carries us west across the archipelago to Faial, the third most populous of the Azorean islands and the westernmost corner of the so-called Triangle Islands, which also include São Jorge and Pico. The differences between Azorean islands — in climate, topography, history, accent, and cuisine — are one of the quiet pleasures of this tour.
  
  Horta, Faial's compact and charming capital, grew to prominence in the 18th century as a watering point for the early Atlantic whaling fleets and by the 19th century had become one of the most important yacht harbours in the North Atlantic. That seafaring tradition is alive in every corner of the waterfront, where boats from dozens of countries have left painted murals on the harbour wall — a custom that has grown into an extraordinary open-air gallery.
  
  We visit the Scrimshaw Museum, housed above one of the waterfront's most celebrated meeting places, Peter's Sport Café. Scrimshaw — the art of engraving whale teeth with images of ships, mermaids, and hunt scenes — was the sailor's craft par excellence, born of long Pacific passages and idle hands. The private collection on display here is one of the finest in the Azores, each piece a miniature record of the age when Horta's quays were crowded with American and European whalers reprovisioning for the long voyage home.
  
  This evening we join our hosts for dinner as Faial settles into its Atlantic night.
  
  Overnight in Horta.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 3: 

  Faial & Pico Islands
  A short ferry crossing — roughly 30 minutes — brings us to Pico Island, named for the great volcano that dominates it: Pico Alto rises 2351 m/7,713 ft from the ocean floor, making it Portugal's highest peak. The island's personality is shaped entirely by this volcanic inheritance, and today we explore it from the inside out.
  
  Our first stop is Furnas Frei Matias, a lava tube that offers an intimate underground encounter with Pico's geological past. Helmets and flashlights in hand, we descend into chambers shaped by ancient flows, where stalactites and intricate lava formations speak to the forces that built these islands from the ocean floor. The private access our group enjoys here keeps the experience genuinely exploratory rather than crowded.
  
  Above ground, we continue to the Whalers' Museum in Lajes do Pico — once a working whale-processing factory, now a thoughtful memorial to an industry that defined Azorean life for generations. Whaling ended here in the 1980s; the museum traces its full arc, from the hard economics of the hunt to the cultural pride that persists today in a community that now earns its living protecting the same animals it once hunted.
  
  Lunch features local dishes and an introduction to the wines for which Pico is justly known. We then walk the Criação Velha vineyards — a UNESCO World Heritage landscape since 2004 — where low volcanic stone walls shelter vines from Atlantic winds in a cultivation system unchanged for centuries.
  
  Our circular coastal route returns us to the ferry in time for the short crossing back to Horta.
  
  Overnight in Horta.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Day 4: 

  Capelinhos Volcano - Fly to Ponta Delgada: Pineapple & Wine
  Our final morning on Faial belongs to Capelinhos, one of the most dramatic geological events of the 20th century. In 1957, an underwater volcano erupted just off Faial's western tip and continued erupting for thirteen months, adding an entirely new peninsula to the island and sending shockwaves — literal and human — through the entire archipelago. Half of Faial's population emigrated to North America in the aftermath, a diaspora whose legacy is still felt in the island's demographic patterns and cultural ties to New England.
  
  The Capelinhos Volcano Interpretation Centre tells this story with clarity and depth. Its exhibits chart not just the 1957 eruption itself but the tectonic forces that continue to shape the Azores — an island chain sitting directly on the junction of the North American and Eurasian plates. The haunting landscape outside, all ash fields and eroded lava, drives the point home more powerfully than any exhibit.
  
  A short afternoon flight returns us to São Miguel and Ponta Delgada, where the pace shifts entirely. We visit a family-run pineapple plantation operating in the centuries-old tradition of heated greenhouse cultivation — a two-year growing cycle for each fruit, a level of patience that explains why the Azorean pineapple is considered among the world's finest. Our visit closes with a pairing of local cheeses and the island's unusual pineapple wine, sweet and aromatic, a quintessentially Azorean conclusion to our time in the western islands.
  
  Overnight in Ponta Delgada.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 5: 

  São Miguel: Whale Watching & West Island Exploration
  The Azores occupy one of the great cetacean crossroads of the North Atlantic, and this morning we take full advantage of that fact. Our whale watching excursion departs from Ponta Delgada aboard a well-appointed vessel nimble enough to respond quickly to the spotters positioned on the hills above — the same hilltop stations that once alerted whalers but now serve a rather different purpose.
  
  A briefing by an onboard biologist covers the science of the watch: rules of observation, species identification, and the data these guides collect during every outing. Sperm whales, common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, and Risso's dolphins are present year-round; blue and fin whales — the largest and second-largest creatures on Earth — move through these waters during our season.
  
  This afternoon takes us to the western end of São Miguel, where the island's volcanic character is most dramatically displayed. Approaching Sete Cidades, the southwest coastal road runs through green Atlantic pastures before climbing to Vista do Rei — the King's View — where the island's most iconic panorama opens before us: twin crater lakes, one blue and one green, lying at the bottom of a caldera nearly 5 km across. The cliffs drop 500 m to the mirror surface below. We descend to the crater floor and the farming village of Sete Cidades itself, sitting improbably within the volcano's ancient bowl.
  
  Earlier, a stop at Miradouro do Escalvado frames the fishing village of Mosteiros against its natural pools and summer shoreline.
  
  Overnight in Ponta Delgada.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 6: 

  São Miguel: Furnas & East Island Touring
  Today we loop eastward through the heart of São Miguel, an itinerary that reveals the island's layered volcanic complexity in a single day. We begin at Pico do Carvão, where the north and south coasts spread out simultaneously — a reminder of how narrow this island is beneath its apparent scale. Dropping to the north coast, we follow it through Ribeira Grande before rising to Lagoa do Fogo, the most isolated of the island's crater lakes and the least visited, its entire catchment a protected nature reserve dense with endemic plant species.
  
  The day's centrepiece is Furnas, a parish situated within the caldera of an active geothermal system. The village square is a theatrical production of geology in real time — geysers, fumaroles, and mud pools in constant low-level eruption. We take time to explore the caldeiras before sitting down to a cozido, the island's signature slow-cooked stew prepared in thermal vents, a method of cooking that turns geological inconvenience into culinary tradition.
  
  A viewpoint above the valley at Pico dos Milhos — mists permitting — reveals the full scale of the Furnas caldera before we exit eastward. The route brings us through the historic former capital of Vila Franca do Campo and its offshore lagoon, the flooded crater of a submarine volcano roughly 5,000 years old. At Gorreana, one of Europe's only working tea plantations, we see another layer of the island's agricultural story — tea cultivation established here in the 19th century that has outlasted most of its contemporaries.
  
  Overnight in Ponta Delgada.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 7: 

  Ponta Delgada, Azores - Fly to Madeira Island
  Early this morning we transfer to the airport to fly to the island of Madeira, also part of Portugal.
  
  With a subtropical climate warmed by the Gulf Stream, this volcanic outcrop off the coast of Africa is Portugal’s own floating garden. The richvolcanic soil promotes an astonishingly verdant array of flowers, plants, and trees, both in the wild and in some beautifully-cultivated gardens. Here we discover a lush and vertical landscape with a wild terraced terrain. This 36 mile by 14 mile island (70% is national park)packs more into its chaotic terrain than most areas 5 times its size.
  
  Funchal, the capital of the Madeira archipelago, was declared a city in the 1500s and became an important point between the old and new worlds. The laid-back city owes much of its historical prominence to the white gold, the Madeiran sugar.
  
  Today we will tour the city of Funchal, including the 'Old Town', one of the most attractive areas of the city. Portuguese settlers colonized the coast in the early 1400's, and over the years the population grew as international trade attracted the attention of much of Europe. Today we discover a modern city with over 110,000 inhabitants. Located right in the center of Funchal is a busy and colourful covered market (Mercado dos Lavradores). Here we discover a great variety of fresh fish, tropical fruits, spices, colourful flowers and some local crafts. This is also the place to find local delicacies such as Madeira wine or honey cake.
  
  The narrow and cobbled Rua de Santa Maria is the oldest street in Funchal, dating back to the 15th century. When the heavy storms of 2010 severely damaged the old town, the municipality launched the project ‘Art Open Doors’ in order to revitalize the area. They invited local artists to paint the doors in the street and the result is a vibrant, colourful, artistic street, full of energy. For the best view of Funchal we will take the cable car (Teleferico do Funchal) to the Monte Village. The 15-minute journey takes us 560 meters above the city, with a 360º panoramic view of Funchal, the dramatic mountain landscape, and the shimmering Atlantic Ocean. Nearby is the Madeira Story Centre, an excellent museum that charts the history and culture of the Madeira archipelago.
  
  Monte Village was built in 1565 as a summer refuge for Funchal’s aristocracy. Constructed in 1741, the Church of Our Lady of the Monte is the resting place of Charles I, the last ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Those who climb to the bell tower terrace are rewarded with a spectacular view.
  
  Overnight in Funchal.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 8: 

  Madeira: West Island Touring
  Today we explore the west, crossing mountain passes and traversing Madeira's highest plateau. Prepare for some spectacular panoramas! We first pass through the traditional fishing village of Camara de Lobos, and make a stop at the Pico da Torre viewpoint. Here the port is really just a small creek, with a beach, a harbour and houses heaped up around the bay. We will continue up to the lofty sea cliffs of Cabo Girao, the highest sea cliffs in Europe (580m) / the second highest sea cliffs in the world. From here you can enjoy some beautiful views.
  
  A glass bottomed skywalk hangs out over the top of the cliff! Sea erosion has led to the formation of caves and terraces along the coastline, and the local population have created small plots for crops, forming an incredible watercolour landscape.
  
  In Ribeira Brava we will see the 16th century mother church. Along the promenade we will pass by the town’s landmark, the fort of São Bento. We then visit what many consider to be the most beautiful village on the island, Ponta do Sol (point of the sun). The town, with its old restored buildings, was once described as a 'quiet and pretty little village shoe-horned into the folds of a steep valley'. We continue to make our way up through the Laurissilva forest, and reach the plateau of Paul da Serra, which translated roughly is "mountain plain". This is Madeira’s biggest and highest plateau, situated at 1400m (4,593 ft), and here we can enjoy another 'Levada walk'. Our next stop is the village of Porto Moniz on the north coast, which is famous for its natural volcanic rock pools. This is Madeira's most north-western valley, and the dramatic village is situated at the foot of the mountain.
  
  Our next stop is at the picturesque village of Seixal where local vegetable gardens and vineyards are surrounded by heather broom. We will see the famous "Brides Vale" falls which plummets directly into the sea. Our scenic coastal route then brings us to the charming fishing village of São Vicente.
  
  Overnight in Funchal.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 9: 

  East Madeira Exploration
  Today we explore the eastern side of the island with its dramatic mountain, forest and coastal views. Just a short distance from the capital is the cultural village of Camacha, known as ‘the village of basket makers’, and the centre of Madeira's willow craft industry.
  
  Our journey then takes us up to Pico do Arieiro (1818 meters/5,965 ft), one of the island's highest peaks with spectacular views. After visiting the highest (drivable) peak in Madeira, we will head towards Ribeiro Frio, a popular starting point for 'levada' walks. Madeira was once completely covered by laurel 'Laurissilva' forest, a relic from prehistoric times. Laurel forest, also called laurisilva or laurissilva, is a type of subtropical forest found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable, mild temperatures. This region still has much of its original vegetation, and here we will enjoy an easy walk. As UNESCO put it... "an outstanding relict of a previously widespread laurel forest type. It is the largest surviving area of laurel forest and is believed to be 90% primary forest.". This is one of the best places to really appreciate Madeira's natural heritage.
  
  We then visit Santana, which is famous for its typical A-framed cottages with thatched roofs. We then make our way to Porto da Cruz, Caniçal, and Ponta de São Lourenço - with some of the best views you can get on the island. From here you can see both coasts as well as Porto Santo and the Desertas Islands. We also stop in Curral das Freiras ('Nuns Valley'), a small village nestled between almost perpendicular mountains in the heart of the island.
  
  Overnight in Funchal.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 10: 

  Madeira, Portugal - Fly to Tenerife, Spain
  Today we fly from Madeira to Tenerife (North) in the Canary Islands.
  
  The Canary Islands (Islas Canarias), also known as the Canaries (Canarias), are an archipelago and autonomous community of Spain located 100 kilometres (62 miles) west of Morocco. The Canaries are among the outermost regions of the European Union proper; it is also one of the eight regions with special consideration of historical nationality recognized as such by the Spanish Government. The Canary Islands are the most southerly region of Spain and the largest and most populated archipelago of the Macaronesia region.
  
  We land on the largest island and begin (flight time-permitting) a sightseeing program in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, a city and capital (jointly with Las Palmas) of the Canary Islands. This good looking and wholly Spanish city is home to evocative, brightly-painted buildings, sophisticated and quirky shops, excellent museums, and a tropical oasis of birdsong, fountains, and greenery in the city park. Our last stop will be the small town of Cristobal de la Laguna (likely a quick stop only), widely considered to be the most beautiful in Tenerife. The historic town centre is a gem, with narrow poker-straight streets flanked by pastel-hued historic mansions, inviting bars, and idiosyncratic small shops. Its layout provided the model for many colonial towns in the Americas and, in 1999, La Laguna was added to the Unesco list of World Heritage sites.
  
  Overnight in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 11: 

  Santa Cruz de Tenerife: City Touring
  Today we’ll have a city tour of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
  
  Santa Cruz de Tenerife is a beautiful port situated on Tenerife, the largest of the western islands in the Canary archipelago. Around its important port are wide avenues, squares and exotic landscaped areas, and some beautiful examples of modernist architecture. We start at the Museum of Nature and Man (MNH), located in the Old Civil Hospital, an emblematic building in the island's capital and a fine example of the islands' typical neoclassical architecture. The museum offers the chance to learn more about the natural riches of the Canary Islands, and also to discover the most important collection existing on the culture of the "guanches", a native people who inhabited the island of Tenerife before the arrival of the first European settlers.
  
  We’ll walk to the parish mother church of Nuestra Señora de La Concepción, the main Catholic church in the city, built where a chapel used to stand that was erected by the conquerors of Santa Cruz. The tower was raised in 1786 and is one of the most easily recognizable landmarks in the old quarter. Because of the extension work carried out over the years, it is the only church with five naves on the entire archipelago and a fine example of Canarian Baroque architecture.
  
  We’ll also visit the interior the impressive and unique Auditorio de Tenerife. A marvel of the architectural avant-garde, created by Santiago Calatrava, which has become the cultural, social, and symbolic engine for the Canary Islands.
  
  We the head to the Palmetum, a 12-hectare botanical garden that specializes in palm trees and a project unique in the world. It has transformed a municipal rubbish dump into a recreational space for plant lovers, bursting with spectacular plant life brought here through partnerships with institutions from all over the world. The gardens are home to the greatest collection of palms in Europe, thought to be the largest botanical collection of tropical island palms in the world.
  
  Overnight in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 12: 

  Tenerife Island Touring
  Today we take a panoramic route along Monte Esperanza towards the Teide National Park, including photo stops.*
  
  Teide National Park, located in the centre of the island of Tenerife, is the largest and oldest of the four national parks on the Canary Islands. From its surface area of 190 km2 (18,990 hectares), Mount Teide rises up to a height of 3718 m, which makes it the highest peak in Spain. There are many services organized for visitors so that they can discover and enjoy this area: a convenient road network across the entire park, two visitor centres that reveal some of the park’s secrets, a bar and restaurant area for refreshment, and abundant vantage points to gain a panoramic view of the whole park. Our program today is informal and weather-dependent, but will concentrate on the unique flora, fauna, and landscape of this special place.
  
  We continue to the spectacular Barranco de Masca with a brief stay in the picturesque village before returning to Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
  
  * Please note that we do not include the cable car on our trip, as it is often closed due to weather and takes quite a chunk of time out of our day. Past travellers have also noted that time could be better spent down in the park, rather than removed far above it.
  
  Overnight in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 13: 

  Tenerife & La Laguna - Ferry to Gran Canaria: Island Touring
  This morning we board the ferry to Gran Canaria (approx 3 hours).
  
  Crowning an island of tall cliffs to the north and extensive beaches to the south, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a city which offers sun, sea and an exceptional historic legacy. The combination of the aboriginal Guanche culture, its colonial past, and the fact that it is only 90 miles from the coast of Africa create a distinctive character resulting from the mix of Europe, America, and Africa.
  
  We’ll head to the center of the Island: Tejeda is the home of the Nublo rock, the symbol of Gran Canary. The Tejeda depression arose from a volcanic crater, standing over which is a mountain crowned by several rocky promontories, such as the Nublo rock, an enormous chunk of basalt which is the symbol of Gran Canary, and the Bentayga rock, where you will find the Caves of the King, a sacred site in pre-Hispanic times which contains cave paintings. The landscape of the area features forests of Canary Islands pine and almond trees.
  
  Then we’ll head to Artenara. Almost the entire municipality of Artenara forms part of the Tamadaba Nature Reserve. In this setting framed by the massifs of Altavista and Tamada stands the Tejeda Crater, the biggest volcanic basin on the island. Outstanding in the town is the hermitage of the Virgen de La Cuevita and the surrounding area, in which there are major archaeological sites. The inhabitants still make ceramics, which means the local handicrafts are another of the area's tourist attractions.
  
  After a break for lunch, we'll visit Teror, an important centre of religion and pilgrimage. The faithful from the entire Canary Islands archipelago come to this place to worship the patron of the diocese, the Virgen del Pino. The festival in her honour is held every September with a traditional pilgrimage and popular dances. A tour of the historic quarter of the town lets you see religious buildings and ancestral homes which have sprung up around the sanctuary of the Virgin.
  
  Overnight in Las Palmas.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 14: 

  Depart
  Departure from Las Palmas.
  
  BUEN VIAJE!

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast

*The red tour trail on the map does not represent the actual travel path.