Azores Private Food & Wine Tour

Arrive at Ponta Delgada airport on São Miguel island today. Your private chauffeur will collect you by luxury Mercedes and settle into your villa. Freshen up and meet your friendly local guide, who will lead you on a personal food and wine walking tour of this very charming Azorean town. You will visit the buzzy market and hear anecdotes about the African and European culinary influences and unique ingredients that have shaped the food culture in the Azores.

Lunch will be an entertaining food and wine walking tour. You’ll make many fun and tasty stops with your guide at artisan purveyors of delicious local fruits, Mel dos Açores (wildflower honey made from the nectar of avocado and guava flowers), fresh-baked Bolo Lêvedo bread (akin to English muffins, delicious), São Miguel black rind cheese, “grilled lapas” (“limpets,” similar to clams), tender “bife” (local, mouthwatering steak), Fofas da Povoação (Azorean eclairs!), local wines, and more. Your guide will show you how and what the locals cook and dine, and you will gain a historical context on this short but fascinating tour. Very entertaining.

After lunch, switch gears and get ready for some fabulous scenery and fresh air. Your driver-guide will sweep you away to Lagoa do Fogo, the wondrous “Lagoon of Fire.” Then, on a private 4X4 “safari” with your local expert guide, you will take in some of the most spectacular vistas of your life. You’ll see emerald hills, the crater lake, and the thermal hot springs of Ribeira Grande and Caldeira Velha (complete with fern-shaded natural swimming pools and warm waterfalls). The lush setting feels like a movie set for an elf kingdom!

After the panoramic views and photo ops, we have another treat in store- visiting Europe’s oldest tea plantation! Gorreana has been cultivating tea since the 1880s, and you will have the opportunity to see their scenic estate with its exotic flora and sea views and fun little museum (with original machinery dating to the 1800s). The tasting of freshly picked tea is a million miles away from industrial supermarket tea; what a pleasure.

After this interesting visit, you will return to Ponta Delgada to rest and freshen up before the evening’s activities. First, you will sit at a fun and informative Portuguese & Azorean wine masterclass at a cozy wine bar with an extensive wine library. This will open your palate before heading to a fantastic dinner at Adega do Mestre André. This quaint, romantic little wine tavern is perfect for your first evening. Taste several local specialties in “petisco style” serving dishes, like black pudding with pineapple, roasted chourizo with potatoes and mushrooms, grilled octopus, red onions, and fresh calamari- accompanied by excellent wine.

Welcome to the Azores! After dinner, unwind with a digestif overlooking the ocean at your luxurious private seafront couple’s villa, complete with your little pool.

Following a delightful breakfast, your driver-guide will collect you for a day filled with unforgettable adventures. You will be whisked away on a thrilling jeep ride northwest to Sete Cidades, classified as one of the “Natural Wonders of Portugal.” The Caldeira das Sete Cidades (crater basin of the seven towns) is a geological wonder spread like a giant bowl over 12 kilometers wide. It was formed by a prehistoric volcanic eruption that was further changed to its current state in a massive eruption in the 15th century.

Today, you will visit the darling hamlet of Sete Cidades, the twin volcanic lagoons (one with blue water, the other with green water), the dreamy lakes of Lagoa das Empadadas and Lagoa de Santiago, and you’ll enjoy some gentle walks and stunning lookout points along the way. Remember the camera!

By late morning, you will be starving after this exhilarating tour. A gourmet picnic awaits in a private, panoramic location in beautiful nature with dazzling views! Your charming picnic basket will have a traditional Azorean spread with goodies like cinnamon cake, queijadas milk tartlets, homemade passionfruit jam and chutney, semi-cured goat’s cheese, pork pâté, chocolate beetroot cake, and pineapple rolls with black pudding. You will have great wine and nice stemware. Continue the wine tasting at a delightful boutique winery, Quinta da Jardinete, where you will be hosted by the owner on a private tour and tasting and learn all about their rare, volcanic wines. This is an intimate visit, great!

Before returning to the villa, we have a more fun in-store activity- a private cooking demo of the “cozido das Furnas.” This is a traditional stew cooked by boiling steam escaping from the Furnas fumaroles, which you will be exploring deeper tomorrow. Enjoy snacks and wines as part of the fun. Tomorrow, you will get to taste the cozido you prepared this afternoon!

The evening is yours to relax and dine at your villa resort or venture out to one of our fave restaurants like Tasquinha Vieira, a stylish eatery offering fresh, mainly organic Portuguese and Azorean cuisine, serving it with a contemporary twist.

After breakfast, you will have free time to enjoy your villa facilities and chillax today. Then, in the late morning, you will head towards the island’s eastern side with your driver-guide to Furnas, one of the most enchanting locations on the island. This extraordinary location is quite literally a “hotspot” of volcanic activity. A peaceful lake, bubbling geysers, and hot springs called “fumaroles” can be observed on a gentle walkway.

The lush setting of ferns, cycad palms, and thousands-year-old Ginkgo biloba trees, along with the sound of the water and boiling mud pools, is reminiscent of Jurassic Park. This natural phenomenon will blow you away! On a 4X4 tour, your knowledgeable local guide will show you the best private spots and islets for breathtaking video and photo opportunities and explain the geothermal marvel you are witnessing.

Lunch will be highly memorable today- the slow-cooked lunch you started in yesterday’s cooking demo, “cozido das Furnas.” This authentic Azorean dish is cooked by the volcanic steam of one of the fantastic fumaroles!! You will have chosen in advance what type of cozido- the meat cozido (a macho meal of beef, pork, chicken, chorizo sausage, and black pudding, along with root vegetables) or fish cozido (made with cod or hake, squid, potato, onion, garlic, and olives- our fave). This experience is a spectacle and life-affirming!

After lunch, you will spend the afternoon exploring the area between Furnas and Ribeira Quente (“Hot River”), including beautiful beaches with notably warm water thanks to the Gulf Stream.

Dinner will be on the way back to your villa at a seafood restaurant, served al fresco. Try Azorean tuna, bluemouth rockfish, bluejack mackerel, wreckfish, grilled octopus, and more, depending on what’s market-fresh. Of course, this being Portugal, you will enjoy the usual accompaniments of marinated olives, local cheese, delicious fresh bread, and an upscale wine flight. After dinner, your driver will escort you back to your villa, leaving you feeling at peace with the world!

We saved the best for last today. You cannot visit the Azores without taking advantage of getting (respectfully and responsibly) close to see the spectacular sea life here. Unbelievably, one-third of the world’s whale and dolphin species live year-round or migrate through the Azores islands. And thanks to the inspired marine management in place, the Azores archipelago is effectively our planet’s largest whale sanctuary! Throughout the year, in São Miguel, you can observe dignified sperm whales and friendly and playful bottlenose dolphins.

Then, depending on the time of year, you can also have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see blue whales and humpback whales, not to mention sei whales, baleen whales, pilot whales, beaked whales, striped dolphins, and spotted dolphins- to name a few! Along with cetaceans, you’ll see colonies of sea birds, turtles, and big game fish.

Your driver will take you to the pier this morning, where you will board a private Zodiac boat with your skipper and personal marine wildlife expert guide. Get ready for an incredible adventure! Spend the morning visiting the alluring coastline, bays, and the open sea, all with fascinating explanations and amusing anecdotes as you encounter the various aquatic animals. You will also be provided with snorkeling equipment on board. Weather and interest permitting, you can visit secluded beaches, swim and snorkel, and experience the island’s tropical coastal fauna and flora.

The rest of the afternoon will be yours to relax at your villa, go shopping or swimming, grab a bite for lunch on your own, etc. Dinner tonight, then is fine dining, a romantic affair at Otaka Restaurant. You will be served a creative, fun-tasting menu in a spacious, stylish corner paired with top Portuguese wines.

As your memorable journey in the Azores comes to a close, your dedicated chauffeur will be ready to ensure a seamless transfer to Ponta Delgada airport. Travel in the comfort of our luxury Mercedes, reflecting on the rich experiences and flavors you’ve encountered. Should you wish to continue this adventure, we’d be delighted to craft an extended bespoke tour for you in mainland Portugal. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for more details. From all of us here, thank you for choosing our Food and Wine Luxury Adventure. We cherish the memories made and eagerly anticipate the day we welcome you back. Safe travels, and until next time!