Our journeys to the Azores in 2018 and 2019 proved so popular that we plan to follow a similar itinerary as we hop through this impressive mid-Atlantic volcanic archipelago, this time including a stop on Pico Island. Distances are short allowing plenty of time to explore the islands as well as at least one full day of sailing.
During the journey the captain will decide on the best itinerary based on the weather and sea conditions in order to ensure all guests are comfortable and can get the most of these days.
We start and finish in Terceira. If the weather is good we hope to be able to stop on quiet anchorages around the central islands and to sail up the São Jorge Channel which offers the chance to spot for whales. Sperm whales are the resident species, along with blue, fin and sei whales. Bottlenose, Atlantic spotted and common dolphins also usual species here at this time of the year.
We plan to visit Pico Island, the serene island furthest South in the archipelago where the people have every right to be proud of their beautiful island, the second largest in the Azores and home to Portugal’s highest mountain, Mount Pico, at 2,351m. The climb to the top is tiring, but rewarded by panoramic views which, on a clear day, offer a glimpse of the nearby islands of Faial, Sao Jorge, and Terceira with Graciosa in the distance to the north. (A prebooked guide and good fitness is required to climb Pico)
Pico’s hot, dry climate, together with the mineral-rich lava soil and the stunning mosaic of black stone "currais" (plots) – makes the island perfect for the cultivation of vines, with its wine now internationally celebrated.
The extensive lava fields that dot the island’s landscape were declared a World Heritage by UNESCO in 2004.
A stop on Faial offers the chance to visit Horta and it’s the famous Peter's Café Sport bar frequented by yachtsmen since 1918. Stroll in the marina and marvel at the centuries old sailors art.
We finish our island hopping on Terceira docking in UNESCO-listed Angra do Heroísmo, the Azores' oldest city, with its 16th-century fortress and Renaissance town. Once you have disembarked consider visiting Algar do Carvão with its 90m-deep volcanic chimney, and the island’s small vineyards and lava-rock bathing pools in Biscoitos are popular tourist sites.
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