Portugal – New Trip!
Azores Bike & Hike
Jun 28-Jul 4, 2008
Aug 9-15, 2008
Price: US$3095 for 7 days/6 nights.
Includes 4 dinners with wine, 2 picnics, farewell luncheon, and all breakfasts.
Terrain: Hilly to mountainous.
Total Cycling Mileage: 112-201 miles
Daily Hiking Options: 4 to 10 miles per day
Arrive: Ponta Delgada Airport
Depart: Ponta Delgada Airport
Located three-quarters of the way across the Atlantic between New York and Lisbon, the islands of the Azores are exotic gardens of fragrant flowers and Japanese cedars, hot springs and crater lakes. Our tour explores São Miguel, the largest of these little-known gems. The island’s once-active volcanic craters and cinder cones are now carpeted in green. Cherished mountain and coastal lookouts, known as “miradouros,” line our routes, each identified by a sign made of hand-painted tiles. Summer temperatures moderated by the Gulf Stream average a pleasant 77 degrees.
 Each day you’ll have a choice of exploring the island by bike or by foot, with our local guides showing the way. The terrain is mountainous, but well-graded coastal routes make for exhilarating cycling. In addition, a hardpack road crosses the forested interior for close-up views of 3640’ Pico da Vara, the highest point on São Miguel. Walkers will delight in the beautifully-built hiking routes recently introduced by the Regional Government of the Azores. A wide variety of trail hikes explores rocky seacoasts, dense forests, and crater lakeshores.
Our tour spends two full days in the Vale das Furnas, a luxuriant green valley of geysers and steam vents, healing mineral waters, and a botanical park with flora from around the world. We’ll swim in thermally-warmed ocean waters and soak under a hot waterfall! A dramatic ride or walk along the rim of a huge volcanic crater overlooks the twin green- and blue-tinted lakes of Sete Cidades, rumored to be the lost Atlantis. In the Serra de Tronqueira, we’ll visit the last remaining habitat of the priole (Azorean bullfinch), the most endangered bird in Europe, and learn about efforts to restore its native forest. Our adventure concludes in the sophisticated capital of Ponta Delgada, where Gothic and Manueline architecture recall the days of the Portuguese empire.
Our accommodations include a beachfront resort and an Art Deco era hotel with its own thermal swimming pond and thirty-acre botanical garden. Like the Azoreans themselves, the cuisine is colorful and hearty. You’ll sample spiced sausages with water yams, seafood casseroles, local wines and cheeses, and island-grown pineapples, guaranteed to be the sweetest you’ll ever taste. But your most memorable meal may be our cozido feast—a mélange of chicken, sausage, and vegetables simmered to perfection in a volcanic steam vent!
Itinerary
 Day
1:
Morning transfer from Ponta Delgada airport to the seaside village of Caloura, where our four-star hotel overlooks the rugged cliffs of the south coast. A warm-up ride or easy walk leads through the vineyards to Caloura harbor and a volcanic black sand beach. (2 mi. walking, 5 mi. biking)
Day 2: Follow the coast to Vila Franca for a swim in an ocean lagoon formed by an extinct volcano. Bikers pedal a spectacular climb over Pizões Pass, while hikers follow a coastal trail past deserted beaches and promontory views. A longer hiking option traces an ancient villagers’ track over the 1,500’ Pico da Areia. Three-night stay in Furnas at the Hotel Terra Nostra, a lovely resort reflecting the architecture and romantic spirit of the 1930s. (4 or 9 mi. hiking, 20 or 32 mi. biking)
Day 3: Cyclists start the day with panoramic views of Pico da Vara on a hardpack forest road lined with wild ginger and Japanese cedar. Hikers take a densely-wooded path to a hidden waterfall and visit the restored endemic forest at the Priole Environmental Center. Coastal miradouros highlight our picnic lunch and optional afternoon ride or hike. Tonight’s traditional cozido dinner is cooked in the “earth ovens” at Furnas Lake. (4 or 7 mi. hiking; 29, 42, or 50 mi. biking)
Day 4: Explore the Furnas geyser basin area: Hike from the Pico do Ferro overlook down to romantic paths around Furnas Lake, or bike a hydrangea-lined ridge with views to both sides of the island. Relax with a swim at Ribeira Quente, whose waters are naturally warmed by a steam vent hidden beneath the sea. Before dinner, stroll through our hotel’s botanical park, a 200-year-old refuge of winding paths, lily ponds, and exotic gardens. (6 mi. hiking; 11, 21, or 28 mi. biking)
 Day
5: Morning ride or shuttle to the north coast for a short hike and a visit to Europe’s only tea plantation. After lunch, enjoy a blissful soak under a hot waterfall! A challenging biking option climbs to a breathtaking view of the crater lake Lagoa do Fogo, while hikers follow a trail descending to the lake. Two-night stay in the capital city of Ponta Delgada, where our stylish hotel fronts the marina. (4 or 8 mi. hiking; 25, 31, or 43 mi. biking)
Day 6: Our grand finale leads to the caldera of Sete Cidades, where cyclists and walkers trace the volcanic rim for views of the twin lakes to one side and the Atlantic to the other. After a picnic along the Lagoa Azul, cyclists crest the Portal do Vento (Windy Pass) for a downhill sail back to Ponta Delgada, while hikers follow a trail through the island’s highest concentration of volcanic lakes and cones. Tonight’s dinner features traditional Azorean seafood specialties. (7 or 10 mi. hiking; 38 or 43 mi. biking)
Day
7: Free morning to visit Ponta Delgada’s colorful market, beautiful parks, or outstanding museum of native folk and fine art. Our farewell lunch at the Quinta Pico da Cruz is followed by a dressage demonstration of their purebred Lusitano horses. Late afternoon transfer to Ponta Delgada airport.
Easy Rider Tours has reserved a limited number of seats on direct flights between Boston and Ponta Delgada. Flights must be reserved at least 50 days before departure to guarantee availability. Call us for details. |
