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Terceira & Graciosa: between cultural and natural heritage
    • Portugal - Azores
    • 5 days
    • Walking
    • Self-guided
      • From April to October
    • 2 - 10 travellers
      • Comfort
      • Charming
      • Trip code : L1204
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About the Terceira & Graciosa: between cultural and natural heritage trip

About your walking trip in the Azores

In the archipelago of the Azores, Terceira and Graciosa complete the core group formed by Pico, Faial and Sao Jorge.

Terceira is best known for its capital city Angra do Heroismo, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and certainly the most beautiful city of the archipelago. On this self-guided Azores walking tour, you will discover sites with still active volcanoes, paths strewn with amazing "volcanic bombs", wooded sites and beautiful agricultural landscapes with lava stone walls.

Just a quick hop on the plane and you arrive on Graciosa, the little sister island. Here, time seems to have stood still. The gentle landscape, with country lanes, beautiful caves, natural pools and a small black sand beach make this an ideal location to rest and find calm and serenity. Enjoy the silence, you are in the heart of the Azores !

Highlights of the trip

  • The discovery of Angra do Heroismo classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Car rental included on Terceira island allowing you to roam freely around the island and choose your hikes or visits! 
  • Explore the sweet island of Graciosa, rarely visited and classified as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO
  • Domestic return flight to Graciosa Island as well as all transfers included on the island
  • Combine this 5 days trip with one of our trips in the Azores ! 



    Go private or go guided ! Customize your holidays with a local specialist here 

From the blog

Terceira & Graciosa, between cultural and natural heritage : Day by Day

Day 1 - Terceira Island

walking tour azores start at Angra do Heroismo

  • End of your first walking trip in the Azores.
  • Flight to Terceira Island (not included). Pick up your car rental at the airport and drive to the south. This peaceful and rural island is where the festival of the "Holy Spirit" takes place on Easter Sunday. This strong religious imprint is reflected in the presence of more than 100 Imperios, a baroque or neo-Gothic chapel, richly coloured and decorated. The Terceira island is home to Angra do Heroismo, a UNESCO world heritage site and quite possibly the most beautiful city of the Azores with its harmonious architecture with most monuments dating back to the 17th and 18th century.

  • Confort :  Drive to Angra do Heroismo. Depending on your arrival time, take a stroll on the Monte Brazil, a volcano that emerged after the formation of the island, from where you can enjoy a stunning view of the Angra bay.
  • Night in Angra do Heroismo

  • Charming : Drive to your accommodation located 15km from Angra do Heroismo for a restful night’s sleep facing the ocean.
  • Night in Santa Barbara

Day 2 - Discovery of Terceira island

azores walk tour in terceira

  • Today take your hire car and drive across the island. With the island being quite small you will be able to do a few of the suggestions below in the same day.   

  • Option 1 : Gruta do Natal > Misterios Negros > Gruta do Natal 
    1hour 30 - 5,2 km / 3,2 miles - Ascent: +165 m / Descent: -165 m
    . Possibly one of the most untamed itineraries on this island! Along small swampy lakes at first, this hike will take you through a dense and endemic forest (the primary forest) to the Misterios Negros, these round lava hills formed during the eruption of 1761, and dotted around the landscape like molehills

  • Option 2 : Rocha do Chambre
    3 hours 30 - 8,5km /5,2 miles - Ascent: +250 m / Descent: -250 m
    . This hike can be combined with the Misterios Negros hike in the same day.
    . A lovely loop hike that winds its way through a dense forest of heather and cryptomerias before climbing the cliffs and the large rock face of Rocha do Chambre. The return is through pastures and wide paths bordered with endemic vegetation.

  • In Between those two walks (or instead of), you may also take the time to  :
    . go for a swim in the volcanic swimming pool of Biscoitos only a 10 min drive from the departure point of both walks.
    . on your way Furnas do Enxofre, visit an impressive example of active volcanism. A landscaped path winds through a field of fumaroles with sulphurous vapors, just amazing ! (free entrance)
    . dedicate your day to driving around the island and discovering small villages like Praia da Vittoria, the mountain of Serra de Santa Barbara, the viewpoint from Serra do Cume overlooking a giant patchwork of carefully squared cultures of basalt walls.
  • Night in Angra do Heroismo or Santa Barbara
  • MEALS included: Breakfast

Day 3 - Graciosa, the peaceful white island

azores hike stay in graciosa

  • Return your hire car to the airport and fly out to Graciosa Island (30 minutes flight). Welcome to the island of tranquility ! Classified by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve (along with Flores and Corvo), Graciosa is the second smallest island of the archipelago and also one of the flattest with several plains and gentle hills. The rich soil and the mild climate were an excellent breeding ground for cereal and vineyards in the 18th century. Today, only the windmills remain witness to this glorious past and are a symbol of the island.
  • Comfort : Private taxi transfer to nearby Santa Cruz, the main town of the island. Check in to your hotel facing the sea.
  • Charming : Private taxi transfer to Praia Sao Mateus where you will enjoy the black sand beach of Graciosa. You will spend the next two nights in an unusual type of accommodation: an ancient windmill that has been converted into an authentic and charming rural accommodation
  • Night in Praia or Santa Cruz
  • MEALS included: Breakfast

Day 4 - Caldeira of Graciosa

azores volcano walk stay in Caldeira Graciosa

  • Praia > Furna do Enxofre > Baia da Folga 
    4hour 30 - 18,2 km / 11 miles - Ascent: +625 m / Descent: -615 m
  • From Praia de Mateus, the path will take you up to the Caldeira where you can visit 3 volcanic cavities including the Furna do Enxofre, one of the biggest natural domes in the world. The panoramic path that goes around the caldeira gives you beautiful views over the southern coast of the island but also over Terceira, Sao Jorge, Pico and Faial (depending on the weather conditions) before walking down to the small fisherman port of Baia da Folga.
  • Night in Praia or Santa Cruz
  • MEALS included: Breakfast
     

Day 5 - Flight back to Terceira

azore hike trip Praia Graciosa

  • After breakfast, transfer to the airport. Flight back to Terceira
    Then you take a domestic flight to either Faial, Sao Miguel or Terceira to get your connecting flight or continue  your Azores walking holiday with one of our tours on these islands.
  • MEALS included: Breakfast

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    Trip details
    Terceira & Graciosa: between cultural and natural heritage
        • Portugal - Azores
        • 2 adults (2x695€)
        • 0 children (0x695€)
      • 5 days
      • Comfort
    Total 1390€
    Deposit 420€
    Book now !