Azores & Lisbon: Self-Launched Island Hopper
13 days · Azores & Lisbon, Portugal
Collette charges £3,950
No-markup version: ~£1,057 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Collette's 13-day "Azores Jewels of Portugal" — island-hopping São Miguel, Faial and Terceira on cheap inter-island flights and local buses, then finishing in Lisbon. You'll see the same calderas, volcanoes, tea plantation, volcanic pools and UNESCO towns, but book guides by the trip via GetYourGuide or locally, sleep in hostels and guesthouses, and eat at tascas. Realistic mid-range backpacker budget: roughly £2,300-2,700 all-in including inter-island flights and the hop to Lisbon.
Day-by-day
Fly to Ponta Delgada, São Miguel
Ponta Delgada, São Miguel
Fly into Ponta Delgada (PDL) — from the UK, direct SATA/Azores Airlines flights from London or via Lisbon. Check into a guesthouse in the old town and take an easy first evening: walk the black-and-white basalt seaside promenade, grab a beer at the marina and eat a cheap dinner of grilled fish at a tasca. Pick up a local bus day pass or confirm your car-share plans for the next few days.
🚌Flight to Ponta Delgada (not included in total if booked separately — budget ~£80-180 return from UK or a cheap intra-Europe fare). Airport bus to town ~£2.
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Ponta Delgada old town (private twin ~£30-45/night, dorm ~£18)
- →Seaside promenade walk
- →Portas da Cidade (city gates) photo stop
- →Marina evening
Ponta Delgada walking day — markets & churches
Ponta Delgada, São Miguel
Do Collette's guided city walk yourself with a self-guided route: Igreja Matriz de São Sebastião, the Portas da Cidade, and the Mercado da Graça farmers' market (mornings, closed Sundays — great for local cheese, pineapple and Azorean pastries). Afternoon: free entry to the Carlos Machado Museum or stroll the Jardim António Borges. Evening: cheap dinner at a local restaurant around Rua da Boavista.
🚌Walkable city — no transport needed (~£0). Bus top-ups ~£3.
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Ponta Delgada
- →Self-guided old town walk
- →Mercado da Graça farmers market
- →Igreja Matriz de São Sebastião
- →Carlos Machado Museum (optional, ~£4)
Sete Cidades caldera & pineapple plantation
Sete Cidades / Ponta Delgada
Book a small-group Sete Cidades half-day tour on GetYourGuide (~£30-40) or take the public bus to Sete Cidades if you're on a tight budget. You'll see the twin blue and green lakes from the Miradouro da Boca do Inferno and Miradouro da Vista do Rei, and stop in the crater village. Add an independent visit to a pineapple plantation (e.g. Plantação de Ananás dos Açores, ~£5 entry) — self-guided greenhouse walk and tasting. Evening: welcome-style dinner at a local restaurant is optional.
🚌Small-group tour van (~£30-40 incl. pickup) or public bus to Sete Cidades (~£4 return)
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Ponta Delgada
- →Sete Cidades twin lakes viewpoints
- →Boca do Inferno miradouro
- →Pineapple plantation greenhouse tour & tasting
- →Crater village of Sete Cidades
Furnas Valley — cozido, tea plantation & hot springs
Furnas, São Miguel
Take the public bus from Ponta Delgada to Furnas (~£4, ~1hr) or a shared shuttle. Pre-book a cozido das furnas lunch at a local restaurant (~£18) — the stew cooked underground in volcanic steam, usually reserved 24-48h ahead. Visit the Gorreana tea plantation (free entry, self-guided factory walk, tea tasting ~£3) and the Terra Nostra Botanical Garden with its 18th-century thermal pool (~£9). Optionally see the Furnas lake cooking pits and the Caldeiras mud pools. Bus back in the evening.
🚌Public bus Ponta Delgada–Furnas return ~£8, or shared shuttle ~£12
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Ponta Delgada
- →Cozido das furnas lunch
- →Gorreana tea plantation self-guided tour & tasting
- →Terra Nostra Botanical Garden & thermal pool
- →Furnas caldeiras and lake
Whale watching & Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada, São Miguel
Book a whale and dolphin watching boat trip direct with a local operator or via GetYourGuide (~£55-65, 3 hours, very high sighting rates in the Azores). Afternoon free: relax at the Milicias or Populo ocean pools, or hike the coastal trail toward São Roque. In place of Collette's home-hosted dinner, book a local cooking class or dinner with a host via Airbnb Experiences (~£25) for a similar cultural evening.
🚌Walk/urban bus ~£3
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Ponta Delgada
- →Whale and dolphin watching boat trip
- →Ocean natural pools (Milicias)
- →Optional local home-style dinner or cooking class
Fly to Faial — Horta town & marina
Horta, Faial
Short inter-island flight Ponta Delgada to Horta (~£60-90 one-way with SATA/Azores Airlines; book early). Check into a guesthouse in Horta. Self-guided walk: the famous marina and yacht club murals (leave your own painting if you like), the São Francisco church and the old fort. In the afternoon, take a local bus or taxi out to the Capelinhos Volcano Interpretation Centre (~£4 entry) where the 1957 eruption added new land to the island.
🚌Inter-island flight ~£75; local bus/taxi to Capelinhos ~£8 return
🛏Guesthouse in Horta (~£30-40/night)
- →Horta marina murals
- →Capelinhos Volcano Interpretation Centre
- →Horta old town & fort
Pico Island day trip — vineyards & volcano
Pico Island, Azores
Day-trip by ferry from Horta to Madalena on Pico (~£12-18 return, 30min). Hire a scooter or join a small-group tour of the UNESCO-listed Pico vineyard landscape (~£35-50) — dry-stone corrals stretching to the sea, plus lava-rock villages and a wine tasting at a co-operative winery (~£8). If you're fit, consider a guided climb of Mount Pico with a certified guide (only option for the summit — check conditions, ~£120, book ahead) or just hike low-altitude trails instead. Ferry back to Horta in the evening.
🚌Ferry Horta–Madalena return ~£15; scooter or van tour ~£35
🛏Guesthouse in Horta
- →UNESCO Pico vineyard landscape
- →Pico wine tasting
- →Lava-rock coastal scenery
- →Optional guided Mount Pico climb
Fly to Terceira — Angra do Heroísmo
Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira
Fly Horta to Terceira (~£60-90). Settle into a guesthouse in UNESCO-listed Angra do Heroísmo. Do a self-guided walk of the 16th-century town: the Sé Cathedral, the yellow-and-white town hall square, and the colourful Holy Ghost chapels (impérios) you'll spot around town. Dinner at a local restaurant — try alcatra (clay-pot beef stew), a Terceira speciality (~£15).
🚌Inter-island flight ~£75; town is walkable
🛏Guesthouse in Angra do Heroísmo (~£30-40/night)
- →Angra do Heroísmo UNESCO old town self-guided walk
- →Sé Cathedral
- →Holy Ghost chapels (impérios)
- →Alcatra dinner
Biscoitos pools & Algar do Carvão lava tube
Terceira
Book a half-day small-group island tour via GetYourGuide (~£40-50) or rent a car for the day with a fellow traveller (~£35 plus fuel). Highlights: swim in the natural volcanic rock pools at Biscoitos, the panoramic Serra do Cume viewpoint over the green patchwork fields, and the descent into the Algar do Carvão lava tube — one of very few you can walk inside (~£8 entry, check opening days). Evening free in Angra.
🚌Small-group tour or shared car hire ~£45
🛏Guesthouse in Angra do Heroísmo
- →Biscoitos natural volcanic pools
- →Serra do Cume viewpoint
- →Algar do Carvão lava tube descent
Western Terceira — cheese, coffee & petiscos
Terceira
Free morning in Angra — the public gardens, the marina or a coastal walk to Monte Brasil (easy 2-hour loop with views). In the afternoon, rent a car or join a western Terceira half-day tour (~£40) to see the organic coffee plantation, local banana trees, and a family cheese factory with tasting and light lunch (~£10). For a petiscos-style evening, eat your way around Angra's bars with small plates — cheese, morcela sausage, local wines (~£18).
🚌Shared car hire or half-day tour ~£40
🛏Guesthouse in Angra do Heroísmo
- →Monte Brasil coastal hike
- →Coffee plantation & banana tasting
- →Family cheese factory tour
- →Petiscos bar crawl
Fly to Lisbon
Lisbon
Short hop flight Terceira to Lisbon (~£60-100 with TAP or Azores Airlines, ~2.5hrs). Check into a hostel or guesthouse in Príncipe Real or Baixa (~£30-45/night). Afternoon wander: Alfama's alleys, the Miradouro de Santa Luzia viewpoint, and a pastel de nata at a local bakery (~£1.50). Evening: cheap dinner with wine in Bairro Alto (~£15).
🚌Inter-island-to-mainland flight ~£80; Lisbon metro from airport ~£2
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in central Lisbon (~£30-45/night)
- →Alfama neighbourhood walk
- →Miradouro de Santa Luzia
- →Pastéis de nata tasting
Lisbon — Belém, Jerónimos & farewell dinner
Lisbon
Morning: take tram 15 or the train to Belém (~£2) and do a self-guided panorama — Belém Tower, the Monument to the Discoveries and the outside of Ajuda National Palace. Pre-book a skip-the-line ticket to Jerónimos Monastery (~£12-15 on GetYourGuide or direct via the official site) and visit the free Belém Cultural Centre. Optional: a local food tour (~£50) or the LX Factory market. Farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant in Cascais-bound style or a Lisbon fado house (fado dinner ~£25-30).
🚌Tram 15 / train to Belém return ~£4
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in central Lisbon
- →Belém Tower & Monument to the Discoveries
- →Jerónimos Monastery (skip-the-line ticket)
- →Ajuda National Palace exterior
- →Optional fado dinner or food tour
Departure from Lisbon
Lisbon
Final morning: last coffee and pastel de nata, maybe the Feira da Ladra flea market (if Tuesday/Saturday) or a walk up to Castelo de São Jorge. Metro to the airport for your flight home. Book the return leg from Lisbon rather than Ponta Delgada to avoid backtracking.
🚌Metro to airport ~£2
🛏N/A — depart
- →Feira da Ladra flea market (market days)
- →Castelo de São Jorge viewpoint
Self-launched vs. Collette
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Collette | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,057 | £3,950 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,893 per person (73%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Collette-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,057
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Azores & Lisbon: Self-Launched Island Hopper cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,057 per person for 13 days in Azores & Lisbon, Portugal. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Collette?+
Yes — Collette charges around £3,950 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,057 — a saving of roughly £2,893 (73%) per person.
How long is the Azores & Lisbon, Portugal trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 day-by-day stops through Azores & Lisbon, Portugal.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, slow-travel, adventure trip through Azores & Lisbon, Portugal, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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