AMAZING AZORES

Day 1: Hello Terceira & Volcanic Landscapes

After settling into our accommodation in Praia da Vitória, a seaside town on Terceira’s east coast with the island’s largest sandy beach, we meet for a welcome lunch. In the afternoon, we head to Serra da Ribeirinha, overlooking Terceira’s patchwork of green fields and the coastline, with Ilhéus das Cabras offshore. We end the day at Pico Dona Joana, one of my favorite places to fly a drone in the Azores, where the volcanic cone rises out of the fields with Ilhéus das Cabras and the Atlantic in the background.

Day 2: Coastal Light & Volcanic Interiors

We start at Serretinha Natural Pools, with early light on Ilhéus das Cabras, a great spot for foregrounds and reflections. We then return to Pico Dona Joana, where the morning light shows a completely different side of the same landscape. After lunch, we visit Algar do Carvão, one of the few volcanic chimneys in the world you can walk into, a real challenge for low-light photography. We end the day at Biscoitos, photographing the lava pools and the waves breaking on the black basalt coastline.

Day 3: Heritage Streets, Forest Roads & The Great Patchwork

Our morning begins at Ponta das Contendas, where dark lava meets the Atlantic and the lighthouse gives us a strong focal point. We then walk the historic streets of Angra do Heroísmo, a UNESCO World Heritage city full of colorful facades and street scenes. In the afternoon, we explore Terceira’s forest roads and the Black Forest, where mist and dense vegetation create a moody atmosphere. We finish our time on Terceira at Serra do Cume, photographing the patchwork fields at sunset.

Day 4: Land of Cheese & Volcanic Coastlines

We take a morning flight to São Jorge, known for its rugged landscape and the best cheese in the Azores. After settling in, we have lunch together. In the afternoon, we explore the coastline near our base, with lava formations and basalt arches and Pico Island in the background.

Day 5: Fajãs, Cliffs & The Rosais Peninsula

We start at Fajã dos Cubres viewpoint, overlooking Fajã da Caldeira de Santo Cristo on the north coast. Here the drone completely changes the composition, and on clear days we can even see Pico in the background. After breakfast, we have an image review and editing session. In the evening, we head to the Rosais area at the western tip of the island, home to some of my favorite locations on São Jorge, with views of Pico to the south, sea cliffs to the north, and the Ponta dos Rosais lighthouse to finish.

Day 6: Peaks, Coffee & Natural Pools

We start at Ribeira do Nabo beach, five minutes from our accommodation, using the waves as foreground for long exposures with Pico as the backdrop. Weather permitting, we then drive up to the island’s highest peaks, often covered in low clouds but with great compositions when conditions allow. From there, we head east to Topo, stopping at different fajãs along the way and for a local coffee at Fajã dos Vimes. After lunch and some rest, we end the day at Poça Simão Dias in Fajã do Ouvidor, one of the most beautiful natural pools in the Azores.

Day 7: Arrival & Tea Fields of São Miguel

We take a morning flight to São Miguel. After lunch and some time to relax, we head to the Gorreana Tea Plantation, Europe’s oldest tea fields, a great place to work with patterns and composition. We finish with sunset on the north coast cliffs at Santa Bárbara or Cintrão, depending on conditions.

Day 8: Coastlines, Furnas & Geothermal Landscapes

We begin by photographing Ilhéu de Vila Franca from the shoreline, ideal for minimalist compositions. We then head to Furnas and Terra Nostra Park, with its gardens, steam, and colorful geothermal waters, with time to enjoy the thermal pool. Lunch is a traditional Cozido das Furnas, slow-cooked underground using volcanic heat. In the evening, we cross the island to Mosteiros to photograph the sea stacks at sunset, working with long exposures and wave movement.

Day 9: Lagoa do Fogo & Sete Cidades

We start early with sunrise at Lagoa do Fogo, as the light spills into the crater. After breakfast, we have an editing session with advanced techniques in Lightroom and Photoshop. In the afternoon, we head west to the Sete Cidades highlands, photographing Lagoa do Pau Pique and Lagoa do Canário, then the main caldera with Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde. We end the day overlooking the lakes at golden hour, one of the most recognizable views in the Azores.

Day 10: Santa Iria and Return Home

We start the morning at Miradouro de Santa Iria on the north coast for a final session, with steep green cliffs and a long stretch of coastline. For drone pilots, it is a great place for one last flight. After a farewell breakfast, transfers to the airport are arranged based on your departure time. I hope you leave with great photographs and memories of the Azores.