A 36-day Summer Vacation to the Islands of the Atlantic
Spain and Portugal and their islands
Day 1: FLIGHT
Fly from Boston to Lajes, Terceira, in the Azores. Enjoy the old town of Angra. Stay at the Beira Mar in Angra do Heroísmo.
Day 2: FOOT / BUS TOUR
Day to explore Terceira. See Algar do Carvão and Furnas do Enxofre (caves and steam vents). See Mata da Serrata. Explore Angra. Second night in Beira Mar.
Day 3: FLIGHT
Fly from Terceira to Ponta Delgada (São Miguel) in Azores. Look around Ponta Delgada. Stay at São Pedro in Ponta Delgada.
Day 4: RENT CAR FOR DAY
Drive to Caldeira das Sete Cidades, then on to Ribeira Grande on the north coast. Generally enjoy the countryside on São Miguel. Second night at São Pedro in Ponta Delgada.
Day 5: FLIGHT
Morning to look around Ponta Delgada some more. Then fly to Funchal, Madeira. See Funchal. Stay at Monte Carlo in Funchal.
Day 6: BUS and FOOT
Take a bus somewhere in the countryside and go for a long hike. Come back to Monte Carlo hotel in Funchal for a second night.
Day 7: RENTAL CAR
Spend a day driving around Madeira, visiting villages and enjoying scenery. Spend the night up on Pico do Arieiro at the Pousada do Pico do Arieiro. Enjoy the views.
Day 8: RENTAL CAR and FOOT
Drive back down to Funchal and spend a day exploring Funchal. Another night at the Monte Carlo in Funchal.
Day 9: FLIGHT
Fly from Madeira to Gran Canaria. Stay the night at Los Bardinos Sol in Las Palmas.
Day 10: FOOT
A day in the town of Las Palmas. See museums and churches. Second night at Los Bardinos Sol in Las Palmas.
Day 11: RENTAL CAR
Rent a car and drive around Gran Canaria. Go Snorkling in the afternoon. Return to Las Palmas for a third night at Los Bardinos Sol.
Day 12: FERRY
Take Hydrofoil from Las Palmas to Santa Cruz on Tenerife. Look around Santa Cruz. Stay at the Mencey in Santa Cruz.
Day 13: RENTAL CAR
Rent car and drive around Tenerife. Take cable-car to top of Pico Del Teide. Stay at Parador de las Cañadas del Teide for the night.
Day 14: RENTAL CAR
Hike around Parador de las Cañadas del Teide in the morning. In the afternoon drive to Puerto de la Cruz. Stay the night there at Monopol
Day 15: FOOT
A day to wander around Puerto de la Cruz. See the famous botanical gardens there. Second night at Monopol in Puerto de la Cruz.
Day 16: BUS / FLIGHT
Fly from Tenerife to Madrid. Day to rest. Night in Madrid at Serrano hotel.
Day 17: FOOT
The day to see the Prado.
Second night at Serrano in Madrid.
Day 18: FOOT
Day to see sights in Madrid.
Third night at Serrano in Madrid.
Day 19: RAIL
Train to Leon. Stay at the Quindós in Leon.
Day 20: FOOT
Explore Leon. See the Cathedral and Archeological Museum. Second night at the Quindós.
Day 21: RENTAL CAR
Drive from Leon, Spain to Bragança, Portugal. See the old town and castles. Stay at Bragança hotel near the walls in Bragança.
Day 22: RENTAL CAR
Morning to perhaps hike a bit in Parque Natural de Montezinho. Drive to Vila Real, stopping in Murça to see the granite boar just 40km from Vila Real. Stay at Do Caçedor in Macedo de Cavaleiros (Vila Real).
Day 23: RENTAL CAR
Drive south to Coimbra. IF the Festas da Nossa Senhora dos Remédios is happening, stop in Lamego to see it. If it is June 24th or a Tuesday stop in Viseu en route to see market or festival. Visit Buçaco National Park just north of Coimbra. Walk around Coimbra. Stay at the Dom Luis there.
Day 24: RENTAL CAR
Drive south to Lisbon. Turn in car. Take taxi to Dom Manuel hotel in Lisbon.
Day 25: FLIGHT
Fly from Lisbon to Sal Island, and then on to Praia on Santiago Island. Rest in Praia. Stay the night at Residencial Anjos in Praia.
Day 26: FOOT / BUS
Spend day walking around Praia. At 3:00 take the coastal bus to Tarrafal. Stay at Aldeia Turistica in Tarrafal for the night.
Day 27: FOOT
Go Snorkling and hiking a mile north of Tarrafal. Spend a second night at Aldeia Turistica in Tarrafal.
Day 28: BUS / FLIGHT
Take 6:00 am morning bus to Praia from Tarrafal. In Praia see some of the town before taking flight to Mindelo on São Vicente Island. In Mindelo make reservations for return flight to Praia. Stay at Porto Grande in Mindelo.
Day 29: FOOT
Spend the day in Mindelo. Stay a second night at the Porto Grande.
Day 30: FERRY / ake one hour ferry from Mindelo take the ferry to Porto Novo on Santo Antão Island. Stay the night at the Residencial Aliança, probably in Ribeira.
Day 31: TAXI / FOOT
Hike up the Ribeira Grande for a days hike. Second night at Residencial Aliança.
Day 32: FERRY
From Porto Novo on Santo Antão Island take one hour ferry to Mindelo on São Vicente Island. Stay again at the Porto Grande in Mindelo.
Day 33: FLIGHTS
From Mindelo fly to Sal Island and then back to Lisbon or fly via Praia to Sal Island and then on to Lisbon. Stay at the Palácio dos Seteais in Sintra district of Lisbon.
Day 34: FOOT / TAXI
A day to explore Lisbon.
Second night at Palácio dos Seteais.
Day 35: FOOT / BUS
A day to explore Sintra. Third night at Palácio dos Seteais. Prepare for return home.
Day 36: FLIGHT
Return home from Lisbon.
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5-Jun-15 |
Angra, Terceira, Azores |
Beira Mar in Angra do Heroísmo |
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6-Jun-15 |
Angra, Terceira, Azores |
Beira Mar in Angra do Heroísmo |
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7-Jun-15 |
Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, Azores |
São Pedro in Ponta Delgada |
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8-Jun-15 |
Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, Azores |
São Pedro in Ponta Delgada |
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9-Jun-15 |
Funchal, Madeira |
Monte Carlo in Funchal |
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10-Jun-15 |
Funchal, Madeira |
Monte Carlo in Funchal |
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11-Jun-15 |
Pico do Arieiro, Madeira |
Pousada do Pico do Arieiro |
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12-Jun-15 |
Funchal, Madeira |
Monte Carlo in Funchal |
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13-Jun-15 |
Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canary I. |
Los Bardinos Sol in Las Palmas |
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14-Jun-15 |
Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canary I. |
Los Bardinos Sol in Las Palmas |
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15-Jun-15 |
Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canary I. |
Los Bardinos Sol in Las Palmas |
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16-Jun-15 |
Santa Cruz, Tenerife, Canary I. |
the Mencey in Santa Cruz |
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17-Jun-15 |
Las Cañadas del Teide, Tenerife |
Parador de las Cañadas del Teide |
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18-Jun-15 |
Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Canary I. |
Monopol |
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19-Jun-15 |
Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Canary I. |
Monopol |
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20-Jun-15 |
Madrid, Spain |
Serrano hotel |
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21-Jun-15 |
Madrid, Spain |
Serrano hotel |
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22-Jun-15 |
Madrid, Spain |
Serrano hotel |
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23-Jun-15 |
Leon, Spain |
the Quindós |
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24-Jun-15 |
Leon, Spain |
the Quindós |
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25-Jun-15 |
Bragança, Portugal |
Bragança hotel |
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26-Jun-15 |
Vila Real, Portugal |
Do Caçedor in Macedo de Cavaleiros |
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27-Jun-15 |
Coimbra, Portugal |
the Dom Luis |
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28-Jun-15 |
Lisbon, Portugal |
Dom Manuel |
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29-Jun-15 |
Praia, Santiago, Cape Verde Islands |
Residencial Anjos |
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30-Jun-15 |
Tarrafal, Santiago, Cape Verde Islands |
Aldeia Turistica in Tarrafal |
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1-Jul-15 |
Tarrafal, Santiago, Cape Verde Islands |
Aldeia Turistica in Tarrafal |
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2-Jul-15 |
Mindelo, São Vicente, Cape Verde I. |
Porto Grande |
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3-Jul-15 |
Mindelo, São Vicente, Cape Verde I. |
Porto Grande |
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4-Jul-15 |
Ribeira, Santo Antão, Cape Verde I. |
Residencial Aliança |
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5-Jul-15 |
Ribeira, Santo Antão, Cape Verde I. |
Residencial Aliança |
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6-Jul-15 |
Mindelo, São Vicente, Cape Verde I. |
Porto Grande |
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7-Jul-15 |
Lisbon, Portugal |
Palácio dos Seteais |
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8-Jul-15 |
Lisbon, Portugal |
Palácio dos Seteais |
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9-Jul-15 |
Lisbon, Portugal |
Palácio dos Seteais |
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