When we booked the trip, we didn't know how large our group will be, so it was a nice surprise that there were only 7 of us, and we could travel in a small van. The guide was friendly and helpful, the lunch was plenty (actually double the size we would have needed), and the sights were beautiful. I can only recommend this activity to fellow travelers.

We were picked a little after 9 am. Our guide gauged what we have seen so that he could show us other and different places. We went to see how cozidos are cooked followed by a visit to the tea plantation. We really liked Furnas and had some sweetcorn boiled in the sulphur water (tasty). We were shown around 14 springs and we tried the water from each one of them. I don't think we would have done that without the guide. He was able to explain to us about the water and taste. Furnas is beautiful. The lunch (cozido) was absolutely delicious. We then visited the original Bolos Levedos bakery (sweet bread; so fresh). We visited the lake in Furnas and then went up to the viewpoint. Nordeste was next and we really enjoyed the waterfall and watermill. Because of the weather (fog and rain) we could not go to the lighthouse. Overall, we liked this tour as it is well organised and what we were shown beautiful. Our only recommendation would be for bottled water to be provided.

Choose Your Own Adventure

We initially picked this tour since it was the only one to specifically mention the tea factory and were pleasantly surprised by how many places we were able to fit into one day that we really wanted to see. I wouldn't suggest this tour for those seeking a very regimented approach to touring the island as it really is all based on what you want to do instead of following a specific itinerary. John was great at answering all of our random questions, so we learned much more than we would have by just renting a car. Lunch was also delicious.