Azores

Depart for the Azores, traveling to São Miguel Island.

Arrive in São Miguel and begin orienting to island life with a guided walking exploration of Ponta Delgada, examining how maritime history, religion, and trade shaped the island’s main urban center.

Travel toward Sete Cidades for scenic viewpoints and a picnic overlooking crater lakes and volcanic landscapes. 

Later, participate in a traditional azulejos painting workshop, learning how ceramic tilework has been used for centuries to tell stories, mark public space, and preserve cultural identity across Portugal and its islands.

The day concludes with a program overview and reflection on how geography, isolation, and culture shape island communities.

Spend the day working alongside marine biologists on the open ocean. Board a Zodiac to observe whales, dolphins, and other marine life while learning to use photo-identification techniques to identify species and individual animals.

Engage in hands-on research activities, including microplastic sampling, acoustic data collection using hydrophones, and biological observation. Discussions focus on how scientific data informs conservation policy and responsible wildlife tourism.

Travel to Pico Island and explore the island’s whaling history through museums, archival materials, and conversation with a former whaler. Examine how skills once used for hunting have been redirected toward research, craftsmanship, and conservation.

Participate in a traditional whale boat experience, connecting physical labor, maritime knowledge, and shifting cultural values.

Take a day trip to Faial Island to explore the Capelinhos Volcano and interpretation center, examining how eruptions reshape land, livelihoods, and opportunity.

Engage in a hands-on cultural workshop tied to maritime history and storytelling, reflecting on how memory and identity persist even as industries evolve. Return to Pico in the evening.

Return to São Miguel and shift focus from ocean to land-based conservation. Engage with a local conservation organization working to restore habitat for the endemic priolo bird, one of Europe’s most threatened species.

Participate directly in land restoration efforts, examining how invasive species management, reforestation, and long-term monitoring support biodiversity recovery. Discussions connect conservation science to community involvement and policy support.

Travel to Furnas, where volcanic heat shapes both landscape and culture. Participate in a traditional cooking experience, preparing cozido using natural fumaroles.

Spend the afternoon exploring botanical gardens and thermal pools, examining how geothermal energy is integrated into wellness, tourism, and daily life. Share a final group meal featuring the dish prepared earlier in the day.

Conclude the program with a final debrief connecting marine conservation, habitat restoration, cultural identity, and environmental stewardship. Reflect on how the Azores model adaptation, resilience, and responsibility before departing for home.