Quick Details
Scheduled trips for 2025.
Check our online calendar!
This exclusive experience offers flexible dates. Please send us an inquiry to ensure a personalized and unforgettable journey on Pico Island.
Escape to the enchanting Pico Island for a luxurious 4 day retreat, specifically curated to warm your spirit between October and April.
Escape to the enchanting Pico Island for a luxurious 4 day retreat, specifically curated to warm your spirit between October and April. This low-season voyage is made in collaboration with local winemakers and sommeliers (which may include the acclaimed Black Sheep team or the enologist and wine producer Cátia Laranjo from ETNOM Wines, amongst others), and features a private Chef to pamper us during our trip. Here, the focus is on a rich culinary experience paired with exclusive Pico wine tastings from local independent producers, as well as selected labels from across Portugal.
Delve into the heart of Pico’s wine scene with evenings dedicated to low-intervention wines, historical vintages, and experimental bottles from across Portugal, all crafted by small-scale independent winemakers. This intimate gathering is a unique opportunity to uncover the stories behind each bottle, learning about the producers’ challenges, techniques, and unique experiences.
Additionally, enhance your wine and culinary skills through hands-on sessions with renowned winemakers, who are eager to share their know-how and skills with you. Together, through various sessions and workshops, you can explore wine pairings, deepen your appreciation and understanding of wine tasting, and even participate in cooking workshops with food that matches the wines you’ll be getting acquainted with. Immerse yourself in the local culture, where wine and food are so central to social and cultural exchanges!
Portugal is a premier destination for wine enthusiasts, and this retreat on Pico Island presents a rare chance to taste exceptional wines that typically never reach foreign markets, due to their extremely limited production. More than focusing on tasting wine, this multi day tour is about experiencing the diverse terroirs of Portugal, with a particular focus on UNESCO protected Pico! The gastronomy is just as varied, featuring a mix of fine dining restaurants, traditional eateries, and on-site chefs who expertly pair each dish with our wine selections.
Optional activities such as trekking, museum visits, water sports, and even relaxing massages can be tailored to the group’s preferences and the whims of the island’s weather.
The selected house is equipped with comforts like a sauna, enhancing the cozy, indulgent atmosphere of your stay. Alternatively, accommodations may be arranged at the spectacular Azores Wine Company vineyard hotel or another exquisite location, subject to availability.
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- Curated wine pairings at the award-winning Azores Wine Company. Gain exclusive backstage access during a private visit to the winery and savor wines from bottles not available on the market.
- Fine dining at Bioma, where two talented chefs who specialize in fishing and foraging create dishes rooted deeply in the local environment and context. Enjoy their incredible sense of place and the spectacular views that inspire the restaurant’s name.
- Exclusive curated food experiences with Pico locals: Spend a day around the childhood food tables of native hosts, indulging in Portuguese cuisine through homemade meals prepared by our Chef/hosts. Meet a multigenerational wine-producing family, learn their history, visit their home (now an ethnographic museum), and savor their wine alongside a meal crafted from forgotten recipes you won’t find in restaurants, with menus inspired by their cherished memories.
- Enjoy meals expertly paired with wines at various scenic locations, from fine dining to traditional settings.
- Sample exclusive, small-batch wines from Pico and other Portuguese regions.
- Connect with winemakers at their vineyards to hear their stories and understand their craft.
- Discover the UNESCO Heritage of Pico Vineyards, get to taste limited editions of Pico Wine, and meet local wine producers who are at the forefront of this landscape and sustainable revolution.
- Sample a wine unique in the whole world, which goes for €600 a bottle: this is the same wine that Russian tsars used to drink, from vineyards with more than 130 years old. This wine has 18% alcohol but is not fortified – is this a miracle?!
- Taste farm-to-table products and discover their terroir (namely a hydroponic small farm, cheeses with PDO status, PGI grass-fed beef, tropical fruits, coffee) and sample the utmost fresh seafood: the diversity of the Atlantic Ocean on your plate, including goose barnacles, the best tuna in Europe, and so much more!
- Stay in a cozy villa with upscale amenities, or in a unique vineyard hotel.
- Our amazing Azores Oh! My Cod hosts and philosophy are available to you 24/7 during this trip.
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4 nights at a luxurious accommodation
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Curated food experiences from local traditional restaurants, fine dining, private Chef cooking, locals cooking hosting (all meals and drinks included in OMC activities).
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Full admission to all proposed activities, locations and events (trekking, cooking class, cultural events, museums, gastronomic experiences at restaurants or private, wine tastings, behind-the-scenes cultural experiences, massages)
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Multiple exclusive Pico wine tastings from local independent producers, as well as selected labels from across Portugal.
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Two OMC hosts food and cultural experts throughout the entire experience and an OMC Chef on specific days and events.
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Transportation during all activities mentioned in the program
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Private transfers to and from Pico airport or ferry terminal (arrival and departure day)
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THE “TRIANGLE ISLANDS” OF THE AZORES
Pico Island is strategically located in the so-called Azorean Triangle, close to two other islands, Faial and São Jorge, that can be reached by ferry boat in as little as half an hour.
Pico has a very unique ecosystem due to the black Volcanic rock present all over the island. Thanks to the local’s tenacity who, against all odds, among other achievements, managed to grow fantastic grapes from rocks in the landscape of Pico Wine, which since 2004 has been considered a UNESCO World Heritage site!
Pico Island is also where you can climb the highest mountain in Portugal, Mount Pico, that reaches 2351 m / 7713 ft high.
WHAT IS OUR PHILOSOPHY? WHAT DISTINGUISH US?
I fell in love with these islands, especially with Pico, when I spent several months there living, working, tasting and exploring. These personal experiences allowed me to create natural connections that I have shared with small groups of travelers since 2021, through these cultural and culinary trips, which emerged organically as part of the fabric of my life – as happened to all OMC tours and experiences which are always authentic, eclectic and deeply rooted in the region and its people!
My background in Anthropology gives me tools to better understand how food and beverages are manifestations of local traditions and communities, embedded into a certain place or culture.
We facilitate access to experiences beyond what other commercial travel agents can book and that would be difficult for you to conceptualize alone or in a short time. Our organized activities have structure and fluidity. You’ll ‘live’ an authentic connection with people and local culture in a fun and relaxed way.
At OMC we preach and practice ‘transformative tourism’ meaning your experience has the potential to change you positively. Each time we organize one of our events we bear this in mind. We only work with small groups and exclusive experiences. We emphasize local narratives and personal stories rather than ‘universal’ theories. We believe we are all cultural actors and creators with our part to play.
Finally, it’s part of OMC’s spirit to be eclectic, which means we offer you experiences that range from traditional to innovative, from award-winning producers to exclusive and homemade meals cooked by natives, where the oral and popular knowledge dialogue with the ‘scientific’ one, where dominant narratives/products/wines are questioned by subversive ones.
Note from the founder, Sílvia Olivença, member of the Slow Food Foundation.
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- Flights and/or ferry to and from Pico island
- Other activities and costs not listed as included on the weekly OMC itinerary
- Travel insurance. Kindly note insurance is mandatory. If you don’t have your own travel insurance, we can arrange it for you
- Visa to Portugal, if applicable
- On-going trips to other islands before or after our Culinary trip (but we are happy to make suggestions!)
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We embrace a willingness to try new things! But we try our best to accommodate dietary restrictions (vegetarian, pescatarian, keto diet, and others) and food allergies (celiac disease, diary-free, and others). Please contact us about any specific restrictions or food allergies.
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We have chosen to do this experience in Pico because of its charms, but also because it’s a low-density destination. We give preference to accommodations, restaurants and other establishments that have been awarded the “Safe & Clean” seal by Tourism of Portugal (just like our very own company!), attesting to practices following the General Directorate for Health guidelines, while maintaining the quality of the experience.
We have a strong commitment to sustainability: all of our experiences/trips are designed to work closely with the local communities and are co-constructed and co-designed with them. Instead of aiming for a minimal impact on the community, we pursue a positive impact and a transformative type of tourism where local communities, businesses, local knowledge, and narratives are empowered and an essential part of what we do.
Silvia Olivença, the founder of OMC, who designed and is one of the hosts of this trip, is a member of the Slow Food Foundation.- We have chosen to do this experience in Pico because of its charms, but also because it’s a low-density destination. We give preference to accommodations, restaurants and other establishments that have been awarded the “Safe & Clean” seal by Tourism of Portugal (just like our very own company!), attesting to practices following the Directorate-General-Directorate for Health guidelines, while maintaining the quality of the experience. We have chosen to do this experience in Pico because of its charms, but also because it’s a low density destination.Furthermore, our guides are fully vaccinated against Covid and we give preference to accommodations, restaurants and other establishments that have been awarded the “Safe & Clean” seal by Tourism of Portugal (just like our very own company!), attesting to practises being in accordance with the Directorate-General for Health guidelines.
Travel Leaders & Narrators
Founder and CEO of Oh! My Cod, food host, clinical psychologist and anthropologist. Silvia traveled to Pico for the first time in 2017 and has been back as often as possible ever since. To say she has a soft spot for this island is an understatement. She likes it there so much that she even started doing group trips to have a fun and delicious excuse to keep coming back! After the success of the experiences organized during the summer of 2021, each year has been enriched with even more opportunities for great experiences.
Marina was born and raised in Lisbon. However, since she was 7 years old, her Summers were spent at her aunt’s home in the Azores. Most of her adult life has been spent abroad during which time she had the opportunity to broaden her horizons and create a beautiful family before returning home in 2021. Although she loves living back in mainland Portugal, she has always considered these islands, their people, their culture, their landscape and above all their food to be her biggest passion!
Working for Oh! My Cod since 2023, and leading gastronomic experiences in Lisbon, has opened the door to fulfilling her dream of returning to the Azores, her spiritual home, where she can share her love, passion and dedication with our guests.
Natacha is a Portuguese Chef, a certified skipper, a fisherwoman who loves to fish to cook. She is an expert on Portuguese ‘conventual’ desserts and passionate about Portuguese organic and biodynamic wines. Being a Pico lover, Natacha accompanied Silvia in the very first food and wine Pico expeditions, with former guests and friends, where the present food-travel model was tested and developed.
Together with the Locals, we will all become the narrators of this special island, while enjoying delicious local food and wine with a profound context.
Always, in the greatest company!
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Feel free to contact us for different dates. We are happy to organize private experiences with a tailor-made program catering to your or your group’s preferences!
If you have questions about this trip or would simply like to meet your travel guides, contact us! We’d be happy to chat with you or even schedule a Zoom call!
If you are a foodie and wine lover, also passionate about nature and discovering new places, join the adventure! This is a great opportunity to connect with new surroundings, meet new friends, relax, and learn about the Azores. We look forward to welcoming you to live and taste the Azores together!
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There are many different ways of getting to Pico Island
- You can fly directly from Lisbon
- You can fly to Faial or Sao Jorge and then get a 30m ferry to Pico (there are frequent crossings). Sometimes this option can be cheaper than flying directly.
- You can fly to Pico from the US with or without a stopover at Ponta Delgada (São Miguel Island and get a glimpse of this island)
Whether you fly directly to Pico or arrive there by ferry we will meet you at either the airport or the ferry port and take you to your accommodation via private transfer.
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Of course! You are most welcome to warm up the island for your travel mates before the Oh! My Cod Pico Experience begins. There’s lots to do in Pico and the other islands in the Azores. If you’d like to experience beyond our trip’s program, feel free to reach out to us for recommendations, at no extra cost.
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- A reservation requires a deposit of 17% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelledcancelled by the guest.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 61 days before arrival.
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We will present you with a weekly schedule that lists all activities however, the order may be rearranged based on weather or other local conditions.
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Foodies, wine lovers, solo travelers, couples, and small groups of friends. We love working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds and identities. This is a Lgbtq2s+ friendly experience.
If you are a foodie and wine lover, also passionate about nature and discovering new places, join the adventure! This is a great opportunity to connect with new surroundings, meet new friends, relax, and learn about the Azores. We look forward to welcoming you to experience and taste the Azores together!
FAQS
WHEN YOU JOIN OH! MY COD PICO EXPERIENCE YOU WILL...
AZORES GASTRONOMY
- Indulge in the local cuisine of the Azores islands
- Sample the most delectable sustainable tuna in the world
- Try local seafood delicacies, such as limpets, barnacles and giant clams
- Taste Azorean grass-fed PGI beef cooked in typical recipes
- We will visit Pico’s most renowned restaurants to taste its “land and sea”
- From simple family-style eateries with deliciously authentic food….
- …. to a multi-course fine dining meal with wine pairing at the Azores Wine Company
- Enjoy several course meals prepared by OMC Chef Natacha Dias that will give a broader view of Portuguese cuisine and wine.
- Participate in cooking workshops with food that matches the wines you’ll be getting acquainted with.
- Discover traditional lost recipes thanks to local expertise and private dinners.
- Sip local coffee from the Azores
- Savor the islands’ tropical fruits
PICO WINE
- Discover the volcanic vineyards of Pico, a Unesco World Heritage site
- Learn the fascinating history of Pico wine (always with a glass in hand!)
- Taste Pico’s best wines
- Meet well-established and awarded wine producers…
- … as well as a talented, new generation female winemakers who are at the forefront of Pico’s unique wine landscape and sustainable revolution.
- Get limited editions of Pico Wine and meet local wine producers
- Enhance your wine skills through hands-on sessions with renowned winemakers (explore wine pairings, deepen your appreciation and understanding of wine tasting, among others)
- Enjoy low-intervention wines, historical vintages, and experimental bottles from across Portugal, selected by our enologists, wine producers and wine experts.
This will be a full immersion into Pico’s wine culture – one of the most distinctive in the world – but also into Portuguese wines and wine regions.
AZOREAN PEOPLE & CULTURE
- Meet the people of Pico Island
- Enjoy a meal with a local family
- Understand the whaling history of the region
- Be a part of, and maybe even help cook up a feast for the religious ceremonies of the Espirito Santo with the locals (exclusive to certain periods of the year)
- Discover the local handicrafts created by resident artisans (on fish scales, in wood, on lava stone, scrimshaw, tiles and others)
- Make new friends with fellow travel
NATURE & ADVENTURE
- Immerse yourself in nature as you explore Pico’s hiking trails (from the coastal lava fields to the verdant central high plateau)
- Walk and get immersed in the surrealistic Pico vineyards landscape, Unesco Heritage
- Go whale-watching: this is one of the world’s top spots to do it!
- Do like the locais and … swim in the most beautiful natural pools all around the island
- See dolphins during a boat trip
- Admire centuries-old dragon trees at the biggest Dracaena draco forest in Macaronesia
- Visit a local hydroponic small farm
- Soak in the scenic views all around you: mountain, greenery, ocean… it’s all there!
All these activities are led by an OMC host or/and a local guide.
REST OR EXPERIENCE MORE
We have a great program lined up for you… but it’s not all rush, rush!
- Stay at our hand-picked accommodations
- Take it easy and recharge your batteries
We can help you to book additional activities such as:
- Massages
- Going fishing with a local fisherman
- Excursion into a lava cave
- Visiting local museums
- Baking activities with a local
- Culinary workshops with OMC Chef Natacha Dias
ACCOMMODATION
- Stay at typical, hand-picked, local accommodations (subject to availability our accommodations can be equipped with comforts like a sauna, enhancing the cozy, indulgent atmosphere of your stay. Alternatively, accommodations may be arranged at the spectacular Azores Wine Company vineyard hotel or another exquisite location, subject to availability).
- The majority of our accommodations will be in local properties with full amenities. You will be able to enjoy relaxing moments at home the way you wish.
All photos/videos by Sílvia Olivença, Natacha Dias and Zara Quiroga, taken during our trips.