Quick Details
Scheduled trips 2023:
- 23th to 30th July – fully booked
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5th to 12th August – fully booked
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20h to 27th August
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2nd to 9th September
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13th to 20st September
Further dates available upon request!
While the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores, in the Atlantic ocean, has been making the news in recent years, the island of Pico is a hidden gem yet to be discovered by most!
At Oh! My Cod Tours we love going beyond the obvious, getting up close with captivating places and the local people, via their gastronomy, culture and ways of life – always with a laid-back approach to group travel. This is why we’d like to invite you for Oh! My Cod Pico Experience!
The Azores islands are an internationally certified sustainable destination, and the remote island of Pico is yet to know the effects of mass tourism, welcoming each visitor to its black and green landscape in a distinctive and slow paced way.
Just like our authentic food and cultural experiences in Lisbon, our curated Pico trips focus on the local gastronomy of the Azores, its unique volcanic Pico wines, and the people who make it all possible, but this time around also with a dash of adventure in an incredible natural setting! We will be far from the crowds but still intertwined with the local communities.
Check all the activities below!
All photos/videos by Sílvia Olivença, Natacha Dias and Zara Quiroga, taken during our trips, except the two taken from Pico’s summit (credits to Tripix for the group picture and Kim Wolde for the overnight camping picture).
HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR CULINARY TRIP TO THE AZORES
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 expectations, among other achievements, managed to grow fantastic wine from rocks in a landscape of Pico Wine has since 2004 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.
Pico Island is strategically located in the so-called Azorean Triangle, close to two other islands, Faial and São Jorge, which can be reached by ferry boat in as little as half an hour.
Explore some of the highlights of our Culinary Trip to the Azores!
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- Transfers to and from Pico airport or ferry terminal (arrival and departure day)
- Hand-picked accommodations (variable according to travel dates – please contact us for further details)
- ALL activities mentioned (except when marked as *optional)
- Two experienced Portuguese guides (languages spoken: English, Portuguese, French and Spanish)
- Transportation during all activities mentioned in the program
- 6 meals
- up to 5 wine tastings
- Whale and dolphin watching boat trip
- Hike Mount Pico with expert guide
- Ferry to and from other neighboring island, as part of day-trip
- Welcome pack with local surprises!
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- Flights and/or ferry to and from Pico island
- Additional meals and drinks outside of Oh! My Cod offerings
- 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 (not included, but we’re happy to make suggestions!)
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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!
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, this year will have even more opportunities with great experiences.
Portuguese travel and food writer, who has previously worked with Oh! My Cod leading gastronomic experiences in Lisbon. Besides being the author of “Lisbon in 100 Bites”, she’s also the creator of Portugal’s only Pastel de Nata baking workshop to take place inside a real working bakery. Silvia managed to convince Zara that there’s something truly special about Pico island and, after sharing many stories, she decided to travel there herself and finally join the Oh! My Cod Pico Experience too.
Natacha is a Portuguese certified skipper, a fisherwoman, fantastic cook and currently attending culinary school. 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. Because of her studies, we will be meeting Natacha in Pico exclusively in August.
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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Regular flights from Lisbon to Pico.
Alternatively, flying from Lisbon to Horta, on Faial island, is also an option. Reach from Horta to Pico with a 30 minute ferry ride, multiple times a day.
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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 30% of the total price. The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is canceled by the customer. The rest of the payment should be completed 45 days before arrival.
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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.
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.
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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 live 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 its sea
- From simple family-style eateries with deliciously authentic food, to a multi-course fine dining meal with wine pairing at Azores Wine Company
- Visit an artisanal cheese factory and taste Azorean PDO cheeses
- Sip local coffee from the Azores
- Savor 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!)
- Try Pico’s best wines, during at least 6 distinct wine tastings
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Meet well established wine producers, as well as talented new winemakers
This will be a full immersion into Pico’s wine culture – one of the most peculiar in the world!
AZOREAN PEOPLE & CULTURE
- Meet the people of Pico Island
- Enjoy a meal with a local family
- Understand the whaling history of the region
- Participate in the wine harvest with the locals (August & September trips only!)
- Discover the local handicrafts created by resident artisans
- Make new friends with fellow traveler
NATURE & ADVENTURE
- Climb Mount Pico, the highest mountain in Portugal (2,351 meters / 7,713 feet)
- Swim in the natural pools all around the island
- Snorkel in a stunning Marine Protected Area
- Immerse yourself in nature as you explore Pico’s hiking trails (from the coastal lava fields to the verdant central high plateau)
- Go whale-watching: this is one of the world’s top spots to do it!
- See dolphins during a boat trip
- Soak in the scenic views all around you: mountain, greenery, ocean… it’s all there!
- Admire centuries-old dragon trees at the biggest Dracaena draco forest in Macaronesia
DAY-TRIPS TO FAIAL OR SÃO JORGE ISLANDS
- Explore one of the neighboring islands: Faial or São Jorge
- Depending of the day-trip destination you will:
- Sip local coffee from the Azores at a local plantation
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Experience what living in a remote “ fajã” is like
- Enjoy a traditional meal cooked by locals in an exclusive setting
- Swim in one one of the best natural pools of the region
- Lay down your towel in a black sand beach surrounded by unique landscapes
- We can help you plan further experiences in Pico and on-going trips to other islands in the Azores…
- … there are 8 other islands in the Azores besides Pico!
REST OR EXPERIENCE MORE
- Stay at our hand-picked accommodations
- Take it easy and recharge your batteries
- We have a great program lined up for you… but it’s not all rush, rush!
- You can also soak up the sun at the beach
- Or take a refreshing dip at the natural pools
- Apart from our scheduled activities and meals, you’ll have free time too!
We can help you to book additional activities such as:
- Massages
- Go-fishing with a local fisherman
- Scuba-diving tours
- Snorkeling activities
- Excursion into a lava cave
- Visit local museums
