Azores Cycling Holiday: Terceira Island

Touch down at Lajes Airport and your transfer carries you across the island to Angra do Heroísmo, your base for the first two nights. Your local guide talks you through the route notes, maps and GPS tracks, then the rest of the day is yours. Wander the pastel streets of this UNESCO World Heritage town and raise a glass to the week ahead down by the harbour.

Quiet country lanes and a stretch of coastline lead you inland, climbing through native Azorean forest towards the heart of Terceira. Stop at the Serra de Santa Bárbara Interpretation Centre to discover how the island rose from the ocean, then explore the lava tube of Gruta do Natal and the steaming vents of Furnas do Enxofre. Your electric bike takes the sting out of the climbs, before you roll back down to Angra for the night.

Today's ride is 38.4km/798m (24 miles / 2,618ft)

Follow the coast west as the island's easy rhythm takes hold. Call in at a tiny coffee plantation, watch the fishing boats come and go at São Mateus and taste fresh cheese at the Queijo Vaquinha dairy in Cinco Ribeiras. A short detour down to the Serreta Lighthouse rewards you with huge Atlantic views, before you roll into Altares for the night.

Today's ride is 36km/843m (22 miles / 2,766ft)

Start the day with a swim among the black volcanic rock pools at Biscoitos, then visit the Wine Museum to taste wines grown in walled lava fields beside the sea. Take the optional detour to Alagoa da Fajãzinha for its dramatic basalt columns, before skirting the Lajes air base and dropping down to Praia da Vitória via Serra de Santiago.

Today's ride is 36km/508m (22 miles / 1,667ft)

Head into the volcanic heart of Terceira today. Algar do Carvão is one of the few places on Earth where you can walk down inside an extinct volcano, its chimney draped in moss and ferns, so check opening times with us before you travel. Then climb to Serra do Cume for the island's most famous view, a patchwork of green fields stitched together by stone walls, before freewheeling back to Praia da Vitória.

Today's ride is 30km/612m (18 miles / 2,008ft)

Your final ride is an easy coastal cruise back to Angra. Quiet seaside paths near Salga and Porto Martins keep you close to the ocean and away from the main road, while the coastal wetlands are a haven for birdlife. Pause for lunch in Porto Judeu, then roll into Angra for a last evening among its pastel streets and harbour forts.

Today's ride is 29km/418m (18 miles / 1,371ft)

After a final breakfast in Angra, your transfer takes you back across the island to Lajes Airport for your flight home. If the Lilac Isle has worked its magic, ask us about adding an extra night in Angra, or a boat trip to see the whales and dolphins that live off its coast.