★ ★ ★ ★ You will love your selected 4-star hotel VIP EXECUTIVE AZORES ! ★ ★ ★ ★

8-day 4-star cultural tour featuring the Azores’ most famous highlights !

Comparison of temperatures

General note:

Below is an information overview. The conditions of entry, as well as the political and health situation, can change anywhere in the world at any time. We therefore recommend checking before your trip. Please check the website of the Foreign Office (www.gov.uk) before your departure.

Location:

The Azores, an autonomic region of Portugal, is a group of islands in the Atlantic. Its capital is São Miguel.

Capital:

Ponta Delgada

Form of government:

Parliamentary republic

Head of state:

As President, José Manuel Bolieriro has been the head of state since 24 November 2020.

Religion:

Roman Catholic

Language:

Portuguese

Climate:

Moderate climate

Electricity:

220/110 V, 50 Hertz, an adapter is required.

Local time:

The time in the Azores is Central European Time (CET) -2 with summer / winter time changes. The time difference to the UK is -1 hours all year round.

Making telephone calls:

To make phone calls to the UK, pre-dial 0044 (+44). To make phone calls from the UK to the Azores, pre-dial 00351 (+351).

Currency:

The currency is the Euro. Exchange rate (as at september 2024): 1 GBP = 1.19 EUR; 1 EUR = 0.84 GBP.

Banks/Credit cards:

Common credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express are accepted. Withdrawing cash from ATMs and paying with credit cards is possible everywhere. It is recommended not to carry large sums of money. Caution: Travellers who want to pay and withdraw money abroad with their bank card should inquire with their credit institution about the usability of their card before starting their journey.

Entry requirements for British citizens:

For entry, UK citizens should have six months left on the passport on the date of your arrival to an EU country and the passport should be less than 10 years old. A stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period is permitted without a visa. If you are planning to travel to an EU country you must meet the Schengen area rules. Your passport must meet 2 requirements. It must be:
• less than 10 years old on the day you enter (check the ‘date of issue’)
• valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)
You can travel to countries in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. Check your passport is stamped if you enter or exit the Schengen area through Spain as a visitor. Border guards will use passport stamps to check you’re complying with the 90-day visa-free limit for short stays in the Schengen area. If relevant entry or exit stamps are not in your passport, border guards will presume that you have overstayed your visa-free limit. Nationals of other countries are advised to enquire at the Spain Embassy about the entry requirements applicable to them. Whilst we endeavour to provide guidance where necessary, we can not be responsible for any problems encountered (whether at any point of entry or elsewhere) in the event that passport and visa requirements are not satisfied. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
Nationals of other countries are advised to inquire at the Portuguese Embassy about the entry requirements applicable to them. https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/portugal/entry-requirements
Make sure you get your passport stamped on entry and exit (until November 2024). From November 2024, the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES) will start for all non-EU nationals, including British nationals, travelling in or out of the Schengen area. The Schengen area is made up of 29 European countries, 25 of which are EU Member States. The EES is a digital border system which registers non-EU visitors travelling into the Schengen area instead of stamping their passports. You will need to have your fingerprints and your photo taken when entering the Schengen area. You may experience longer queues at borders when the new system starts (https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees_en).
Next to this the EU will implement a new visa waiver system in 2025, called ETIAS, which will be valid for three years. British passport holders travelling to the EU will need to apply and pay for an ETIAS, via an online system (https://etias.com/).

Tour guides:

Your expert tour guides will be able to provide you with detailed information about the country, people, history, culture etc., and offer advice and assistance for organising your trip. They can also help with room allocation and look forward to welcoming you with initial information. Here you will find out all you need to know and useful information about the trip. We have put together a varied programme including numerous highlights, enabling you to experience the culture and diversity of landscape that the Azores has to offer, and learn all about the country and its people.

Additional packages:

Although your trip already includes a comprehensive package, you also have the option of choosing added extras. We recommend booking the following packages:
Gourmet package: The package includes half-board in the form of 7× rich buffet dinners: only £219* per person.
Explorer package: The package includes the ”Whale and dolphin sight-seeing boat trip” half-day excursion, the ”Furnas Valley natural paradise including entry to the hot springs & botanical gardens” fullday excursion and the ”Lagoa do Fogo, Caldeira Velha & Ribeira Grande” full-day excursion: only £179* per person.
*Package prices may vary when booking on site

Customs regulations:

Private persons travelling within the EU can purchase and export goods without limits on quantities if they are for personal use and not intended for resale. The customs regulations for the UK can be viewed on the British Customs Website www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk or queried by phone.
For travellers within and from outside the EU, there are no restrictions on importing or exporting national and foreign currencies, however cash amounts higher than the equivalent of € 10,000 (8,328 GBP) (including travellers cheques, other currencies or cheques made out to third parties) must be declared.
Important: If you are travelling to Great Britain from outside the UK, your personal allowances mean you can bring in a certain amount of goods without paying tax or duty. If you go over your allowances you must declare all your goods and pay tax and duty on all the goods in that category. Please inform yourself about the current customs regulations: www.gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal-use/arrivingin-Great-Britain.

Special criminal provisions:

Pepper spray is covered by the Weapons Act on the Azores; possession is only authorised for holders of a cat. E firearms licence. Violations usually result in criminal charges.

Safety instructions:

Crime: Vigilance should be exercised regarding pickpockets and petty crime in larger tourist centres in particular, pick-pocketing is common.
It is recommended that money, ID cards, driving licences, flight tickets and other important documents are stored safely (for example in the hotel safe) and that you only carry the cash (and debit or credit card) you need for the day.
You should try to steer clear of large groups of people and keep an eye on your valuables at tourist spots, airports, including in the security area, railway stations, the metro, buses etc. Keep your valuables close to your body.
Natural disasters: The Azores lie in a seismically active zone, and earthquakes can occur. Information regarding seismic activity is available from the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).
Tropical storms can form from May to November, especially over the Azores. Travellers are asked during this time to follow the instructions on what to do in the event of a hurricane abroad.

Medical information:

At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country specific health advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC – https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries) on the Travel HealthPro website. Each country-specific page has information on vaccine recommendations, any current health risks or outbreaks, and factsheets with information on staying healthy abroad.
Vaccinations: The standard vaccinations for children and adults should be examined and supplemented prior to travelling. The Foreign Office Medical Service also recommends vaccination against hepatitis A and B in cases of particular exposure (e.g. current outbreaks, basic travelling conditions, hygiene deficiencies, missions, inadequate medical care, particular professional/social contacts). Please consult a doctor specialising in tropical illnesses.

Medical care:

The quality of medical care is generally satisfactory. In the Azores, anyone with state insurance in the UK is entitled to medical treatment – where urgently necessary – by doctors, dentists, hospitals etc. registered with the foreign statutory health insurance association. You are urgently recommended to take out travel health insurance for the duration of your holiday which covers risks not assumed by the statutory health insurance companies (e.g. repatriation to the UK in the event of illness, treatment by private doctors or in private hospitals). You can also contact your health insurance company for information on current regulations.
The customer must establish for himself that his physical and mental state is compatible with the selected journey. He is obliged to obtain information about the degrees of physical mobility and mental autonomy required for this journey.

All information is subject to change/Last updated: October 2024