Created at the junction of three tectonic plates, the nine Portuguese islands of the Azores make the perfect destination for an educational and inspirational geography trip.
The Azores have similar geographical characteristics to Iceland but with a warm climate and lush green forests. You’ll visit bubbling hot springs and lava tubes, explore Europe’s only tea plantations and maybe even spot whales breaching the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.
Our study trips are tailored to your curricular and financial requirements but, whatever options you choose, you can be assured the trip has been designed by educational specialists give your students an unforgettable experience.
Geography School Trip to The Azores
The Azores archipelago is a fantastic location for a geography school trip with physical and human geography as a strong focus.
Essential Azores
A trip to the Azores is a journey to a natural paradise normally witnessed in nature documentaries! This geography field trip is a whistle stop tour of Portugal’s archipelago.
About the Azores
The Azores have been likened to Iceland and Hawaii, and are one of the last few truly unspoilt parts of Europe.
The Azores offer cross-curricular opportunities including with Science and Geology, as well as opportunities to study tourism in Europe’s best sustainable destination.
Geographically part-American and part-European, these are islands of contrast, both isolated and significant. As the westernmost point of Europe, exposed in the middle of the Atlantic, the landscape is rugged and wild and the people proudly self-sufficient and independent.
On Sao Miguel, taste the produce at Europe’s only tea plantations; on Pico, explore some of the longest lava tubes in the world, or walk through the irreplaceable UNESCO World Heritage vineyards; on Faial, trace the physical growth of the island via 10 successively younger volcanic peaks stretching from the central Caldeira to Capelinhos.
Azores Curriculum Links
Tectonic Processes, Landforms & Hazards
The Azores are 9 volcanic islands, most of which remain active. Visit the crater lakes of Sete Cidades and Lago de Fogo, and the hot springs and fumaroles of Furnas on Sao Miguel; climb the towering, active Mount Pico to see evidence of different types of eruption; visit the award-wining visitors centre underneath the Capelinhos volcano on Faial.
Weather Processes & Hazards
Compare the weather between the islands, and the differences between the coastal areas and the interiors. How does the islands’ position dictate the weather they receive? How do the weather systems interact and to what extent is the climate of one island influenced by that of another?
Climate Change
The isolated location of the islands leaves them susceptible to changes in the environment. Prince Albert I of Monaco established a weather observatory on the islands in 1915, one of the world’s first, and today scientists study climate change impacts via measurements of ocean temperatures and the migratory patterns of marine life and birds.
Ecosystems
Extensive programmes are in place across the islands to reverse the spread of invasive species and allow endangered endemic flora and fauna to repopulate. Visit Terra Nostra Botanical Park, one of Europe’s most beautiful gardens, or learn more about marine ecosystems on a whale-watching trip with an expert guide.
Coastal Processes, Landforms & Management
The Azores feature some truly remarkable coastlines, including natural arches, spectacular beaches, offshore islets and volcanic outcrops. Study coastal processes in a range of landscapes.
Geological Processes & Landforms
Explore the concept of geological time by visiting islands of vastly different ages. Sao Miguel’s central plateau was formed 50,000 years ago, linking land over 4 million years old, whilst Pico is only 300,000 years old. Buildings across the islands and the UNESCO vineyards on Pico demonstrate some of the local uses of rocks.
Food Resources
The position of the Azores creates a bioclimatic environment unique in Europe. You can witness tea plantations and pineapple production, seeing how these islands link their produce into Europe’s food supply. The lush vegetation provides excellent pasture for. Despite their small land area and remote location, the Azores are the largest contributor to Portugal’s dairy industry.
Water Resources
Compare the natural water supply at Lagoa de Fogo with the controlled water flow which services the hydroelectric power plants near Ribeira Grande. Sao Miguel’s water supply comes solely from groundwater. How does the water supply infrastructure differ to that in the UK? What reasons are there for these differences?
Energy Resources
Located around 800 miles west of Portugal and lacking in fossil fuels, the islands are reliant on renewable sources of energy and are a global pioneer in renewable energy. The Green Islands Project is the world’s largest experiment in producing viable energy solely from renewable sources. Visit HEP and geo-thermal power stations to see how sustainable energy is produced, and learn how the islands are planning to meet their future energy demands.
Teacher Support
Classroom Posters
Free posters to inspire your students and brighten your classroom.
Classroom Resources
Discover our collection of free classroom resources
Teacher Inspection Trips
Find out more about our teacher inspection visits and CPD opportunities.
Step By Step Guide To Planning Your School Trip
Our Travel Specialists have gathered their top tips to create a step by step guide to booking an unforgettable school trip.
Meet your travel specialists
We have first hand destination experience in our team and we’re passionate about sharing that with you. Here is what some of our Travel Specialists had to say about The Azores.
“The first thing that will strike you about the Azores when you land in Sao Miguel, is how green the islands are. Since we began offering trips to the area, the range of accommodation has grown significantly and I find that teachers are often surprised at the value for money they can achieve”
Emily, Travel Specialist, Azores
“To me, the Azores are still an underrated, undiscovered treasure which provide students with once in a lifetime experiences”
Sonia, Travel Specialist, Azores
Launch your trip to The Azores
First time travelling to the Azores? We won’t let admin stop you from experiencing this incredible destination. We’ll help you launch your trip to your students and their parents with our launch presentations, letters and information.
Our team have decades of travel experience and excellent relationships with the ground team in the Azores so we can keep tailoring your trip until you are confident in the itinerary and price. We work with teachers to create unique resources that can support your teaching before and after your trip.
