Tabor in the Azores, Portugal

Location: São Miguel, Pico, and Faial - Azores, Portugal (in partnership with Envoys)

Dates: March 5-13, 2026

Program Leader: Jon Sirois

Chaperones: Sarah Poulin & Sarah Kniesler

Description:

The Azores, a remote archipelago rising from the heart of the Atlantic Ocean, offer a living classroom where geology, migration, and ecology converge. Formed by volcanic fire and shaped by centuries of seafaring, these islands tell stories of adaptation and resilience and of people who have learned to thrive amid shifting landscapes and distant horizons. This program invites students to explore how nature and culture intertwine in a place defined by its connection to both land and sea. 

In São Miguel, students trace the islands’ geological origins through visits to fumaroles, crater lakes, and geothermal fields, witnessing how Azoreans have transformed a fragile environment into one of innovation and sustainability. Encounters at the Furnas Environmental Interpretation Center, tea and pineapple plantations reveal how tradition and modern science coexist to sustain island life. Time in Ponta Delgada connects students to the human story of migration and return, as they examine the deep ties between the Azores and the SouthCoast of Massachusetts (e.g., Fall River and New Bedford) through the lens of diaspora and belonging. 

On the neighboring islands of Faial and Pico, students explore volcanic reserves, marine research centers, and the legacy of whaling transformed into conservation. From walking the rim of Caldeira to visiting the Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, they witness how local scientists and communities work to protect fragile ecosystems and reimagine their relationship with the sea. Reflection sessions throughout the program invite students to consider how migration, innovation, and stewardship shape identity across generations, and how the story of these islands offers lessons in resilience and interconnection that extend far beyond their shores. 

LENSES OF INQUIRY 

MIGRATION AND DIASPORA: The Azores and New Bedford

The Azores have long been defined by cycles of migration. Beginning in the 19th century, thousands of Azoreans left these volcanic islands for New England, driven by poverty, volcanic eruptions, and the promise of work in whaling, fishing, and textile industries. The SouthCoast cities of Fall River and New Bedford became two of the largest centers of the Azorean diaspora, forging deep cultural, economic, and familial ties that continue today. Emigration was not just a departure but a way of life. Families often divided across oceans, maintaining traditions through letters, remittances, and return visits. Today, the Azorean government actively supports its global diaspora, seeing migration as both a challenge and a strength. As students explore the islands, they will encounter how migration has shaped identity, community, and belonging, and how the Azores’ relationship with SouthCoast of Massachusetts provides a living example of the enduring ties between place and people across oceans. 

INNOVATION FROM A FRAGILE LANDSCAPE 

The Azores are born of fire. Nine volcanic islands rise from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where tectonic forces constantly shape the land. Communities here live with the memory of eruptions, earthquakes, and landslides, including the dramatic 1957 eruption of Capelinhos that displaced thousands to the United States. Yet this fragile geology also brings opportunity. Geothermal energy heats homes and cooks traditional dishes in Furnas. Rich volcanic soils nurture vineyards that have become UNESCO World Heritage sites. Thermal springs and crater lakes draw visitors from around the world. This lens invites students to explore how Azoreans have adapted to and innovated with their environment, balancing vulnerability and resilience. Living with volcanoes becomes not only a story of survival, but of creativity, sustainability, and the deep interdependence between human life and the earth’s restless forces. 

OCEANS OF CONNECTION AND CONSERVATION 

The Atlantic Ocean defines the Azores, geographically, culturally, and economically. For centuries, these islands were stopovers for transatlantic explorers, whaling ships, and traders, linking Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Whales, once hunted for oil and industry, are now protected as symbols of conservation, drawing scientists and ecotourists eager to witness their migration routes. Fishing remains vital to the local economy, yet also poses challenges of sustainability in fragile marine ecosystems. Cutting-edge research at the University of the Azores and international collaborations with marine institutes reflect the islands’ growing role in global ocean science. This lens asks students to consider: how do oceans connect communities across distance, sustain livelihoods, and demand stewardship? By exploring the Azores, students engage directly with the question of how humanity can both depend upon and protect the sea.

Join us to:

1. Explore three Azorean islands, each with unique connections to the SouthCoast of Massachusetts. 
2. Eat cozido stew, cooked underground by volcanic steam and design and create a traditional azulejo ceramic tile with a local artist. 
3. Go on a whale watch in the world’s most diverse marine mammal hotspot, exploring how the whale has evolved from economic lifeline to ecological lesson.

Itinerary: 

• Days 1-2: Thursday, March 5 – Friday, March 6 

  After an overnight flight from Boston on Azores Airlines, the group arrives in Ponta Delgada at 6:15 am, clears immigration, and meets their Envoys educators in the airport lobby. They then transfer to the hotel to drop off luggage and have breakfast before continuing on to the Furnas Valley. Upon arrival, the group walks to the Furnas Environmental Interpretation Center, passing along the way to admire the Capela de Nossa Senhora das Vitórias, the only Neo-Gothic chapel on the islands. Once inside the Center, they participate in a guided visit that introduces them to the volcanic origins that continue to shape life on the islands. 

  A walk or short transfer brings them to the steaming vents of Fumarolas Lagoa das Furnas. Over lunch, they enjoy cozido das Furnas, a stew cooked underground by volcanic steam, an early example of how Azoreans have turned a fragile environment into a source of sustenance and innovation. In the afternoon, the group visits the Museum of Azorean Emigration, exploring stories of families who left for New England and other locations, forging enduring ties with communities like Fall River and New Bedford. 

  If time allows, they stop at the Gorreana Tea Factory, where production techniques have remained largely unchanged for over a century. The evening brings check-in, a safety briefing, and dinner in Ponta Delgada, followed by a reflective debrief before a well-deserved rest.

• Day 3: Saturday, March 7 

  The day begins with breakfast and a morning briefing before the group divides into rotating cohorts. One explores Ponta Delgada on a guided walking tour through its bustling market, seaside fortifications, and cobblestone squares, tracing how maritime trade and migration shaped daily life. The other joins local artisans at Matéria 47 for a hands-on ceramic tile workshop, creating their own azulejos inspired by the patterns and colors of the islands. 

  After lunch, the groups switch activities, allowing everyone to experience both art and history in context. In the late afternoon, the full group regathers for an Envoys-led scavenger hunt that encourages creative observation of Ponta Delgada’s urban landscape and symbols of island identity. 

  Dinner is shared at a local restaurant before returning to the hotel for the nightly debrief and preparation for the next day’s island crossing. 

• DAY 4: Sunday, March 8 

  After breakfast and a daily briefing, the group transfers to the airport for the short flight to Faial Island. Upon arrival, they travel to Capelo Forest Reserve, where a picnic lunch precedes a guided exploration of native vegetation and post-eruption regrowth. 

  In the afternoon, they continue to the Capelinhos Lighthouse and Volcano, where the dramatic terrain left by the 1957 eruption tells a story of displacement and renewal. At the Capelinhos Volcano Interpretation Center, students connect natural history to human experience, exploring how destruction sparked waves of migration and inspired new ways of living with the land. 

  Later, after checking in at the hotel, the group walks to dinner at Peter’s Café Sport, a legendary gathering place for sailors crossing the Atlantic. Evening reflections connect Faial’s maritime traditions to the broader theme of oceanic connection.

• Day 5: Monday, March 9 

  Breakfast and a morning briefing set the tone for a day of exploration and inquiry before the group travels to the Caldeira Volcano for a guided hike around its rim. Here they observe the island’s unique biodiversity and discuss how conservation efforts protect fragile ecosystems. 

  After a shower and lunch, they visit the University of the Azores’ Department of Oceanography and Fisheries (tentative) to meet researchers studying marine life, ocean currents, and emerging technologies that support sustainable practices. 

  The afternoon concludes at Horta Harbor, where colorful murals painted by sailors chronicle generations of Atlantic crossings. The group boards the ferry to Pico Island, where upon arrival, they check into their hotel in Madalena, enjoy dinner, and close the day with a reflective debrief and a good night’s rest. 

• Day 6: Tuesday, March 10 

  After breakfast and a daily briefing, the group begins the day at the Whalers’ Industry Museum, where they trace the transformation of whaling from economic lifeline to ecological lesson. Through exhibits and local interpretation, they see how Azorean communities transitioned from hunters to stewards of marine life. 

  After an early lunch, they visit the Whalers’ Museum for a complementary perspective on the island’s maritime traditions before setting out on a whale-watching excursion in the Atlantic waters once central to that industry. As the group observes these extraordinary animals in their natural habitat, they reflect on the changing relationship between people and the ocean. 

  Afterward, the scenic drive back to the hotel passes through UNESCO-protected vineyards, where vines grow between volcanic stone walls, a reminder of human ingenuity in even the harshest terrain. The evening closes with dinner, a debrief, and rest. 

• Day 7: Wednesday, March 11 

  The morning begins with breakfast, a briefing, and check-out as the group transfers to the airport for their return flight to São Miguel. Back in Ponta Delgada, they spend the majority of the day with the University of the Azores. Here the students participate in a session with researchers, before spending the afternoon working together on a trail-mapping project measuring the impact of tourism on the local environment. Lunch is shared during the groups’ time together. 

  Weather and time permitting, in the late afternoon, they journey to see Sete Cidades, the twin crater lakes. After time for reflection and photos, the group returns to Ponta Delgada for dinner and a group debrief connecting environmental stewardship to collective responsibility. 

• Day 8: Thursday, March 12 

  After breakfast and a daily briefing, the group visits Plantação de Ananás dos Açores, where pineapples are cultivated in traditional glass greenhouses using an organic method, a striking example of how Azoreans have turned environmental limitations into opportunities for innovation. Continuing to Furnas, they participate in an Envoys-led challenge where they sample mineral waters from the island’s bubbling geothermal springs. They also explore the Microbial Observatory of the Azores, learning more about the microorganisms that thrive in extreme volcanic conditions. 

  After lunch, the group enjoys a tea tasting at Chalet de Tia Mercês, led by a local expert who shares the traditions and techniques behind Azorean tea production and its cultural significance. In the late afternoon, the group returns to Ponta Delgada for a celebratory dinner and a relaxed evening, with time to pack and prepare for their final day on the islands. 

• Day 9: Friday, March 13 

  The final morning begins with breakfast and the daily briefing, before the group gathers for a closing reflection session. Together, they revisit the program’s central themes: migration and belonging, innovation born from a fragile landscape, and the ocean’s power to connect and sustain. In this final discussion, students draw direct connections between the Azores and New Bedford, reflecting on how generations of migration across the Atlantic forged enduring cultural, economic, and familial ties. 

  The group may then complete an activity from earlier in the week, revisit a favorite spot in Ponta Delgada, or enjoy time along the waterfront for last-minute photos and souvenirs. After lunch, they complete program evaluations before departing for the airport around 4:00 p.m. for their evening flight to Boston. As their plane ascends over the Atlantic, tracing the same route once traveled by Azorean migrants, they carry with them a deepened appreciation for the ways communities adapt, connect, and endure across oceans and generations. 

Please note: All itineraries are subject to change and modification as challenges and opportunities arise; substitutions will be considered carefully and embrace the spirit of the original plan. 

Requirements: A passport valid for 6 months after the conclusion of the program; certain countries may require a visa for entry. Students must have passed the swim test at Tabor Academy to participate in water-based activities. Students must be in good academic and community life standing to participate. Students will be covered by school trip and travelers’ insurance that covers emergency care and evacuation, although they must also have personal health insurance. Students are expected to participate in all pre- and post-travel (March programs only) orientation and reflection sessions. They will create a learning artifact to share with the Tabor community after their travel experience.