:: Social Program

Social Program – July 3rd 2010

Social Program Itinerary

Whale and Dolphin Watching Experience
Pick-up at the University of the Azores at 10.30p.m..Transfer to Futurismo Activities Center to start the Whale and dolphin watching Experience. Before the boat trip we will make a brief explanation about the cetacean’s species that can be observed, safety measures and the protection procedures of species at sea. Departure to the sea.


Lunch and Tour in Furnas Valley
After arriving in Ribeira Quente fishing harbor we will take the bus-transfer to Furnas to have lunch in Terra Nostra Garden Hotel – Casino Room.

Typical Menu
Green Cale Soup with spicy sausage
“Cozido da Furnas” – several meats, vegetables and rice
Azores Pineapple slice
Water, soft-drinks and wine
Tea and coffee


After having lunch we will visit Furnas Lake and its margins where we can find the place where the “Cozido das Furnas” is cooked. This is a very special meal cooked in holes in the volcanic soil with the steam of mother earth. We will have the opportunity to taste this special local dish during lunch time.
In the Valley of Furnas we will visit several interesting sights where the luxuriant vegetation contrasts with the steam of the volcanic manifestations. We will stop at the fumaroles and taste several types of waters – warm, cold and carbonated - in the surrounding springs.
Afterwards we will pass in some view points with magnificent views over Furnas Valley and the north coast of the island. We will visit the unique Tea Plantation in Europe and the factory where we can taste the local tea.
Drop off at Hotel Vip Executive around 5pm.

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Whale and Dolphin Watching – activity description
With an experience of 20 years, Futurismo is a pioneer and leader in whale and dolphin watching. We organize daily trips during all year around of about 3 hours each. Our trips are preceded by a briefing for all clients where our Nature Guide explains the historical background of whale hunting and its reconversion to Whale Watching. It’s also given information about biodiversity of the islands, species respect rules and measures of security on board. The waters around the Azores are indeed rich. We have several resident dolphins such as the Short-beaked Common Dolphin, the Common Bottlenose Dolphin and Risso’s dolphin as well as yearly summer guests like the Atlantic Spotted Dolphin. Although the Sperm whale is the one we see more often, we also have many visits from migrating Baleen whales, among them the Blue Whale, especially during early spring to late summer, as well as more rare encounters with Pilot Whales, False Killer whales and even Killer Whales.

“The isolated archipelago of the Azores has a well deserved reputation as one of the best Whale Watching destinations in the world. Lying about a third of way across the Atlantic between Portugal and North America, its permanent or temporary home of more than a quarter of all known cetacean species”.

Mark Carwardine, whale watching specialist