Azores Guide: How to plan your trip?
Which island in the Azores to visit?
The Azores have 9 islands which vary somewhat in their size as well as what they offer: however, they all are worth visiting and if you want a more detailed explanation of each I recommend reading my post linked below
How to travel to and between the Azores islands?
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By plane
Flying to the Azores archipelago is usually done from Lisbon but you will also find flights from the main Portuguese airports of Porto and Faro: Lisbon has by far the most flights though. If you are coming from the US, the airports of JFK or Boston fly regularly to São Miguel’s airport. Canada also has a few flights for example from Toronto.
Both the Portuguese national company of TAP flies as well as the Azorean’s own company called SATA, also a national company. The SATA planes are often propeller planes which means, due to their size, can land on any runway of the islands. TAP on the other hand, flies larger jet planes which makes them serve exclusively the larger airports in the Azores, namely, São Miguel’s Aeroporto João Paulo II and Terceira’s Aeroporto das Lajes.
Important to mention: the small airport runways in the Azores are subject often to extreme weather. Therefore, it is more than likely that your flight might be delayed or even moved to the next day!
By ferry
Let’s say you flew to Pico and now want to get yourself to the neighboring island of Faial: do you need to book a new flight? One cheaper alternative I recommend is to check if the ferry is available. While, in some parts of the year, mostly winter, the sea can be a bit wild, the islands are connected by ferry which travel a few times during the day. These boats are very reliable and are quite fast: they also are pretty safe considering the big waves of the Atlantic.
Keep in mind, that the prices and timetables of the ferries change with the period of the year. Also, in wintertime, the ferries might not go to some islands due to the seasonal weather conditions. All this information can be found following this link which takes you to the official page of the company Atlanticoline which operates the lines. The tickets are bought over the desk at the port. Make sure to be there on time as the desk closes 5 min before departure!
Rental Cars
When you are on the right island, the question remains: how to get to the other end “where the winery is?” While you might be lucky to find the rare bus route: these are too few and expensive. Taxis are also an option. However, taxi trips will add up and you will find yourself paying a hefty price for transport. If you plan on making more than 3-trips on the island, I recommend renting a car. If you only are two, you could even rent a scooter (although I don’t recommend it due to the wet conditions). The rental companies are usually local ones and I have found that they offer better prices than on the Portuguese mainland. This will not only save you money but it will also allow you to travel freely across the beautiful landscape.
Some rental companies I can direct to are Azores Auto as well as Ilha Verde
Renting a car from your host?
However, there is another way to get ahold of a car. A lot of owners of BnBs or hostels gladly rent out their cars to their customers: while the price might be very attractive, this is usually an “under-the-table” type of deal. This means that should the police stop you, were you to say that you rented the car through your host, they would probably not like it! Furthermore, the cars are often not up to standards. The last time I rented a car through my host, the car got a flat tire on the very end of the island, an hour away from the hotel and the nearest town. This could have been due to the bad road conditions, but it was certainly also due to the bad state of the tires. So, if you rent a car through your host, keep in mind that it is at your own risk!
A few words on driving in the Azores…
Driving in the Azores might be very different from driving in your hometown. What strikes most people when first coming to the Azores is the sudden fog that usually arises in the morning. If you are driving, keep in mind that visibility can be very difficult under foggy conditions: make sure that your headlights and taillights work properly.
Another thing to note is the amount of cattle on the islands. A lot of the time, farmers will need to move cattle from one enclosure to the other: this means that oftentimes, you will see cattle on the road. The important thing to do is to give the farmer enough room to safely lead the cattle. Generally, the best thing to do is to stop the car and let them pass. However, sometimes, the only thing to do if you are headed the same way is to bid your time: you are in the Azores so you might as well enjoy the view!
When to travel to the Azores?
As you read above, the Azores are subject to the weather conditions. In the wintertime, which is usually from October to March, winds are stronger, waves are bigger and there is usually more rain. This means that ferries have smaller timetables and planes are usually delayed. However, the winter is considered as being more mild compared to the winter on the European mainland. You will still be able to enjoy the nature as well as the different activities.
One good news with colder weather is that during the winter-half of the year, the prices of flight tickets and accommodation are generally much lower than during the peak season in summer. For a good compromise between price and weather I would recommend trying to travel during the spring or the fall. I went during April and the weather was constantly aletrnating between showers and sunshine. If you travel during that period, make sure to have raincoat and boots ready!
If there is one month that you had to choose, for me it would be June. The reason is that you have the religious festivities: São João, São Antonio etc. which can be very interesting and fun to take part in. Generally, the Azoreans are happy to break bread with strangers and share stories of their island.
Where to stay on the Azores?
The Azores offer a wide range of accommodations. While you can certainly find nice hotels in the major towns, there are a number of BnBs and guesthouses scattered across the countryside. Hotels certainly have a lot to offer but these smaller accommodations are usually run by hosts who are very welcoming and take great care in making you feel at home. In one of the guesthouses I stayed in, the host invited us to try his wine and brought us fresh bread for breakfast from the local bakery every day. These small things can, I believe, make the trip to the Azores unique and very different from a trip to, for example, Algarve in mainland Portugal.
If you want to read recommendation of places where to stay make sure to read my posts on each of the islands where I give many tips. Read for example here on São Jorge
After reading this article, I hope that you have a better idea about how to plan your trip. While I would be glad to write down a day-by-day itinerary, I believe that part of the experience is to take it as you go along because a lot of pleasant surprises will present themselves to you. Whether you get invited to a dinner at someone’s home or you stumble upon a great picnic spot with a view, a trip to the Azores can only be planned so much. Part of the charm is to let the journey take you wherever it wants to. However, if you still feel the need for more reading I have more posts in my Azores category. Happy traveling and see you there.
Want to read more on the Azores?
If you want to read more about which islands to visit I recommend reading my post linked below. Otherwise, if you want to read on each of the islands I can recommend looking into my Azores Category linked here.
