The Azores offer an unbelievable variety of activities from hiking to beach holidays, water sports and a little cultural program. That and the fact that there are nine islands makes it very difficult to select the top highlights.
Top 5 things to do in the Azores
But if you want to nail us down to our favorite things to do in the Azores, we recommend these 5 must-sees.
#1 Caldeira das Sete Cidades : Huge crater landscape with the lakes Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul. Great viewpoints and hiking opportunities.
#2 Montanha do Pico : The highest mountain in all of Portugal at around 2351 meters high – a spectacular panorama.
#3 Terra Nostra Park : Very large botanical garden with thermal pools. The traditional stew, cozido, is cooked over the hot volcanic steam.
#4 Furna do Enxofre : Cave inside a volcano 194 meters long and a good 40 meters deep. The perfectly domed ceiling is particularly impressive.
#5 Praia Formosa : A golden sandy beach with shallow waters ideal for a day at the beach with the kids. Surfers will also have fun here.
Which Azores island is the best?
We cannot say where it is most beautiful on the Azores islands. All nine islands are wonderful! But depending on what you plan to do on your Azores vacation, one island is more suitable than the other. Here is a rough overview:
For nature lovers and water sports enthusiasts : São Miguel, Santa Maria, Pico and Faial
For cultural tours: São Miguel, Terceira and Faial
For rest and relaxation: São Jorge, Flores, Graciosa and Corvo
If you want more information about which Azores island suits you best, then have a look at this article.
How long should you stay in the Azores?
If you travel to one of the islands – probably the main island of Sao Miguel – you should plan at least 7 days. If you visit a second island, e.g. B. Pico, it is best to plan at least 10 days.
But you can also spend several weeks in the Azores, because there are an incredible number of sights on the nine super beautiful islands.
If you want to travel to several islands, we advise you to use the small planes between the islands. The ferry ride is very nice, but takes a lot more time.
View of the Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul lakes from the Miradouro da Vista do Rei
Tours and activities in Azores
Of course you can explore most of the sights in the Azores on your own. But we like guided tours even better, because local guides simply know the coolest information.
You can also book a lot of exciting outdoor activities in the Azores. Here are 5 tips for tours and activities in the Azores.
Sao Miguel: All-in-One Tour The all-rounder among the tours. You explore the entire island with your guide.
Furnas: Hot Springs by Night Enjoy the hot springs at night. After that there is traditional cozido.
Sao Miguel: Whale Watching Tour One of the most typical and beautiful experiences in the Azores.
Terceira: Caves and Craters Tour Dive into the world beneath the volcanoes.
Sao Miguel: Sete Cidades Tour Visit top highlights like Lagoa do Fogo with a local.
Colorful play of colors in the fishing port of Porto Alfonso on the Azores island of Graciosa
Stay: Our hotel tips for the Azores
According to Animalerts.com, there are plenty of beautiful hotels in the Azores. What we particularly like is that furnishing with natural materials seems to be very trendy here. From a luxury hotel to a holiday apartment in a traditional stone house, everything is included. Let’s start with our hotel tips for all nine islands.
| Island | hotel |
| Sao Miguel | Terra Nostra Garden |
| pico | O Zimbreiro |
| fail | Porto Pim |
| Terceira | Terceira Mar Hotel |
| Flores | Inatel |
| Santa Maria | Charming Blue |
| Sao | Cantinho das Buganvilhas |
| Graciosa | Boa Nova |
| corvo | Joe & Vera’s Vintage |
Best Azores travel time
It ‘s not for nothing that the Azores are called Europe’s weather kitchen : one second there’s still bright sunshine, suddenly rain falls and fog creeps over the mountain slopes.
You have the changeable weather and high humidity in the Azores all year round, but there are generally fewer rainy days in summer. Winters are mild and summers are warm but not excessively hot.
If you want to go on a real beach holiday, the summer months of July and August are best with up to 30 degrees. You can come to the Azores for hiking all year round.
What to pack for an Azores vacation?
Because of the changeable weather, we recommend the classic onion look so that you are prepared for all weather conditions. From shorts and shirts to hoodies and windstopper jackets, you should pack a little bit of everything.
In any case, think of comfortable shoes, the Azores are the hiking paradise par excellence!
How expensive is the Azores?
Finally, there is the question of how expensive a holiday in the Azores is.
For many items, such as flights and attraction tickets, it’s hard to tell because prices vary so much, and they vary wildly with the seasons.
In general, however, you can expect similar prices to those on the Portuguese mainland and they are significantly lower than in Germany.
Eating out is often much cheaper and especially if you go to local restaurants, you can get delicious food and good portions for little money.
