The nine islands of the Azores are a great year-round destination – choosing the best time to visit the Azores all depends on the type of holiday you’re looking for…
January through to March tends to be the quietest time of year. That’s mainly due to the weather – you could see a week of sunshine but you might also see a little rain – which helps to make it cheapest time of year to visit the larger islands of Sao Miguel and Terceira. Both islands are great if you enjoy exploring on foot or by car, the restaurants and café bars are pretty quiet, and you’ll have your choice of the best rooms at the best hotels.
The Azores Rally usually runs towards the end of March. It’s very popular with the residents of Sao Miguel – if you’re not a rally fan but you’re planning to visit the island’s beauty spots, we’ll structure your trip so the rally doesn’t disrupt your stay.
Sao Miguel’s Tremor Festival has now settled into a regular slot in the last weekend in March. 2023 will be the festival’s tenth anniversary – it’s best described as a leftfield music festival, and it’s gradually grown into a major component of the islands’ thriving contemporary arts scene.
The islands have long been acknowledged as the best place in Europe to observe ocean wildlife, and April through to the end of May is arguably the best time to visit the Azores for whale and dolphin watching. Resident species of common dolphins and sperm whales can be seen throughout the year, whilst spring sees the larger migratory species passing through as blue whales and fin whales head north for the summer months. It’s not an exact science but sightings generally peak in April and May – our Blue Whale Watching holiday is dedicated to sighting these magnificent beasts.
The Festas do Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres (or Santo Cristo for short) is the largest religious festival in the Azores. It’s centred around the capital Ponta Delgada and the city’s hotels fill-up very quickly, very early in the year. For 2023, Santo Cristo will be from 12th to 19th May.
June’s Sanjoaninas festival on the island of Terceira is one of the Azores’ most popular, most colourful week-long celebrations, with the streets of the capital Angra de Heroismo filled with parades, concerts, street theatre and the best street food. The festival always adopts a theme – we’re still wating for 2023’s theme to be announced, but the festival will run from 17th to 25th June.
Splitting your stay between Terceira and it’s smaller neighbour Graciosa is a great way of experiencing the two sides of the Azores: culture and cuisine courtesy of Terceira, and peaceful, rural living on idyllic Graciosa.
For many, July and August are the best time to visit the Azores. Being the hottest months, it’s peak season and the most popular time to visit all the islands – particularly Sao Miguel and Terceira as they’re both well-connected to the outside world by direct flights from the UK, USA, Canada and mainland Portugal. It’s important to add: even in this peak period, the Azores are never as busy as the big capital cities of mainland Europe.
The smaller islands of Santa Maria, Flores and Graciosa are always fairly quiet, which is a big part of their appeal, but we strongly recommend booking holidays to these islands early – accommodation is very limited and fills up extremely quickly.
July’s Walk and Talk Arts Festival began life as a Ponta Delgada-based contemporary arts project in 2011. It’s expanded rapidly to encompass the whole of Sao Miguel and (since 2016) the island of Terceira. The festival’s focus hasn’t changed: to encourage the creation of new art inspired by, and in dialogue with, the Azores. It’s always a diverse program of exhibitions, artist-in-residency seminars, dance and theatre performances, and concerts in urban, rural, indoor and outdoor spaces.
If you’re not tied to the school holidays, September is the best time to visit the Azores if you’re thinking of an island hopping holiday. Our most popular combinations of islands are Sao Miguel, Flores and Faial, followed closely by Sao Miguel, Sao Jorge and Terceira. If you’re a keen walker, September’s ideal for hiking the three central islands of Faial, Sao Jorge and Pico – combining the very best of the Azorean trail network.
Also in September, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series makes it’s annual visit to Sao Miguel. It’s an exciting, fairly bonkers event as (professional) competitors high-dive from the Ilhue d’ Vila – a collapsed, extinct volcano just off the coast of Vila Franca do Campo. COVID prevented the series visiting the islands this year, but we’re hoping it’ll make a triumphant return in 2023. Whale watching trips are suspended on the weekend of the event – we’ll carefully plan your stay so you’re able to whale watch midweek and attend the diving series.
Heading towards the end of the year, October and November are the months we tend to visit ourselves – the islands are quiet after the summer peak and the sea’s still warm enough for a little wild swimming. It’s also the best time to take advantage of our exclusive Special Offers – keep an eye on our Holiday Ideas page or follow us on Facebook to grab the best deals.
And finally into December – Azorean’s love Christmas and New Year, and a tailor-made variation on our Best of Sao Miguel holiday would be the ideal way to make the most of the islands’ festivities.
You could spend Christmas Day relaxing in the iconic hot springs and geothermal swimming pools at the Terra Nostra Hotel in Furnas, before welcoming in the New Year in the capital city Ponta Delgada.
The Praca de Goncalo Velha square is the place to be – there’s live music by the famous Portas do Mar city gates, and as the clock of the Igreja Sao Sebastiao tolls the countdown to midnight, the marina is illuminated by an explosion of fireworks.
Archipelago Choice Azores specialists
We specialise in tailor-made holidays to the nine islands of the Azores. Our experienced team of specialists are ready to put together your personalised trip; just give them a call on 017687 721020.
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