Blue Whale Watching in the Azores

The Azores are Europe’s #1 destination for blue whale watching.

The seas around the Azores are one of the best places to observe cetaceans and ocean wildlife: resident species of bottlenose dolphins, sperm whales, loggerhead turtles and blue sharks can be seen throughout the year. For this very special holiday, the mission is also to sight the bigger baleen species – blue whales and fin whales as they pass through the waters of the Azores on their spring migration.

On our Blue Whale Watching holiday, you’ll spend a week with one of our favourite crews in the Azores: the team at Terra Azul. We’ve been working with Terra Azul for over twenty years – since their creation back in 2000 by local naturalist and whaling historian Miguel Cravinho. It’s Miguel’s philosophy that permeates through the whole team: whale watching and whale tourism helping to support wildlife studies and conservation.

As you’d expect, blue whale season doesn’t begin and end on precisely the same dates each year. Based on Terra Azul’s experience and their many years of sightings data, we’ll be offering this holiday between 1^st April and 30^th May – historically the best period for spotting migratory whales.

You’ll also have some downtime on dry land – time to relax and explore the spectacular landscapes across Sao Miguel with our resident guides, including visits to the famous hot springs at Furnas and the Vista do Rei viewpoint at Sete Cidades. We’re also offering a choice of accommodation at two of the best boutique hotels on the island: the historic Convento Sao Francisco in Vila Franco do Campo or the boutique Quinta do Mar in the peaceful south coast village of Caloura.