Travel advice for the Azores

Hi there, we’re planning a 15-day trip to the Azores at the end of April/beginning of May. We’re torn between São Miguel and Terceira, or São Miguel and Flores—could you give us some advice based on the season? We saw a free flight offer within 24 hours of arriving in São Miguel—does this apply to French residents? Thanks

Hi there,

Terceira is more culture-focused, with Angra do Heroísmo, a World Heritage site. Flores is all about raw nature and isolation.

Climate: The further east you go, the wetter, rainier, windier, and foggier it gets. But in spring, there’ll be loads of flowers—that’s where the name Flores comes from! São Miguel is relatively drier, though I did say *relatively*.

Thanks for your post about flights—do you have any information? Thanks

The most convenient option is Azores Airlines, which offers direct flights on certain days from CDG to Ponta Delgada. And if you travel with this airline, you get discounts on inter-island flights. Be careful! Depending on weather conditions, it’s not uncommon for inter-island flights to be canceled and rescheduled. Keep this in mind when planning your trip.

Correction

The further east you go, the more humid it gets

Oops! No, the further west you go! So Flores is indeed the most humid. Sorry!

Hi there,

What a great idea to visit this magnificent archipelago—it’s stunning, and the people are so warm and welcoming!

For a first-time experience, I’d recommend São Miguel, Flores, and Corvo.

If you love breathtaking landscapes, you’ll be in for a treat.

So far, I’ve visited São Miguel, Faial, Terceira, São Jorge, and Pico, and I’ll be heading to Flores and Corvo in May.

I really enjoyed Faial too, even though all the islands are incredibly pleasant to visit and absolutely beautiful.

Based on feedback from people I’ve spoken to there, my only regret was not visiting Flores sooner.

If you enjoy hiking, the trails are very well-marked, and the entire archipelago is very well-organized.

The roads are in great condition. I’d recommend renting a car while you’re there—the buses run on schedules that work for locals but aren’t practical for exploring all the amazing spots on the island.

SATA, the Azores airline, is a good option for flying between São Miguel and Flores. For Corvo, there’s a 30-minute boat ride from Flores, and you can visit Corvo in a day.

Here are the sites I visited in São Miguel:

- Vila Franca do Campo Islet - Chapel of Our Lady of Peace - Lagoa do Fogo - Miradouro da Vista do Rei - Sete Cidades - Terra Nostra Park - Furnas - Salto do Prego Waterfall - Sanguinho Village - Lagoa do Canário - Miradouro Grota do Inferno - Ponta da Ferraria - António Borges Garden

The drives between each location are quick.

If you have any specific questions, I’d be happy to answer them. Here are some photos from São Miguel:



And here’s a video of my trip to São Miguel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_J0JuykmG8

Thanks for all this info, the photos, and the video.

Hi there, I just saw your feedback on requests for information about the Azores. I’m just starting to consider going there for about two weeks, without knowing this destination at all. My husband and I love quiet, authentic, and wild places. We’d like to do some traveling around, with plenty of hiking. We’re planning to go in June. I’ll look into the places you mentioned in more detail. If you have any guidebook recommendations or interesting websites to help plan a route, I’d love to hear them. I think we’ll need to focus on a few islands to avoid rushing around too much.

It seems like this could be a really great destination with a reasonable budget? If you have any must-visit accommodations or hikes, I’m all ears! :)

I’ll do some more digging and get back to you if that’s okay.