Portugal’s remote archipelago of the Azores is blessed with natural beauty and breathtaking landscape; it’s hard not to forget life’s daily chaos upon arriving at one of the nine islands. Located about 900 miles off the coast of Europe and west of Portugal, international flights to Azores eventually land in the pristine and protected islands where volcanoes stand tall and hot sulfur springs provide a backdrop to the subtropical area. It’s no surprise that agriculture is the main money-maker on the islands, but holidaymakers book flights to the Azores for a stay on the white sand beaches and a chance at island hopping via ferry and domestic Azores flights.
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When to fly to Azores Islands
Peak Season:
The Algarve enjoys good temperatures year-round. Even the average winter temperature is a balmy 14 degrees Celsius. In summer average temperatures are in the mid-20s, but in July and August, they can reach 30 degrees. The Azores and Madeira enjoy mild temperatures year-round. Average temperatures range between 19 degrees in winter and 24 degrees in summer. In the north of the country summers can hit the mid-20s but winters are cool and rainy.
Off Season:
It's hard to pick a bad time to seek cheap flights to Portugal and its islands. The winters are milder than the UK's or Ireland's with temperatures of about 14 degrees in the Algarve and 19 degrees on Madeira. The further north you go the greater chance of cold weather and rain, and there is some snowfall mostly in the Serra da Estrela mountains.
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Azores Islands insider information
- See the brightly coloured chapels (imperios) on the island of Terceira. Part of the Espirito Santo cult, which holds processions on Whitsunday the festival of the Holy Spirit in towns and villages throughout the island. The capital of Terceira is Angra de Heroismo which is a Unesco World Heritage site.
- Stay in Convento de Sao Francisco on Sao Miguel. There are only ten rooms in this beautifully renovated 17th century convent on Villa Franco de Campo. Capture the simplicity of convent life.
- If you think of hydrangeas as plants in pots, think again. Hedges of blue hydrangeas literally criss-cross the island of Faial. You won’t forget it.
