Azores walking guide
Walking offers an ever-changing landscape of emerald meadows, jewel-coloured lakes, wildflower blooms and volcanic peaks.
Flights from UK to the Azores
As of 2024, Azores Airlines is operating two weekly direct flights from London Gatwick to Ponta Delgada on Sao Miguel between early June and late September.
British Airways operates two direct routes from London Heathrow to Sao Miguel in the summer months between July and September, and to Terceira between mid-July and late August. The flight time for both is around four hours.
There are also indirect routes from London Stansted and Manchester to Sao Miguel, which you can read more about in our guide on how to get to the Azores.
Both Terceira and São Miguel are well-connected with the rest of the archipelago by small planes and ferries, so our responsible travel partners in the Azores can easily help you get to the start of your trip wherever you land.
July and August are the peak summer months when the weather is reliably warm and sunny. It’s also the best time for whale watching in the Azores, with the ocean at its calmest.
British Airways operates two direct routes from London Heathrow to Sao Miguel in the summer months between July and September, and to Terceira between mid-July and late August. The flight time for both is around four hours.
There are also indirect routes from London Stansted and Manchester to Sao Miguel, which you can read more about in our guide on how to get to the Azores.
Both Terceira and São Miguel are well-connected with the rest of the archipelago by small planes and ferries, so our responsible travel partners in the Azores can easily help you get to the start of your trip wherever you land.
July and August are the peak summer months when the weather is reliably warm and sunny. It’s also the best time for whale watching in the Azores, with the ocean at its calmest.
Terceira
Terceira is less-visited than other Azorean islands, but the ‘Lilac Isle’ has much to recommend it, especially for self guided cycling holidays around its verdant, volcano-carved scenery. One of the best natural attractions in Terceira is the Algar do Carvão, a vast lava tube formed by a volcanic eruption that you can walk inside.Other highlights of Terceira include the chance to bathe in the black lava pools off Biscoitos, the handsome capital Angra do Heroismo, and tucking into a fresh plate of cracas, briny barnacles, accompanied by an excellent Azorean white wine perhaps.
São Miguel
São Miguel is the largest island in the Azores. The historic capital city of Ponta Delgada is a highlight – with the cobbled mosaics of its pavements and whitewashed houses, it has a recognisably Portuguese character.You can also visit Europe’s only tea plantation on São Miguel, as well as kayak on volcanic crater lakes, bathe in hot springs and feast on meaty stews slow-cooked underground by geothermal energy.
Whale watching in the Azores
Three chances to search for whales & dolphins in the Azores
From
£995 to £1195
8 days
ex flights
Island hopping in the Azores, small group
Easy walking on Sao Miguel and Pico islands
From
£2695 to £3685
14 days
ex flights
Azores multi activity holiday
Week of fun activities exploring Sao Miguel Island
From
£825 to £1180
8 days
ex flights
Hiking holiday in the Azores with thermal hotsprings
Low season hiking around the Green Island
From
£935 to £1180
8 days
ex flights
Adventure holiday week in the Azores
Sao Miguel Island The playground for your next adventure
From
£869 to £1305
8 days
ex flights
Azores tour, island explorer
Whales, volcanoes, crater lakes & island adventures combined
From
£1125 to £1295
8 days
ex flights
Contact Us
Call us for a chat about our holidays. We are happy to discuss your holiday and help in any way we can. No bots, queues or awful hold music.
01273 823 700
Call us until 5pm
Calling from outside the UK
Responsible Travel would like to thank Azores Tourism for their sponsorship of this article.
More Azores articles
The best time to visit the Azores is April to September for fair weather and calmer seas.
Our Azores travel guide gives you the lowdown on the highlights of Azores holidays, from the rated to the overrated.
Our handy map and highlights of the Azores shows you where to visit, helping you make the most of your time away.
Can you island hop in the Azores? Certainly – and we reveal how, highlighting the best routes.
Whale watching in the Azores is essentially a seaborne safari. Find out more in our guide.
Dolphin watching holidays in the Azores are not an experience to be quickly forgotten.
The Azores is one of the best places in the world for watching blue whales.
There's an array of things to do if you’re travelling in the Azores with kids.
Azorean cuisine is influenced by Atlantic isolation, Catholic faith and volcanic activity.
Our best holidays in the Azores share a common theme: they get you out and about in nature.
Faial is a landscape hewn by volcanic activity, blanketed with hydrangeas in summer.
Pico is wild, pristine and has a sterling reputation for its UNESCO-listed vineyards.
Read our guide to the best things to see and do on Terceira in the Azores.
Whale watching, hiking and cycling are among the best things to do in the Azores.
We reveal the sheer variety of whale species you can see in the Azores in our guide.
Find out about whale conservation in the Azores and how you can get involved.
We explore how to travel to the Azores from the UK, the USA, Canada and mainland Portugal with details on specific routes.
Activity holidays in the Azores are informed by the dramatic, volcanic island landscapes.
The Azores are developing a reputation as an exciting destination for cycling.
With volcanic terrain and sky-high waterfalls, the Azores is one of the best places in the world for canyoning.
Azores travel tips from the islanders and expert tour partners who we know and trust to give the best advice.
Responsible tourism in the Azores always starts with the natural world.
More relevant guides
