Best time to visit · Azores · Portugal
The best time to visit Azores
Weather, crowds, prices and events for every month, so you can pick the trip that suits you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The best time to visit the Azores is May to September, when days are longest, rain is least frequent and hydrangeas line the roads in June and July. April and May are best for blue-whale sightings, and July to September for swimming and climbing Mount Pico. Winter is mild but wet and windy, with more frequent ferry and flight disruption.
Key facts
- Best months
- May–September
- Shoulder season
- April and October
- Warmest month
- August (avg high 26°C (79°F))
- Coldest month
- January (avg high 17°C (63°F))
- Rainiest month
- January (~14 rainy days)
- Lowest hotel prices
- January–February and November
Seasons
The Azores have a mild, humid oceanic climate with small temperature differences between seasons: around 17 °C in winter and 25 °C in summer. Rain can fall at any time, with frequent changes during the day, and the uplands are cooler and cloudier than the coast.
March–May
Spring
Green and showery with mild temperatures, the start of the Holy Spirit festivals and peak blue and fin whale sightings.
June–August
Summer
The driest and warmest season, with hydrangeas in bloom, the best hiking and swimming conditions, and the highest demand for cars and rooms.
September–November
Autumn
Warm seas in September, then more rain and storms; quieter and cheaper later in the season.
December–February
Winter
Mild but wet, windy and changeable, with frequent cloud on the crater lakes and occasional transport disruption.
Month by month
Long-term averages (rounded). Crowds and prices are relative, 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). Daylight is sunrise to sunset on the 15th.
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Sea | Daylight | Crowds | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17°C | 12°C | 14 | 17°C | 9.8 h | 1/5 | 1/5 |
| February | 17°C | 11°C | 12 | 16°C | 10.7 h | 1/5 | 1/5 |
| March | 17°C | 11°C | 12 | 16°C | 11.8 h | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| April | 18°C | 12°C | 9 | 17°C | 13.1 h | 3/5 | 2/5 |
| May | 20°C | 13°C | 7 | 18°C | 14.2 h | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| June | 22°C | 15°C | 5 | 20°C | 14.8 h | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| July | 25°C | 17°C | 3 | 22°C | 14.5 h | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| August | 26°C | 18°C | 4 | 24°C | 13.6 h | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| September | 25°C | 17°C | 8 | 23°C | 12.4 h | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| October | 22°C | 16°C | 11 | 21°C | 11.1 h | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| November | 20°C | 14°C | 12 | 19°C | 10.1 h | 1/5 | 1/5 |
| December | 18°C | 13°C | 14 | 18°C | 9.6 h | 2/5 | 2/5 |
Yearly events
Recurring dates shift from year to year; confirm with the organiser before you book.
| Month | Events |
|---|---|
| February | Carnival — traditional 'bailinhos' theatre on Terceira (February or March) |
| March | Start of the spring whale migration (usually from March) |
| April | Peak blue and fin whale sightings (usually April to May); Holy Spirit festivals begin after Easter |
| May | Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres festival in Ponta Delgada (fifth Sunday after Easter, usually May) |
| June | Sanjoaninas festival in Angra do Heroísmo (usually late June) |
| July | Rope bullfights (touradas à corda) on Terceira through the summer |
| August | Semana do Mar — Sea Week festival in Horta (usually early August) |
| December | Christmas lights and nativity scenes in the towns (usually December) |
Cheapest and quietest times
Hotel prices are usually lowest in January–February and November, and the sights are quietest in January–February and November.
What to pack
| Season | Pack |
|---|---|
| Spring | Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent; Comfortable walking shoes |
| Summer | Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; Comfortable walking shoes |
| Autumn | Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent; Comfortable walking shoes |
| Winter | Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent; Comfortable walking shoes |
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best month to visit Azores?
The best time to visit the Azores is May to September, when days are longest, rain is least frequent and hydrangeas line the roads in June and July. April and May are best for blue-whale sightings, and July to September for swimming and climbing Mount Pico. Winter is mild but wet and windy, with more frequent ferry and flight disruption.
+When are hotel prices lowest in Azores?
Usually in January–February and November. Mild but wet and windy, with frequent showers and occasional storms that can delay ferries and flights.
+What is the rainiest month in Azores?
January, with about 14 days of rain on average.
+How hot does Azores get?
The warmest month, August, averages highs of 26°C (79°F) and lows of 18°C (64°F).