5 best day trips from Azores

Day trips compared

The day trips

70 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes by car from Ponta Delgada

1.Nordeste and the east coast

São Miguel's remote north-east has manicured viewpoint gardens at Ponta do Sossego and Ponta da Madrugada, the Ribeira dos Caldeirões waterfalls and old watermills. The region gets fewer visitors than the west, and sunrise over the ocean is spectacular.

Getting there

Car around the north or south coast of São Miguel

Best for

Couples, Quiet stays, Families

8 km · About 30 minutes by ferry

2.Pico from Faial

From Horta, a short ferry crossing reaches Madalena on Pico, where you can tour the UNESCO vineyards, the whaling museum at Lajes do Pico and lava-rock swimming pools, then return for dinner at Horta's marina.

Getting there

Atlânticoline ferry from Horta to Madalena

Best for

Couples, Food lovers, Culture

40 km · About 1–2 hours by ferry from Pico or Faial

3.São Jorge and its fajãs

Long, narrow São Jorge is lined with fajãs — flat coastal platforms at the foot of high cliffs, reached by steep trails or roads. The walk to Fajã da Caldeira de Santo Cristo, known for clams and surfing, is a classic, and the island's cheese cooperatives can be visited.

Getting there

Atlânticoline ferry to Velas, then car or taxi

Best for

Quiet stays, Couples, Food lovers

24 km · About 45 minutes by boat

4.Corvo from Flores

The archipelago's smallest island has one village of a few hundred people and a vast crater, the Caldeirão, with lakes on its floor. A taxi or minibus takes visitors from the harbour up to the crater rim for the walk down.

Getting there

Boat from Santa Cruz das Flores (mainly in summer)

Best for

Quiet stays, Couples, Solo travellers

90 km · About 25 minutes by plane from Ponta Delgada

5.Santa Maria

The oldest and sunniest Azorean island has white-sand beaches at Praia Formosa and São Lourenço bay with its terraced vineyards, plus the red clay landscape of the Barreiro da Faneca. It works best as an overnight trip.

Getting there

Inter-island flight, or a seasonal ferry in summer

Best for

Beach, Quiet stays, Families

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Local buses connect Ponta Delgada with towns such as Furnas, Ribeira Grande and Sete Cidades, but services are infrequent and not ideal for sightseeing.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask