Month guide · Azores · Portugal
Azores in December
What December is really like in Azores: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Manuel Silveira, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
December is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 18°C (64°F), lows of 13°C (55°F), about 14 rainy days and roughly 9.6 hours of daylight. Mild, wet and festive with nativity scenes and Christmas lights in Ponta Delgada and Angra.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 18°C (64°F) / 13°C (55°F)
- Rainy days
- About 14
- Daylight
- About 9.6 hours
- Sea temperature
- 18°C (64°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in December
December is the 9th-warmest month in Azores: days average 18°C (64°F) against a yearly average high of 21°C (70°F), and nights fall to about 13°C (55°F). Rain falls on roughly 14 of its 31 days. Compared with November (20°C (68°F)), December is cooler; by January highs stay near 17°C (63°F).
- Sunrise (15 December)
- About 07:51
- Sunset (15 December)
- About 17:25
- Daylight
- About 9.6 hours
- Sea
- 18°C (64°F)
Winter (December–February). Mild but wet, windy and changeable, with frequent cloud on the crater lakes and occasional transport disruption.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, December rates 2 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in July). That makes December one of the better-value months to book.
Events in December
- Christmas lights and nativity scenes in the towns (usually December)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in December
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Experience · Furnas
Poça da Dona Beija
A set of small, landscaped hot-spring pools along a stream in Furnas, lit at night and surrounded by ferns.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- After dark
- Rainy day
- Nature
Experience · Maia
Gorreana Tea Plantation
Walk the short trail through the tea rows after your tasting for views over the north coast.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- History
- Rainy day
Experience · Ponta Delgada
Pineapple greenhouses
Azorean pineapples are grown in whitewashed glasshouses where smoke is used to encourage flowering, and each plant takes about two years to fruit.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Kids
- Rainy day
Nature · Terceira
Algar do Carvão
Bring a jacket and non-slip shoes; the steps are wet and it is cool inside even in summer.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
What to pack
For highs near 18°C, lows near 13°C and 14 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent; comfortable walking shoes.
Is December a good time to visit Azores?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, May–September are better overall. Compare every month.
Azores in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is December a good time to visit Azores?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Mild, wet and festive with nativity scenes and Christmas lights in Ponta Delgada and Angra.
+How warm is Azores in December?
Average highs are around 18°C (64°F) and lows around 13°C (55°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Azores in December?
Expect rain on about 14 days of the month, so pack for wet weather.