Month guide · Azores · Portugal
Azores in May
What May 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
May is one of the best months to visit Azores. Expect average highs of 20°C (68°F), lows of 13°C (55°F), about 7 rainy days and roughly 14.2 hours of daylight. Pleasant temperatures, good whale watching and the first hydrangeas; Ponta Delgada's biggest festival takes place.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 20°C (68°F) / 13°C (55°F)
- Rainy days
- About 7
- Daylight
- About 14.2 hours
- Sea temperature
- 18°C (64°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 6th-warmest month in Azores: days average 20°C (68°F) against a yearly average high of 21°C (70°F), and nights fall to about 13°C (55°F). Rain falls on roughly 7 of its 31 days. Compared with April (18°C (64°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 22°C (72°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 06:33
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 20:45
- Daylight
- About 14.2 hours
- Sea
- 18°C (64°F)
Spring (March–May). Green and showery with mild temperatures, the start of the Holy Spirit festivals and peak blue and fin whale sightings.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 3 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in July). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
- Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres festival in Ponta Delgada (fifth Sunday after Easter, usually May)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Garden · Furnas
Terra Nostra Garden
Wear a dark swimsuit you don't mind staining; the iron-rich water leaves orange marks on light fabric.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Couples
- Nature
- Rainy day
- Outdoors
Experience · Ponta Delgada
Whale and dolphin watching
More than 20 species of whales and dolphins have been recorded in Azorean waters.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Nature · Ribeira Grande
Caldeira Velha
Visit early in the morning; visitor numbers are limited at busy times.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Nature · Sete Cidades
Ponta da Ferraria
At the foot of a lava headland on São Miguel's west coast, a thermal spring flows into a rocky ocean inlet where hot water mixes with the sea.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
What to pack
For highs near 20°C, lows near 13°C and 7 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Azores?
One of the best months to visit Azores, with a notable event on the calendar. The other best months are June–September. Compare every month.
Azores in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Azores?
It is one of the best months to visit Azores. Pleasant temperatures, good whale watching and the first hydrangeas; Ponta Delgada's biggest festival takes place.
+How warm is Azores in May?
Average highs are around 20°C (68°F) and lows around 13°C (55°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Azores in May?
Expect rain on about 7 days of the month.