Itinerary · Azores · Portugal
One day in Azores
A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Azores, not crossing it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: José Luís Ávila Silveira/Pedro Noronha e Costa, Public domain
Quick answer
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 8. Day 1: Sete Cidades and the Vista do Rei viewpoint and Ponta da Ferraria. Base yourself in Ponta Delgada.
Key facts
- Days
- 1
- Sights covered
- 5
- Day trips
- None
- Best base
- Ponta Delgada
- Book ahead
- Whale and dolphin watching
Day by day
Day 1: Sete Cidades and the Vista do Rei viewpoint and Ponta da Ferraria
Sete Cidades and the Vista do Rei viewpoint, Ponta da Ferraria, Furnas fumaroles and lake and Whale and dolphin watching, then Poça da Dona Beija in the evening.
Morning
Sete Cidades and the Vista do Rei viewpoint
Check the webcams or weather before you drive up; low cloud often fills the crater, so go early or wait for it to lift. Allow Half a day.
Late morning
Ponta da Ferraria
Go around low tide, when the inlet is warmest; at high tide the sea water makes it much cooler. Allow 1–2 hours.
Lunch
Lunch: Cozido das Furnas
Restaurants in Furnas serve it at lunchtime; book a table and arrive at midday.
Afternoon
Furnas fumaroles and lake
Arrive at the lake fumaroles around midday to see restaurant cooks lifting the cozido pots out of the ground. Allow 2 hours.
Late afternoon
Whale and dolphin watching
April and May give the best chance of blue whales; choose an operator with a marine biologist on board and dress warmly. Allow 3 hours.
Evening
Poça da Dona Beija
Go in the evening after the day-trippers leave; the pools are lit and stay open into the night.
Before you go
- Whale and dolphin watching: Book a day or two ahead in summer, and keep a spare day in case trips are cancelled for rough seas.
If it rains
- Swap in Terra Nostra Garden (Furnas): Wear a dark swimsuit you don't mind staining; the iron-rich water leaves orange marks on light fabric.
- Swap in Gorreana Tea Plantation (Maia): Walk the short trail through the tea rows after your tasting for views over the north coast.
- Swap in Pineapple greenhouses (Ponta Delgada): Try the pineapple liqueur and jam in the plantation shop.
Where to stay for this itinerary
$$ · Best for first-timers, food lovers, nightlife and budget
Ponta Delgada
São Miguel's harbour capital of black-and-white cobbles and whale-watching boats
Pace and daylight
The sights in this plan add up to roughly 10–13 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.6 hours in December to 14.8 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.
Getting between stops: Car. Hire cars are available on all the main islands and give the freedom to chase good weather between viewpoints.
More or fewer days
Questions travellers ask
+Is one day enough in Azores?
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 8. How many days Azores needs.
+What should I book before visiting Azores?
Whale and dolphin watching.