Season guide · Azores · Portugal
Azores in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: José Luís Ávila Silveira/Pedro Noronha e Costa, Public domain
Quick answer
Mild but wet, windy and changeable, with frequent cloud on the crater lakes and occasional transport disruption. Expect highs up to 18°C (64°F) and lows around 11°C (52°F), with about 40 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 11°C (52°F) to 18°C (64°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 40
- Sea
- 16°C (61°F) to 18°C (64°F)
- Crowds
- Very quiet
- Hotel prices
- Lowest
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17°C (63°F) | 12°C (54°F) | 14 | 9.8 h | 1/5 |
| February | 17°C (63°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 12 | 10.7 h | 1/5 |
| December | 18°C (64°F) | 13°C (55°F) | 14 | 9.6 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 17°C (63°F) against a yearly 21°C (70°F), and 40 of the year's roughly 111 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 1/5 and hotel prices 1/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- February: Carnival — traditional 'bailinhos' theatre on Terceira (February or March)
- December: Christmas lights and nativity scenes in the towns (usually December)
Good choices for winter
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 · 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
Day trips in winter
- Corvo from Flores (About 45 minutes by boat) — The archipelago's smallest island has one village of a few hundred people and a vast crater, the Caldeirão, with lakes on its floor.
- Santa Maria (About 25 minutes by plane from Ponta Delgada) — 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.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Azores?
It is a trade-off: Mild but wet, windy and changeable, with frequent cloud on the crater lakes and occasional transport disruption. The best months overall are May–September.
+What is the weather like in Azores in winter?
Highs of up to 18°C (64°F) and lows around 11°C (52°F), with about 40 rainy days over the season.