With kids · Azores · Portugal
Azores with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
The Azores suit active families who like nature: whale-watching trips, steaming fumaroles, volcanic caves, pineapple greenhouses and warm natural pools. Distances on each island are short, but weather and winding roads mean planning flexible days. Top picks: Whale and dolphin watching, Furnas fumaroles and lake and Algar do Carvão. Families usually base themselves in Ponta Delgada.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Ponta Delgada
- Rainy-day options
- 3
- Busiest months
- July–August
Best things to do with kids
Experience · Ponta Delgada
1.Whale and dolphin watching
More than 20 species of whales and dolphins have been recorded in Azorean waters. Sperm whales live here year-round, blue, fin and sei whales migrate past in spring, and common and bottlenose dolphins are seen on most trips. Land-based lookouts called vigias, once used by whalers, now guide the boats.
April and May give the best chance of blue whales; choose an operator with a marine biologist on board and dress warmly.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Book a day or two ahead in summer, and keep a spare day in case trips are cancelled for rough seas.
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Nature · Furnas
2.Furnas fumaroles and lake
In Furnas village, boiling springs and fumaroles steam from the ground around the Caldeiras, and at the north shore of Lagoa das Furnas, pots of cozido are buried in the hot earth to cook for about six hours. A trail circles the lake past the neo-Gothic Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Vitórias.
Arrive at the lake fumaroles around midday to see restaurant cooks lifting the cozido pots out of the ground.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Nature
- Kids
- Food
- Photo spot
Nature · Terceira
3.Algar do Carvão
In the centre of Terceira, a staircase descends about 90 metres into an ancient volcanic chimney, past walls of silica stalactites to a clear lake at the bottom. It is one of the few places where visitors can enter a volcano's vent.
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
Island · Vila Franca do Campo
4.Ilhéu de Vila Franca
A sunken volcanic crater just off the south coast forms a nearly circular natural pool of clear water, open to the sea by a narrow channel. It is a protected reserve, and boats from Vila Franca marina take visitors across in summer.
Bring snorkelling gear, water and sun protection; there is little shade or shelter on the islet.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Book ahead
- Daily visitor numbers are capped in summer; book the boat crossing in advance.
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Experience · Ponta Delgada
5.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. Family plantations on the edge of Ponta Delgada, such as the Arruda greenhouses in Fajã de Baixo, can be visited for free.
Try the pineapple liqueur and jam in the plantation shop.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · Faial
6.Capelinhos Volcano and Interpretation Centre
The 1957–58 eruption at Capelinhos, on Faial's western tip, added land to the island and buried an old lighthouse in ash. An underground interpretation centre explains Azorean volcanism, and visitors can climb the lighthouse tower over a moon-like landscape.
Climb the lighthouse for the best view over the ash cone and the new land created by the eruption.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Nature
Rainy-day ideas
- Pineapple greenhouses — Try the pineapple liqueur and jam in the plantation shop.
- Algar do Carvão — Bring a jacket and non-slip shoes; the steps are wet and it is cool inside even in summer.
- Capelinhos Volcano and Interpretation Centre — Climb the lighthouse for the best view over the ash cone and the new land created by the eruption.
Where families should stay
$$ · Best for first-timers, food lovers, nightlife and budget
Ponta Delgada
The archipelago's largest town has a seafront promenade, the three-arched Portas da Cidade, Baroque churches and a marina where most whale-watching boats depart. It has the widest choice of hotels and restaurants, and is about 30–45 minutes' drive from Sete Cidades, Lagoa do Fogo and the north coast.
- Good
- Most restaurants and hotels; Close to the airport; Whale-watching boats leave from here
- Watch out
- Car needed for most sights; Fewer views than the rural areas
- Nearby
- Portas da Cidade, Ponta Delgada marina, Pineapple greenhouses, Sete Cidades
Family travel tips
- Pack waterproofs and spare clothes; showers can come and go several times a day.
- Check the minimum age for whale-watching boats, as some RIBs are not suitable for very young children.
- Choose shorter trails such as the Sete Cidades lakeside walks for small children.
- Bring travel-sickness tablets for winding roads and boat trips.
- Hot springs can be very warm; limit young children's time in the water.
Day trips for families
- Nordeste and the east coast (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car from Ponta Delgada) — 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.
- 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.
When to go with children
The best months overall are May–September. July–August are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Azores good for kids?
The Azores suit active families who like nature: whale-watching trips, steaming fumaroles, volcanic caves, pineapple greenhouses and warm natural pools. Distances on each island are short, but weather and winding roads mean planning flexible days.
+What can kids do in Azores?
Whale and dolphin watching, Furnas fumaroles and lake, Algar do Carvão, Ilhéu de Vila Franca and Pineapple greenhouses.
+Where should families stay in Azores?
Ponta Delgada: São Miguel's harbour capital of black-and-white cobbles and whale-watching boats.