Azores Island Breakdown

Let me start by saying, I have thus far visited three of the nine islands that make up the Azores archepelago. I plan to provide a brief breakdown of each island, with a bit more emphasis on the three I have personally visited, but do not let that dissuade you from traveling to the other islands, they are next on my list!

Sao Miguel

The main island of the Azores, Sao Miguel hosts the Azores capital, Ponta Delgada, which boasts a bustling city atmosphere with an impressive foodie culture. After first spending multiple days on smaller islands, the business of Sao Miguel was almost discerning (see my visitors guide to Sao Miguel Island for more details). When you search #Azores on social media, or google search the Azores, you will likely see a highlight reel of several popular desinations on Sao Miguel. This island is absolutely stunning, and quite large, so there is plenty to do to fill an entire week. If you are interested in a mix of city-life and nature-seeking, this island is for you. If you want to get away from it all, and take the road less touristy, this island might not be your top pick. At one point I told my husband to just drive to the closest beach and we would camp out there for the day, because I was slightly fed up with feeling like myself and dozens of other tourists were hopping to all of the same attractions throughout the day. That being said, to visit other islands in the Azores a flight into Ponta Delgada is necessary, so adding 2-3 days to the front or back end of your trip to see the big spots on Sao Miguel is a great idea, I just mostly recommend venturing to at least 1 other island during your trip to the Azores.

Pico Island

To say that missing Pico would be a tragic mistake would be an understatement. This island (the 2nd largest in the Azores) felt like home to us after only three days. Pico Island is home to Mount Pico (see my post on Climbing Mount Pico), an active volcano with an elevation over 7,700ft. This volcano is summitable in 1 day (see blog post on climbing Mount Pico), and boasts unobstructed views of several neighboring islands. If hiking isn’t for you, but wine is, you are in good company here. Pico has been in wine production since the 15th century, and there is no shortage of wineries and vineyards (you should also visit the Museu do Vinho – wine museum) for you to get your wine fix. While we didn’t have the best scuba diving experience here (more on that later) it is an option, and there are supposedly lots of great diving spots off the coast of Pico. Other than the hiking, diving, and wine (but who really needs more than that?) the culture here is felt everywhere from the rocky shores to the top of Mt. Pico. There were fesitvals daily, neighbors bringing over wine and snacks to welcome Airbnb travelers, it felt like the island where everyone knew everyone’s name, and not a single other traveler was to be found.

Faial Island

Our time on Faial Island was brief, but noteworthy. Faial is a short but stunning ferry ride away from Pico Island, and was convenient enough that we brought our rental car with us to get around Faial with ease. Your ferry will take you right into Horta, an old whaling city in Faial. Horta’s roots in whaling are ever present in the busy harbour and popular pubs that line the pier. The city is easy to navigate and everything is walkable within Horta, but a rental car (on all islands) is necessary to see the rest of the island as public transportation just isn’t readily available anywhere. Driving around Faial is an experience in itself, with nearly every road lined with lush wild hydrangeas, bending and turning to reveal a new and equally impressive view of Mount Pico in the distance. If you are trying to see an extra island and don’t have a ton of time, I highly recommend stopping over to Faial.

Sao Jorge

Located adjacent to both Pico Island and Faial Island is Sao Jorge, the cheese producing island of the Azores. Don’t let that bore you, this island is absolutely stunning, and was surely going to be our 3rd island to visit, until we realized it was just so large that 1-2 days wasn’t going to be nearly enough time to do what we wanted to do there, so we went to Faial instead! Sao Jorge is a blissful escape from reality, and similar to other islands hiking and beaching hopping are a must do. I imagine Sao Jorge to be a wonderful combination of Sao Miguel, Pico and Faial, I guess I’ll have to go to find out!

Terciera

Did I say that you could only fly into Ponta Delgada from the USA and Europe? Because there is also an International Airport located on Terciera, if you so choose to fly directly there! As one of the largest islands in the Azores, visiting Heroismo (the capital), hiking, wine tasting, and lighthouse hopping, are some of the best things to do if you find yourself here!

Flores

The decision not to visit Flores was a difficult one. This was the first island that caught my attention, but with the time we had it just didn’t make sense to fly all the way out there, and it wasn’t easily (or quickly) accessible by ferry from Sao Miguel. From everything I have heard and read, Flores has a lush tropical landscape, with waterfalls gallore, and is often referred to as a “smaller Iceland”, sounds dreamy, huh? Next time Flores, next time.

Corvo

Sharing space up North with Flores is Corvo Island, the smallest island in the Azores archepelago. When I think about the charm that Pico and Faial Islands posessed, I imagine multiplying that by 100 and finding myself on Corvo. Due to its isolation, most of the culture and history has been preserved. If you are like most people, you likely won’t find yourself heading out to Corvo on your first time to the Azores, but maybe you should, so you can report back to the rest of us how wonderful it was to immerse into that type of scenery without another foreigner in sight.

Graciosa

Right next to Terciera sits the 2nd smallest island in the Azores (almost as tiny as Corvo)! Similar to Corvo, much of the culture and history are protected here, as it is less frequently traveled. Along with Corvo and Flores, Graciosa is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, meaning it is protected against human development. If you are looking for a quiet getaway, or maybe just a 2-3 day stopover from Terciera, this island is for you.

Santa Maria

Are you flying into Sao Miguel and spending most of your time there, but want to see one more island? Santa Maria just might be the best spot for you. Only a quick 15 minute flight from Ponta Delgada, Santa Maria awaits as the first formed and Southernmost island in the archepelago. This island possesses some of the best beaches in the Azores, with less volcanic remnants, drier climate, and more sunshine, allowing for great hiking and lots of color. Wine and liquor are also produced here, and the friendly nature of the locals guarantees a great experience.