BRIEF CONCISE GUIDE TO PLANNING A TRIP TO THE AZORES

Azores and Covid 19

Rules and regulation for the entire Azorean Archipelago

What is required, what you need to do before and during your stay in the Azores

Update 12/03/2021

International passengers are again required to have a negative test result to Covid-19 at the time of departure, regardless of having a digital certificate of vaccination or recovery.

The Regional Government of the Azores no longer has agreements with laboratories or collect stations to carry out tests, before traveling to the Azores.

Only the travellers with the digital COVID-19 VACCINATION OR RECOVERY certificate don’t need to fill the online form Mysafeazores.

Passengers from Mainland Portugal or Madeira, with a Digital Vaccination Certificate, do not need a test.

Please remember to fill in the questionnaire/Form before you leave!

https://mysafeazores.com/

https://portugalcleanandsafe.pt/en/passenger-locator-card

This is if you do not have the GREEN PASS

You must also fill in the form first

https://app.euplf.eu/

Rules about wearing mask and/or restrictions

Update 12/03/2021

Mask is again mandatory in all enclosed establishments.

Applicable to the islands of Corvo, Flores, Graciosa, Faial, Pico, São Jorge, Terceira, São Miguel and Santa Maria from 00:00 of 03 December 2021

a) It is mandatory to wear masks or visors to access or stay in closed spaces in accordance with the DRS Information Circular

b) Opening of all drinking establishments and similar, with dancing spaces, with compliance with the applicable technical guidelines, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Regional Health Authority

c) Opening of all catering, drinking and similar establishments in the sports events venue, under the terms of the guidelines issued by the Regional Health Authority

d) Opening of crèches, kindergartens, childcare centres, childcare centres, youth development and inclusion centres, occupational activity centres, day centres, senior citizen centres and similar responses, under the terms of the guidelines issued by the Regional Health Authority

e) Permission to visit the elderly and users residing in residential structures for the elderly, in long term care units and in health care homes, as well as users of residential structures for persons with disabilities, under the terms of the guidelines issued by the Regional Health Authority

f) Limitation of public presence in cultural events and sports competitions to three quarters of the respective capacity, unless authorized by the Regional Health Authority for a higher capacity, after previous evaluation of the contingency plan of the space and/or event by the County Health Delegation.

Guidelines from : https://destinoseguro.azores.gov.pt/ 

On very islands, children can get to know some of the most incredible and wild natural landscapes in the world without any danger: active volcanoes, calderas, fumaroles, thermal pools surrounded by nature, encounters with dolphins and whales, snorkelling safely among multitudes of fish and finds of ancient shipwrecks, whaling museums and ancient lighthouses to climb on winding spiral staircases.

All activities that fascinate adults but which for children really represent a real “wild” adventure.

The islands offer a multitude of paths on foot, by bicycle, on dirt roads and very little busy roads. You can practice kayaking on lakes and at sea along the rugged coasts, in fascinating and adventurous paths for the look, you can go horseback riding through the woods or on the wide black beaches on the coast.

The dangers on the Azores islands are practically non-existent and on the other hand they offer experiences of leisure and nature that we often imagine possible only when leaving Europe.

The Azores Islands are truly a prime destination for those traveling with children: pure air, clean sea, unspoiled nature, and a thousand things to do and see. A true paradise for children because here they can freely enjoy a thousand incredible adventures to tell.

The best time to decide when to go to the Azores is of course during summer, especially in July and August, which are the warmest and sunniest months, but the climate is favourably mild all year round.

Having an oceanic climate, the Azores are affected by the delay with which the sea warms up, so the month of September is warmer than June and the temperatures are still those of a summer month, even if with a little more frequent rains. In July and August temperatures are pleasant, frequent sunny days, rare rains, while June is a little cooler and cloudy.

The climate of the Azores is however generally very mild: it is an oceanic subtropical climate, fresh for many months and pleasantly warm in summer: as already written, it is not a tropical climate. The Azores archipelago is located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and although it is located at the same latitude as Sicily and Calabria, the influence of the ocean makes the climate milder than it is in our southern regions.

For example: winter temperatures range from 11/12 ° C at night to 16/18 ° C during the day, while summer temperatures range from 18/20 ° C minimum to 24/26 ° C maximum. As the months pass in the Azores, the temperatures vary slowly so that the highs exceed 20 degrees only from June to October. The records of the heat in the Azores are very low: temperatures never reach 30 degrees even in summer. On winter nights, on the other hand, temperatures rarely drop below 12 degrees above zero.

In the autumn and winter months, the rains are more frequent and especially in the north-western islands, also abundant. Precisely for this reason, however, the landscape is incredibly green and flowery.

For those who love to swim: the ocean in summer is quite cool, but not prohibitive, at least for those who are not cold: the water temperature is 22 degrees in July, and reaches 23 in August and September.

How to dress and what to bring

Simple tips for what to pack:

in winter midseason clothes are enough with the addition of a waterproof jacket and, for the coldest ones, a sweater.

In summer, light clothes are fine, but also add a sweatshirt or a light jacket with a hood or umbrella.

MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES DURING THE YEAR

(Average Temperature Portugal Ponta Delgada)

HOURS OF SUN IN AVERAGE MONTH FOR MONTH

(Average Sunshine Portugal Ponta Delgada)

AVERAGE SEA TEMPERATURE MONTH BY MONTH

(Average Water Temperature Portugal Ponta Delgada)

AVERAGE MONTHLY PRECIPITATIONS

(Average Rainfall Portugal Ponta Delgada)

Plane

From Ponta Delgada, Azores Airlines flies to each island with different frequencies depending on the importance of the island itself (for example for Corvo, which is the smallest there are only two flights per week, for Terceira several per day). In some cases, the connections between the islands provide stopovers (for example, from Sao Miguel to Flores, a stop is made in Terceira, or Faial) in any case, the flights last between 30 and 50 minutes maximum.

Any stopovers look more like changing buses rather than an airplane, boarding and disembarking operations are quick and stress-free.

SATA (Azores Airlines) is an excellent company, with safe and regular flights. Unfortunately also a little expensive, though. Flying from one island to another, on a beautiful day, offers a priceless panorama and the arrival in the small but highly organized airports is an event in itself. No crowds, no queues. Excluding the peak months, it is even possible to take a rental car from the various agencies “on the fly”, without even booking.

Ferry

A less expensive alternative are ferries. (Atlanticoline). Between the three islands of the central group (Faial, Pico and Sao Jorge) they operate all year round, while among the other islands they are seasonal (we are still in the middle of the Atlantic!). Here too, just show up a little earlier and in time to have a coffee the Ferry is ready to welcome you. You can take the car between the various islands, or choose to leave it, take the ferry as passengers, and then once you reach the next island, rent another one. Keep an eye on the high season, booking in this case is a must, especially on the smaller islands where the number of cars available is limited.

The following diagram tells you which ferries operate between the various islands and the seasonality of the passes:

Car Rental

Renting a car is very straightforward, the airports are small and uncrowded, the rental agencies (both international like Hertz and local ones like Ilha Verde) are present and efficient. The only advice is to book in advance if you arrive in high season (July, August, September), as there are not many cars available. In the other months there are no problems usually. Just get off the plane, go to an agency kiosk, provide documents, signatures and the car is ready. All in a few minutes and usually without queues or stress. The islands are visited, but nothing comparable to the mega tourist places where you have to elbow!

The roads are nothing short of excellent and with little traffic. The only risk here is getting distracted because of the breathtaking views, so take turns driving!

Public Transport

All islands except Corvo have public bus and taxi transport. Rental cars are available in the eight main islands at affordable prices. Taxis and private tourist services are available on the island of Corvo.

SAO MIGUEL:

In Ponta Delgada there are “Mini-buses” that cover the city center.Various bus lines cover the entire island and are probably the fastest, cheapest and most ecological way of getting around. There are three lines operated by three different companies. The buses are rather slow, but given the small size of the island, the routes rarely last more than 90 minutes. They are usually not crowded and are very clean.Buses travel the main road and are easily accessible from the main sites of Ponta Delgada. Bus services within the city are operated by small minibuses with the larger city. Both services are accessible along Avenida D. Infante Henriques. Timetables are available at bus stops and the tourist office.

TERCEIRA:

Buses travel between major cities on weekdays and bus timetables can be found at the tourist office of Angra do Heroismo or Praia da Vitória.

FAIAL:

There is a bus that goes around the island every day from Monday to Friday, and leaves at 11:45 from the stop near the central tourist office.

PICO:

There is a bus from Madalena at 8.45am which travels along the north coast of the island, and then returns at 11.00am. Another bus leaves at 12:25. and return to Madalena along the south coast, arriving at the ferry docks at 3 in the afternoon.

SÃO JORGE:

Only on Wednesdays and Fridays is it possible to go from Velas to Calheta and return along the north coast road. The bus leaves from the square in front of the church of Velas at 08:30 and from Calheta at 15:00 for the return.

FLORES:

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday there is a bus from Lajes to Santa Cruz which leaves at 09:00 in front of the town hall. The journey takes about 40 minutes. The return bus leaves Santa Cruz at 3:00 pm.

SANTA MARIA:

A bus line goes around the island from Vila do Porto

GRACIOSA:

Two buses a day go around the island one in the morning and the other in the afternoon

PONTA DELGADA – SÃO MIGUEL

Ponta Delgada is a good place to go in the evening if you are looking for something to do and some nightlife, especially in the summer and when festivals or other celebrations are scheduled.

After a day of relaxation on the beach, or around the island, on an evening with good weather there are many clubs open and a good mix of tourists and locals to enjoy the evening.

There are three key areas where people gather. The first is easy to recognize and find. It is a large square located behind the arches visible on the waterfront. There are often small concerts by local musicians, outdoor bars and the lights of the cathedral which give the whole a magnificent appearance.

The second area is along the road that starts from the central square, where the best restaurants and cocktail bars are located.

The third area is on the water, or rather on the large pier where the marina is located and where cruise ships dock. This third area is known as Portas do Mar and has a good number of restaurants which are usually open late.

Portas do Mar is the cruise ship terminal and this is where most of the nightlife is located. There is often live music in the evening. There is a lot of space and it is not uncommon for much of the outdoor space to be used to host concerts and festivals.

ANGRA DO HEROISMO – TERCEIRA

Angra do Heroismo, the capital and largest inhabited center of the Island of Terceira, has been suffering for over 60 years from the presence of an American air and naval base built during the Second World War. The influence of the many military and marines is felt and as a result the locals (many emigrated and then returned to the island, or their offspring) have created bars and restaurants that are now the beating heart of the beautiful town.

HORTA – FAIAL

Despite being one of the smallest, the island of Faial has a beating heart which is its Marina. The fourth most visited in the world, by yachts, sailboats and boats of all kinds. Sailors have always stopped here during the Atlantic crossings and therefore there is no shortage of places to quench the thirst and entertain the people who stop here.

Horta is by nature a relatively calm place, and this reflects on its nightlife, which does not mean that there are not a good number of excellent places where you can relax and enjoy the best part of the day. Below is a non-exhaustive list of existing pubs, discos and cafes.Peter Café Sport

One of the most famous pubs in the world, where yacht crews and tourists of all nationalities enjoy a pleasant evening in a characteristic setting. In addition to having the best gin and tonic around, it also serves light snacks, and good quality hot dishes. The service is good even if the prices are a bit high (compared to the Azores average), as you will soon realize, it is always full. It is located in Rua Tenente Valadim, in front of the Marina di Horta on the road that goes to Porto Pim.

Clube Naval da Horta

It is the Aquatic Club pub, it serves light snacks and has a good environment, quite full of people of all kinds every weekend and throughout the summer season. Reasonable prices even if the service is a bit slow. There is an outdoor area with excellent views of the harbor, as well as the pool tables. Occasionally there is live music or karaoke sessions. It is in Rua Vasco da Gama, near the Fort Stª Cruz, also facing the Marina.

Marina Bar

It also serves light snacks, the prices are relatively high because it is part of the Peter Café company. Customers are mostly tourists during the week mainly due to its location, which, as its name indicates, in the corner of the Marina.

Oceanic Cafe

A thematic bar located inside a historic building (1822), immediately adjacent and overlooking the main entrance of Horta Marina, offers a variety of snacks, and rivers of beer. Live music, closes at 2.00 am.

Cafè do Porto Pim

Beautiful traditional restaurant bar (seriously, not bogus) located on the seafront of one of the most beautiful bays of all the Azores, Porto Pim. Unpretentious, you can spend a wonderful evening chatting with locals and tourists listening to the light noise of the waves lapping the (white!) Beach of the bay. Occasionally they organize Fado Nights, too.

Let’s say right away that there are no regular ferries or ships from the mainland (excluding cruise ships which are a separate thing) that reach the archipelago, so in essence the only way to reach them is by plane.

How to get to the Azores

The islands of the Azores archipelago are connected with Europe, North America and Canada thanks to the flights of the airlines TAP Portugal and SATA Air Azores. The air connections are excellent especially in the period between April and October when the 9 volcanic islands become a popular destination for tourism.

TAP Air Portugal offers hours flights from Lisbon (2,30 hours) to the airports of Ponta Delgada, Terceira and Faial.

SATA (Azores Airlines) operates flights to the Azores from the European locations of Amsterdam, Stockholm, Barcelona, Billund, Copenhagen, Dublin, Frankfurt, Las Palmas, Madrid, Monaco, Paris, Oslo, Zurich, Faro, Porto, Funchal (Madeira) and Porto Santo.

Intercontinental flights from Bermuda, Boston, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, New York, Oakland, Orlando, San Francisco, Montreal and Toronto are also possible.

Ryanair also flies to Ponta Delgada and Terceira.

OTHER COMPANIES THAT FLY TO THE AZORES

Delta Airlines

Primera Air

Fly Germany

Air Europa

Tui Fly