How to plan a trip to the Azores

If you are planning a visit to the Azores, read the article we have prepared for you outlining the 5 essential steps to make your trip an unforgettable holiday.

We will cover 5 points:

1. Length of stay
2. Flights
3. Accommodation
4. Car rental
5. Tours and tourist activities

Trip to the Azores: 5 Steps

The Azores are not the cheapest destination, not because of the cost of living, but because of the distance — especially if you are coming from somewhere other than Portugal, as it almost always involves taking several flights before reaching the islands.

That is why people often cannot return as soon as they would like, although everyone leaves the Azores wanting to come back, such is the beauty of the islands and the warmth of the Azoreans.

So, the advice is to make the most of your stay and try to visit as many islands as possible.

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1 – How many days should you stay in the Azores?

The first decision you need to make when planning a trip to the Azores is how many days you will stay.

Although the islands are not very large in size, there is a lot to see and do, especially on the 3 biggest ones (São Miguel, Pico, and Terceira).

Ideally, 14 days would be the number of days needed to get to know several of the islands — in this example, 5 out of the 9 islands.

In 14 days, you could spend 5 days in São Miguel, 6 days on Pico (with 2 of those days used to visit Faial and São Jorge), and 3 days on Terceira island.

This is probably one of the best plans for a first trip to the Azores.

If you are limited to 1 week, you could spend 3 days on São Miguel, 3 days on Pico (possibly cutting São Jorge), and 1 day on Terceira.

In one week, you cannot get to know the islands in depth, but it does allow you to get a good idea of the best that each island has to offer, as long as you organise well what to see on each one.

2 – How to fly to the Azores?

The second step is to carefully choose your trip to the Azores, as flight costs usually make up a significant part of the total budget.

That is why it is worth understanding the logic of the entry islands and the inter-island connections, rather than just looking at the most obvious flight. For that, see our full guide: HOW TO TRAVEL TO THE AZORES.

In 2026, the picture changed: Ryanair had already left the Azores, while SATA / Azores Airlines reinforced several routes between mainland Portugal and the archipelago. At the same time, TAP strengthened Terceira’s role with the new Porto–Terceira route.

In practice, the strongest entry points remain São Miguel and Terceira, while islands such as Pico and Faial gain additional interest in summer with enhanced operations. If your final destination is another island, it may make sense to enter through one of these main islands and then continue by inter-island flight.

Within the archipelago, SATA Air Açores expects around 572 inter-island flights per week in summer, with reinforcements on the most in-demand routes.

Use the system below to search for the best flights across all airlines flying to the Azores.

It is practical, saves time and helps you compare different entry islands straight away.

3 – Looking for accommodation in the Azores

After booking your flights to the Azores, the next step is to reserve your accommodation.

One particular feature of the less touristic islands is that there are many more holiday homes than hotels, so you should consider renting a house rather than a hotel room.

To book accommodation, you can use the best-known platforms:

1 – Booking – A global leader in accommodation bookings. Booking is one of the platforms with the largest number of Azores properties, making it much easier to search for properties on any island.

2 – Expedia – One of the great advantages of using Expedia for the Azores is the flexibility and the possibility of saving money by bundling several services into the same booking. It is especially strong for many international travellers, including the American market. Visit Expedia.

3 – TripAdvisor – This platform is best known for reviews. However, it is also a strong reference for discovering accommodation, restaurants, and activities. Visit Tripadvisor.

The 3 platforms above remain among the most widely used for booking accommodation in the Azores.

You can also try booking directly, saving on the fees these platforms charge.

If you stay on Pico Island, you can book directly on our website, as we own two holiday homes on Pico Island.

If you are visiting other islands, always compare several options and confirm the accommodation location based on your itinerary and available mobility.

4 – How to get around in the Azores?

The Azores have a low population density and a pronounced seasonality in tourism.

These two characteristics mean that public transport is limited, especially in summer, when tourism increases significantly.

Besides the fact that there is no metro or train on any island, the existing buses and taxis do not respond particularly well to demand during the summer months.

There is also no UBER or any similar platform, so in most cases the best solution is to rent a car.

Because of seasonality, rental companies cannot keep very large fleets. In winter, they have fewer customers, and in summer, demand rises very quickly.

For this reason, prices go up sharply in summer, and it is common for there to be no cars left for people who try to rent only shortly before arriving in the archipelago.

It is essential to arrange your car as soon as you confirm your trip to the Azores, so you do not risk being left without a vehicle or paying a very high price for one.

To sort out your rental more safely and, in many cases, under better conditions, visit our Partners & Promotions page. There you will find exclusive discounts, recommended local partners, and more practical ways to book a rental car on the islands.

If you want to better understand how deposit, excess, fuel, insurance, and island-specific needs work, also see our full guide: Renting a Car in the Azores.

5 – Tours, visits, and tourist activities

If you are travelling to the Azores in summer, it is also recommended to book your tours and visits in advance.

This is because certain activities are limited by the number of daily visitors, such as the climb to Pico Mountain or whale watching.

To book your activities, visit our Partners & Promotions page, where we bring together recommended local partners, useful experiences for your holiday in the Azores, and exclusive discounts to make your stay even better.

Not all of the best experiences appear on the big international platforms. That is why, in addition to comparison tools, it is worth checking our selection of local partners by island and by theme.

How to plan a trip to the Azores: Conclusion

The advantage of the Azores as a less crowded destination is the possibility of finding a group of islands with authentic nature, very different landscapes, and a travel experience still marked by peace and quiet.

But that same authenticity requires more planning than in many other destinations. Choosing the right entry island, booking flights in advance, securing accommodation, arranging a rent-a-car early, and booking some activities before arrival can make a huge difference to the final result of your trip.

If you want to simplify that process, visit our Partners & Promotions page, where we bring together exclusive discounts, recommended local partners and useful services to help you organise your trip to the Azores more easily.

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