Azores travel guide: top sights, a 4-day itinerary and tips from Budapest

The Azores are a Portuguese archipelago of nine volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, about 1,500 km west of Lisbon, famous for crater lakes, hot springs, whale watching and green hiking trails. The largest island, São Miguel, with its capital Ponta Delgada, is where most visitors start. It is not a day trip from Budapest: plan at least four days, ideally a week. This guide covers getting there, when to go, the top sights and a ready-made four-day plan.

How to get to the Azores from Budapest

There are no direct flights between Budapest and the Azores, so you will need one connection. The most common route goes through Lisbon: Wizz Air and Ryanair both fly direct from Budapest to Lisbon, and from Lisbon Azores Airlines (SATA) and TAP Air Portugal fly to Ponta Delgada on São Miguel several times a day. Porto is a less frequent alternative hub. The Lisbon to Ponta Delgada leg takes roughly two and a half hours.

If you book the two legs separately, leave a generous buffer between them, as a missed connection on separate tickets is your own problem. Many travellers spend a night in Lisbon on the way out, which also turns the journey into a bonus city break. Remember that the Azores are two hours behind Budapest, so your first evening will feel long.

Best time to visit the Azores

The Azores have a mild oceanic climate all year: summers are warm rather than hot and winters are rarely cold, but rain and fog can appear at any time. May to September is the most popular period, with the longest days, the warmest sea and the most reliable hiking weather. Hydrangeas line the roads from June to August. Spring is the classic season for whale watching, while autumn is quieter and greener. Whatever the month, pack layers and a rain jacket, because the weather on the islands can change several times a day.

Top 10 things to do in the Azores

• Sete Cidades: the twin blue and green crater lakes, best seen from the Miradouro da Vista do Rei viewpoint.
• Lagoa do Fogo: a wild crater lake high in the mountains of São Miguel, with a beach you can hike down to.
• Furnas: a volcanic valley with steaming fumaroles, the Terra Nostra garden and its warm iron-rich pool.
• Cozido das Furnas: a stew slow-cooked underground by volcanic heat on the shore of Lagoa das Furnas.
• Whale and dolphin watching: boat trips from Ponta Delgada are among the best in Europe.
• Ponta Delgada old town: black and white cobbles, the Portas da Cidade gate and harbour cafés.
• Gorreana tea plantation: one of Europe’s few tea estates, with free tastings.
• Caldeira Velha and Poça da Dona Beija: natural hot pools surrounded by ferns.
• Ponta da Ferraria: a spot where a hot spring flows straight into the ocean.
• Pico island and Mount Pico: Portugal’s highest peak at 2,351 m, a short hop from São Miguel by plane.

A 4-day Azores itinerary for São Miguel

Day 1: Ponta Delgada and the coast

Arrive, pick up your rental car and settle in Ponta Delgada. Walk the old town, the Portas da Cidade and the waterfront, then book a whale watching boat for the afternoon or the next morning. In the evening, try fresh fish and local cheese in a harbour restaurant.

Day 2: Sete Cidades and the west

Drive to the Miradouro da Vista do Rei early, before clouds roll in, then walk the crater rim or go down to the lakes. On the way back, stop at Ponta da Ferraria for a dip in the ocean hot spring, timed for low or medium tide when the water is warmest.

Day 3: Lagoa do Fogo, tea and hot springs

Cross the island via Lagoa do Fogo, then visit the Gorreana tea plantation on the north coast. Finish the day at Caldeira Velha, where you need to book a time slot in high season.

Day 4: Furnas

Spend the whole day in Furnas. Watch the cozido pots being lifted out of the ground at the lake in the late morning, eat it for lunch in the village, then soak in the Terra Nostra pool or Poça da Dona Beija. Bring a dark swimsuit: the iron-rich water stains light fabric.

With more time, add a flight or ferry to Pico, Faial or Terceira, where Angra do Heroísmo is a UNESCO World Heritage town.

Getting around the Azores

Renting a car is by far the easiest way to explore São Miguel. Buses exist but are infrequent and focused on commuters, and the best viewpoints are in the hills. Roads are good but narrow and winding in places, so allow more time than the map suggests. Book a car early in summer, when the island runs short. Between islands you can fly with Azores Airlines, and in summer ferries connect the central islands.

How much does a trip to the Azores cost?

The Azores are cheaper than many Western European destinations once you are there: eating out, local wine and cheese are good value. The biggest costs are the flights with a connection and the rental car, which is more expensive in July and August. Accommodation ranges from guesthouses to boutique hotels, and booking ahead pays off in summer. Activities like whale watching and hot spring entries add up, so budget for them separately.

Where to stay in the Azores

On São Miguel, Ponta Delgada is the most practical base for a first visit: it has the widest choice of hotels and restaurants, and every part of the island is within about an hour’s drive. If you prefer peace and nature, spend a night or two in Furnas, where you can soak in the hot springs in the evening after the day visitors have left. The north coast around Ribeira Grande is quieter and closer to the tea plantations and Caldeira Velha. Rural guesthouses and converted farmhouses are common across the island and often come with ocean views.

What to eat in the Azores

Azorean food is simple and hearty. Besides cozido das Furnas, try fresh grilled fish such as boca negra or chicharros, limpets (lapas) grilled with garlic and butter, and the famous São Jorge cheese. Sweet pineapples grown in greenhouses on São Miguel are a local speciality, and so are the bolo lêvedo, a slightly sweet flat bread from Furnas, and local wines from the volcanic vineyards of Pico, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A coffee in a pastelaria with a queijada from Vila Franca do Campo is the perfect afternoon break.

The Azores are ideal for travellers who love hiking, nature and slow travel. If you mainly want beaches and guaranteed sunshine, the Canary Islands or the Spanish coast are a safer bet, but if you want green volcanic landscapes and few crowds, there is nothing quite like them in Europe.

Tips for your Azores trip

• Check the live webcams at viewpoints before driving up: if Sete Cidades is in the clouds, change the order of your days.
• Pack waterproof shoes, layers and a dark swimsuit for the hot springs.
• Book whale watching, rental cars and popular hot pool slots in advance in summer.
• Plan your connection in Lisbon with plenty of time, or stay a night there.
• Respect the nature: stay on marked trails, especially around crater rims.

Short on time?

The Azores need several days, but not every escape has to be long. If you only have a single day, you can still have breakfast in Budapest and dinner in Rome, Barcelona or Athens: early flights out, late flights back, with an hour-by-hour plan in between. See our one-day trips from Budapest for ready-made itineraries.