Things to do in the Azores

Independent guides to the activities worth your time: whale watching, jeep tours, thermal pools, hiking, canyoning. Each fiche tells you what the experience is, when it works best, and how to book without paying the tourist surcharge.

Nature & wildlife

2 experiences in this category

Pod of common dolphins leaping through clear blue Atlantic water beside a small whale-watching boat off the coast of São Miguel

Dolphin watching in the Azores: species, season, and how it differs from whale watching

Five resident dolphin species, year-round encounters, and how dolphin-focused trips differ from whale watching. Where to go on São Miguel and Pico.

Large sperm whale fluke breaching the surface of the Atlantic ocean off the coast of São Miguel, Azores, with a small whale-watching boat in the foreground

Whale watching in the Azores: complete independent guide

Sperm whales year-round, blue and fin whales in spring, dolphins all year. When to go, where to depart from, and which tour to book.

Water & sea

2 experiences in this category

Two double-seat kayaks paddling on the green caldera lake of Sete Cidades in São Miguel, with the steep volcanic crater walls and cloudy sky reflected in the calm water

Kayaking on São Miguel: the islet and the caldera lake

Two kayak experiences on São Miguel, very different. The Vila Franca islet crater paddle and the Sete Cidades lake rental. Which to pick, with operator notes.

Snorkeler in a wetsuit floating face-down at the surface of the open Atlantic while a small pod of common dolphins swims past beneath, blue water transparency

Swimming with wild dolphins in the Azores: who can, who should not, and the operators that do it right

One of the few places you can legally swim with wild dolphins. The licence rules, fitness honest-talk, and three vetted operators on São Miguel and Terceira.

Adventure & hiking

3 experiences in this category

Person in wetsuit and helmet abseiling down a tall waterfall in the lush canyon of Ribeira dos Caldeirões, São Miguel, surrounded by tropical green vegetation

Canyoning in the Azores: Ribeira dos Caldeirões and what the day involves

Descending waterfalls, sliding down chutes, and jumping into plunge pools at Ribeira dos Caldeirões. Three operators, fitness honest-talk, and what to bring.

Hiker descending the volcanic trail to Lagoa do Fogo crater lake with deep blue water and white sand beach visible far below

Lagoa do Fogo hike: the descent to the white-sand crater lake

The 2-hour return hike from the rim viewpoint to the white-sand beach of São Miguel's most pristine crater lake. Trail, conditions, and the bus option.

Open-top 4x4 jeep on a dirt road overlooking the Sete Cidades caldera with the green and blue twin lakes visible far below

Sete Cidades jeep tour: which one to actually book

Half-day or full-day, jeep or van, with or without lunch. Four standout tours of the Sete Cidades caldera, compared honestly.

Wellness & thermal

2 experiences in this category

Iron-rich thermal pools at Terra Nostra garden in Furnas with warm orange-tinted mineral water surrounded by lush tropical garden vegetation

Furnas thermal pools: which one to bathe in, and when

Terra Nostra vs Poça da Dona Beija vs Caldeira Velha. Three thermal pools, three different experiences, with practical notes on water, hours, and crowds.

Natural hot spring pool at Caldeira Velha with warm water flowing over stones surrounded by dense Atlantic forest with tree ferns

A hot spring day in São Miguel: the perfect bathing itinerary

A full bathing day in São Miguel: Caldeira Velha forest pool in the morning, Terra Nostra orange pool in the afternoon, Poça da Dona Beija after dinner.

Food & wine

1 experience in this category

Rows of green tea bushes on the Gorreana plantation in São Miguel, with the Atlantic coast and ocean visible in the distance behind, soft cloudy light

Gorreana tea plantation: visiting Europe's only working tea estate

The last working tea plantation in Europe, growing on São Miguel since 1883. Free factory tour, tasting, field walk, and how to combine with a Furnas day.