The Azores are Europe’s best kept secret: tranquil, of rare beauty and always welcoming.
Religious and secular festivals are an integral part of its history and touch the lives of each island. Now there are also sailing regattas, golf tournaments, sport fishing tournaments, and other events that come as a surprise.
There is so much to explore, and this archipelago should be explored like a rare liquor. The Azores has a mild and uniform climate, surrounded by a huge expanse of sea and influenced by the warm Gulf Stream.
This means that the average temperature in winter is 12ºC, dropping to 5ºC at night; frosts occur only above 1 000 metres. In summer, the average temperature is 24 °C, with a maximum of 28 °C.
On the islands it is common to hear that you can have all four seasons in one day – and it’s true. If it’s raining in the morning, don’t despair – after three hours there can be sun and clear skies. There are nine islands and if you tried to see them all in one visit it would take several weeks to do them justice.
If you try to visit too many islands in a short period, you will end up spending an inordinate amount of time on these logistics alone. If you only have one week, it would be best to concentrate on the largest and most diverse island – São Miguel.