Portugal Travel Guide: Getting to and Around the Azores

The Azores archipelago is a volcanic island chain located in the mid Atlantic. Settled by the Portuguese, the Azores consists of nine islands.

Getting to the Azores Islands

For air travelers, the Azores are not really 'on the way' to any other destination now that planes don't need a refueling stop in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. SATA is the islands' airline, and the company works with Portugal's national airline TAP to connect the islands to Europe, Madeira and North America.

From the United States, you can fly to the Azores from Boston or Oakland, and SATA also runs flights from the Canadian cities of Montreal and Toronto. European cities with connections to the Azores include Amsterdam, Stockholm, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Dublin, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Manchester, Paris, Oslo and Zurich. Direct flights are available from the Portuguese mainland cities of Faro, Lisbon and Porto to a number of Azorean islands.

Several options exist for getting to the Azores by sea. Luxury cruise lines that include the Azores in their trans-Atlantic itineraries include Cunard,Seabourn and Silversea, although these ships may only stop at one or two Azorean ports of call. The main port for smaller vessels stopping in the Azores is at Horta in Faial. Private charters are available from Europe and North America, and budget travelers could look into crewing on a yacht headed to the Azores or hitching a ride via cargo ship.

Getting Around the Azores Islands

If you don't have your own boat, the most convenient ways to get around the islands is by inter-island flight or ferry. SATA operates flights between the islands; more flights are scheduled during the busier summer months. AtlanticoLine runs inter-island ferries year round, and special deals are available during the summer tourism season. If you pre-book, you can also bring a vehicle aboard the ferry, although the rates aren't cheap and if you only plan to visit another island for a few days you can save money by renting a car or taking public transport at your destination.

Smaller ships also ply routes between closer port cities such as Madelena on Pico Island and Horta at Faial. Travel to the western islands of Corvo and Flores takes more planning ahead as ferry routes and flights are not as frequent.

Sources:

AtlanticoLine

Azores.com

AzoresTourism.com

SATA - Azores Express