How we spent three weeks in Sao Miguel, The Azores

Inspired by our month in Lanzarote in November 2020, we decided to skip the start of winter 2021 in the UK as well. This time, we chose a holiday in The Azores as our destination.

We would have loved to be able to see more than one island. But Sao Miguel proved to be the perfect place to see all the sights in between our working schedules – there’s a lot to do, and trips to other islands are possible but flights don't run every day.

So, why go to The Azores? What are the best things to do in Sao Miguel? What is Sao Miguel like for holidays? And are The Azores a good holiday destination in winter?

Things you need to know about Sao Miguel

How do you get to Sao Miguel?

From London, we flew directly to Sao Miguel from Gatwick Airport, and flew home to Stansted Airport with one change at Lisbon. Both flights took about 4 hours in total.

When is the best time to travel to Sao Miguel?

Sao Miguel and the Azores are generally a summer holiday destination. However, we travelled in November and despite some wind and rain it was still much warmer than the UK – though not quite beach weather!

How much time do you need in Sao Miguel?

We were in Sao Miguel for three weeks, with about 2 of those weeks spent working from our Airbnb. We were able to see all of the main attractions – some twice! – in our one week off.

Is it expensive to stay in Sao Miguel?

We stayed in a brilliant 2-bed Airbnb just outside of Ponta Delgada for around £80 per night. It had access to a pool and free private parking. However, there are plenty of flats and hotels on offer – including all-inclusive options – for much less if you are on a tighter budget.

Is it expensive to see the sights in Sao Miguel?

Most of the sights in Sao Miguel – like hiking trails and viewpoints – are free to experience. We went to three natural baths which all had a small fee but otherwise you can see almost all the major tourist spots for free.

Is Sao Miguel good for beaches?

Sao Miguel has some beautiful beaches, including a secluded island beach. But generally The Azores is not considered a beach holiday destination. If you love beach vacations, you could easily fit in a few days at the beach in between hikes and sightseeing on Sao Miguel.

Want to know more about the best hikes in Sao Miguel? Read my blog.

Is Sao Miguel good for food?

While The Azores aren’t a huge foodie destination, there is plenty of great, fresh food to be found on Sao Miguel. We stayed in Ponta Delgada where there are a few really great restaurants serving traditional Azorean dishes – which is heavy on the fish and cheese!

Want to know the best places to eat in Sao Miguel? Check out our blog.

Is Sao Miguel good for nightlife?

Sao Miguel is a quiet island that does have a number of clubs and bars – especially in the capital Ponta Delgada. However, it’s by no means a party destination and if – like us – you’re coming from a city with great nightlife, you might be underwhelmed.

Is Sao Miguel good for family holidays?

Sao Miguel is a great holiday destination for active families that enjoy rural environments and hiking. There are family attractions but the main things for families to do is hike and, in summer, visit the beach. It might not be well suited to young children that need higher levels of entertainment or can't walk for long.

Do you need a car in Sao Miguel?

We hired a car at the airport, which we used almost every day during our trip to Sao Miguel. We stayed just outside of Ponta Delgada so we needed a car to get around and public transport isn’t great. Though you can arrange tours to the main sights, a lot of the attractions in The Azores are quite remote so having a car is the best way to ensure you can see everything.

Is it easy to travel around Sao Miguel?

While you can get from one side of Sao Miguel to the other in under an hour, some of the roads are small and windy and public transport is limited. Most of the roads are well builts and beautiful to drive around, so hiring a car to get around is recommended.

What is the main thing for tourists to do in Sao Miguel?

Beaches, hikes, historic towns, scenic views, and visiting natural pools are some of the main attractions for tourists in Sao Miguel.

For more information, read my blog: The best things to do in Sao Miguel, The Azores.

What do I need to pack for a holiday in The Azores?

We visited The Azores in winter, when the weather is quite grey and wet but still mild. In summer, your packing list would likely be similar to that of any beach holiday, plus some hiking gear and comfy shoes for walking. In winter, my packing included more layers.

For a full list of what I packed for a month in The Azores in November, read my blog: What to pack for a holiday in Sao Miguel, The Azores.

Why holiday in The Azores?

We chose Sao Miguel for a few reasons: it’s warmer than the UK in November, it’s only one hour ahead of the UK, making it convenient for working, and it’s not too expensive.

The weather

We travelled to Sao Miguel at the end of November and stayed for three weeks. It’s not high season on the mid-Atlantic islands, but still much milder than the UK which had its first snow during our trip! And since the goal is to avoid the start of the rough British winter, a bit of rain and wind on Sao Miguel wasn’t so hard to deal with by comparison.

However, the summer months are stunning and there are plenty of beaches and other attractions that we weren't able to do due to our visit being off season.

We mostly had good luck with the weather in Sao Miguel, with only a couple of days of rain which luckily didn’t get in the way of any of our plans. On our first full day on the island the weather was wet, and our host recommended we visit Parque Terra Nostra, a botanical garden with a natural heated pool that was a great rainy day trip despite being entirely outdoors.

Generally, the weather in November was mild and the temperature was between 15-22 degrees most days.

The cost

Since we mostly went for walks and to view points and parking is usually free, activities in The Azores work out fairly cheap. Food was mostly average prices, and alcohol – especially beer – was very cheap. Overall we were able to spend much less during our three weeks in The Azores than we would at home.

The activities

Though there isn’t a lot to do in the evenings in Sao Miguel, there are plenty of daytime activities and some lovely restaurants. When we weren’t working we visited scenic points, including an abandoned hotel, calderas, lakes, and hot springs. But we didn't miss out on exploring everything, despite having to stay home and work for much of our holiday in The Azores.

Where to stay in Sao Miguel

We were working for a lot of our time in the Azores, so having an Airbnb with space for two people to use desks and have meetings is an important factor for us in these trips. Also, it's one of the reasons that we rarely stay in town centres where the accommodation tends to be smaller.

We miss out on a central location that’s ideal for bar hopping and evenings out. But we benefit from extra bedrooms, garden spaces with pools, and a quieter place to work when we need it. For non-working holidays though, this wouldn’t be our ideal choice.

Location

We planned to stay in Ponta Delgada, the capital of Sao Miguel, for the first half of our trip and move over to Nordeste in the North East of the island for the second half. We loved our Ponta Delgada Airbnb, which was just out of the main town (50 minutes to walk, 10 minutes to drive) and had a glass front with a view across grassy hills and the ocean.

For the second half of our trip we moved to Nordeste, a stunning rural area on the North East coast. On the way we experienced some of the heaviest rain we have ever seen – to the point that we could barely see out the windscreen while driving. The path leading to our new Airbnb was like a small river, and though cosy and adorable, it was very very remote. Though we liked this area for its views and coastline, we eventually moved back to our original Airbnb in Ponta Delgada after a few days.

This would have been a lovely and peaceful place to stay in the warm summer months, but the wild, wet, and windy weather along with no local amenities made it a challenging place to be cooped up all day every day in winter.

We did enjoy the cosy fire and quiet surroundings. On Sundays, when many shops and other amenities in Sao Miguel are closed, the closest store is a 40 minute drive away. It's ideal if you like the remote life. But not so good if you’re looking for something a little more lively – which we like in the evenings once our work is done!

Amenities

In Ponta Delgada, we were a 5 minute drive from various shops and supermarkets. We could walk into town, or drive or get a fairly cheap taxi. Most of the attractions are outside of the town, so we drove up to an hour to see the various sights across the island.

Despite this, Ponta Delgada is probably the best spot to stay on the island as it has things to do during the day and night, and easy access to get out of town and see the scenic attractions.