The nine Azores islands at a glance
The Azores are part of Portugal and consist of nine islands. The eastern group has São Miguel and Santa Maria. The central group has Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico and Faial. The western group has Flores and Corvo. Most first trips centre on São Miguel, and many add one island from the central group.
If you only have a week, pick two islands, not four. Every transfer costs a half day once you count the port or airport. To see what to do on each, start with things to do in the Azores, and for guided days compare Azores tours.
The islands compared
Group, character and the main draw of each island.
| Island | Group | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| São Miguel | East | Crater lakes, hot springs, Ponta Delgada |
| Santa Maria | East | Warmer and drier feel, red clay landscape |
| Terceira | Central | Angra do Heroísmo, lava caves, sea pools |
| Graciosa | Central | Biosphere reserve, Furna do Enxofre |
| São Jorge | Central | Steep coast and fajãs |
| Pico | Central | Mount Pico, vineyards, whale trips |
| Faial | Central | Horta marina, Capelinhos, caldeira |
| Flores | West | Crater lakes, waterfalls, basalt columns |
| Corvo | West | One village, a caldera with a lake |
For most first-time visitors, São Miguel plus Pico or Terceira gives the best mix of landscape and effort. Choose Flores and Corvo only if you have more than a week and accept weather delays.
Our picks: tours beyond São Miguel
Faial offers a half day or a full day with lunch, depending on how long you stay. Pico is the island for a sightseeing drive through vineyards and volcano scenery.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Pico island grand tour
- Live guide
- Pickup at your lodging
- Accident insurance
A seven-hour guided day across Pico with its vineyard landscape and volcano scenery. This is a sightseeing drive, not the summit climb.
Check availability →
Faial island full day with lunch
- Lunch included
- Snacks and drinks in the vehicle
- Hotel pickup
A full day across Faial, a good fit if you have a single day on the island and want the route set for you.
Check availability →Faial island half-day tour
- Hotel pickup
- Return to your hotel
Four hours on Faial with a guide who picks you up and brings you back. Ask before booking which entries are part of your date.
Check availability →Azores island tours and boat trips
Day trips, whale watching and island tours, with live prices and availability.
Faial
Sailing port and a young volcanic coast.
Horta is an Atlantic sailing port with a marina. Faial forms the "Triangle" with Pico and São Jorge. Capelinhos formed during the eruptions of 1957 to 1958, and the volcanic landscape and an interpretation centre mark the site. Inland there is a caldeira. On the coast, Porto Pim and Almoxarife are the beach areas. Do not plan to walk down into the protected caldeira without checking the current rules. Faial and Pico are linked by a short ferry crossing, more on the Pico island page.
Flores
The far west, in green and basalt.
Flores has a crater highland with several lakes, among them Caldeira Rasa, Funda, Comprida and Negra. Rocha dos Bordões is a wall of vertical basalt columns. Waterfalls, stream canyons and remnant laurel forest add to it, and canyoning is offered here, see canyoning in the Azores. Check the official trail closure list before you hike, because long trails on the island can be closed. Do not assume you can swim in the waterfalls or lakes.
Santa Maria
Warmer and drier than most islands.
The west of Santa Maria is flatter and holds Vila do Porto and the airport. The east is hillier, with Pico Alto. The island feels warmer and drier than the others, though that is a general impression and not a promise of sun. Barreiro da Faneca is a reddish clay landscape of volcanic origin. "Red desert" is a nickname, not a desert climate.
São Jorge
A long, narrow island with steep sides.
São Jorge is a narrow island with steep coasts. The fajãs are flat pieces of coast below the cliffs. Some formed from lava reaching the sea and some from slope collapses, so they are not all the same. Fajã dos Cubres has a lagoon. The fajãs have a different climate and farming from the windier highland. Check the current trail access before you walk down to a fajã.
Graciosa
A small island with a biosphere reserve.
Graciosa is the second smallest island of the archipelago and a UNESCO biosphere reserve. The Furna do Enxofre lies inside the caldeira. It has a cold-water lake and a mud fumarole, and it is not a hot bath. A stair tower with 183 steps leads down. Check opening and entry for 2026 before you plan it.
Corvo
A tiny island with one village.
Vila do Corvo is the only village on Corvo. The Caldeirão is a collapsed summit caldera with a lake and smaller cones. The view depends on the weather, and the lake is not for swimming. Corvo has been a biosphere reserve since 2007, which is not the same as World Heritage.
Azores island hopping
How to move between the islands.
By air
Long routes to the mainland and North America and flights between the islands are run by different airlines. The 2026 summer schedule adds flights from Ponta Delgada to Terceira, Pico, Horta and Flores. A flight to Pico or Terceira from abroad is not necessarily non-stop, so read the route.
By ferry
The ferry network connects Horta, Madalena, Cais do Pico, Velas, Calheta, Graciosa, Angra do Heroísmo, Praia da Vitória, Santa Cruz on Flores and Vila Nova on Corvo. São Miguel and Santa Maria are not ferry departure ports, and there is no single ferry to all islands. The Horta to Madalena crossing is scheduled at 25 to 30 minutes. Other crossings take longer, so check the timetable for your date.
Fares and cars
Adult fares apply from age 13 to 64 and child fares from age 3 to 12. A vehicle price does not include the driver's ticket. Do not assume a rental car can go on a ferry, ask the rental company and the ferry operator first. Be at the port at least 30 minutes before departure.
Weather and delays
Ferries can change in rough weather, and flights can be delayed. Build in a spare day if you have a flight home from another island.
Plan the rest of your trip
Pages for the main islands.
Azores islands: frequently asked questions
How many islands are in the Azores?
Nine: São Miguel and Santa Maria in the east, Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico and Faial in the centre, and Flores and Corvo in the west.
Which Azores island is best for a first trip?
For most visitors, São Miguel. Add Pico or Terceira if you have more than a week.
Can I take a rental car between islands?
Do not assume so. A vehicle on a ferry is priced separately and needs the approval of the rental company and the operator. Many people rent a car on each island.
Is there a ferry from São Miguel to the other islands?
The ferry timetable does not list São Miguel or Santa Maria as departure ports. For those islands you fly.
Which islands are linked by a short ferry?
Horta on Faial and Madalena on Pico, scheduled at 25 to 30 minutes. Check the timetable for your date.