The Azores in Winter: Weather, What's Open and Tips

The Azores stay mild in winter, with green hills, empty viewpoints and hot springs that feel best on a cool, wet day. The trade-off is rain, wind, cloud over the crater lakes and fewer boats. Here’s what November to February is really like, what stays open, and how to plan a winter trip to São Miguel.

Quick answer: yes, if you want quiet roads, hot springs and lower prices and don’t mind rain. Ponta Delgada averages highs of about 17 to 18°C from December to February, with rain on 11 to 15 days a month. Base yourself on São Miguel, where the Furnas hot springs open all year and whale trips sail when the sea allows. No ferry leaves São Miguel for the other islands, so you fly.

Winter weather

The ocean keeps the islands mild: in the 30 years to 2020, Ponta Delgada never dropped below 5°C. These are the official 1991 to 2020 averages from IPMA, the Portuguese met office, with typical sea temperatures.

Month	High	Low	Rain	Rainy days	Sea
November	19.9°C	14.9°C	95mm	12	About 19°C
December	18.3°C	13.4°C	153mm	15	About 18°C
January	17.5°C	12.7°C	102mm	13	16 to 17°C
February	17.4°C	12.1°C	87mm	11	About 16°C

• Rain: December is the wettest month. Rain usually comes in showers and spells, and the hills are cooler, wetter and windier than the coast.
• Wind: Atlantic storms bring gales and big seas every winter. IPMA issues warnings for each island group, so check them before boat trips and hikes.
• Daylight: on the shortest day the sun rises at about 7:55am and sets at about 5:30pm, giving about nine and a half hours of light. The Azores are one hour behind Lisbon.
• Fog on the lakes: the viewpoints over Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo sit high on crater rims and are often in cloud while the coast is clear. Check the SpotAzores webcams and go early.

What’s open, and what isn’t

• Hot springs: open all year. Terra Nostra in Furnas (€17) opens every day except 25 December, and Poça da Dona Beija (from €12) opens into the evening. Caldeira Velha (€10) closes at 5pm from November to March. Ponta da Ferraria is free but has no lifeguards in winter, so go only at low tide on a calm day. See the Azores hot springs.
• Whale watching: sperm whales and several kinds of dolphin live here all year, so boats from Ponta Delgada keep sailing, but with fewer departures and more cancellations. One of the main operators lists its three-hour trip as running all year, from €65, with a free second trip if no animals are seen. See whale watching in the Azores.
• Ferries: no passenger ferry leaves São Miguel in any season. In winter, Atlânticoline runs only its year-round lines between Faial, Pico and São Jorge, and between Flores and Corvo. The summer routes to Terceira and Graciosa stop. See Azores island hopping.
• Flights: SATA Air Açores links all nine islands all year, but storms and fog can delay or cancel flights. Leave a spare day before your flight home.
• Hiking: trails are quiet but muddy, and storms cause landslips and fallen trees. The official Azores trails website lists closed routes on its alerts page, and in early November 2026 it showed seven closed on São Miguel. Check it on the morning of a walk.
• Lagoa do Fogo: the summer shuttle doesn’t run, so you can drive up yourself, but there are no toilets or cafés. See Lagoa do Fogo.
• Summer only: beach lifeguards and the boats to the Vila Franca islet. The free Gorreana tea plantation opens all year, but its factory machines usually run from about April to September.

Which island in winter?

São Miguel. It has the hot springs, the most whale trips and the most indoor sights. If one coast is wet, the other is often drier, and cozido stew cooks in the hot ground at Furnas whatever the weather. See things to do in São Miguel.

The other islands are quieter still, but harder work. The top of Mount Pico can have snow and ice, and climbs are often closed (see climbing Mount Pico). If you add a second island, keep a spare day between flights.

Prices and crowds

In January 2025, Azores hotels earned an average of about €66 per occupied room per night, against about €178 in August, according to SREA, the regional statistics service. They logged about 80,000 guest nights that January, roughly a quarter of the August total, and São Miguel took almost 70% of them.

Viewpoint car parks have space and hot spring slots are easier to get. Book Christmas and New Year dates early.

Christmas and New Year

Ponta Delgada lights up its old centre for the holidays. In 2025 the lights were lit from 21 November, a small Christmas market, a carousel and a little train ran in the historic centre, and there were New Year’s Eve concerts by the Portas da Cidade, the city gates. The programme changes each year.

Check holiday hours: Terra Nostra closes on 25 December, and Dona Beija lists closing at 4pm on 24 and 31 December and all day on Christmas Day. See Christmas in Portugal.

What to pack

• A proper waterproof jacket and a warm layer for the crater rims.
• Walking shoes with grip for muddy trails and wet cobbles.
• An old, dark swimsuit, as the iron-rich water stains, and your own towel, as Dona Beija’s towel hire is suspended.
• Seasickness tablets and a dry bag for a whale trip.

See the Portugal packing list.

A 5-day winter plan for São Miguel

Stay in Ponta Delgada and compare car hire, as buses don’t reach the lakes. Swap days to follow the forecast.

• Day 1, Ponta Delgada: walk from the Portas da Cidade to the Forte de São Brás and browse the Mercado da Graça. If it rains, try the Carlos Machado Museum or the Gruta do Carvão lava tube (book ahead). See things to do in Ponta Delgada.
• Day 2, whales: take a morning whale trip, then try the queijadas (milk tarts) in Vila Franca do Campo. Going early in your stay leaves time to rebook.
• Day 3, Furnas: arrive at Terra Nostra for its 10:30am opening, then watch the cozido pots lifted by the lake between about 11am and 1pm (about €3 for non-residents). Eat cozido for lunch and soak at Dona Beija after dark. Spend the night: places to stay in Furnas. See the Furnas guide.
• Day 4, the north coast: stop at Gorreana for free tea, drive up to Lagoa do Fogo if the webcam shows it clear, and finish at Caldeira Velha before its 5pm close.
• Day 5, Sete Cidades: save this for the clearest day. See the twin lakes from Vista do Rei and Boca do Inferno, then try Ponta da Ferraria only if the sea is calm and the tide low. Without a car, join a Sete Cidades tour. See the Sete Cidades guide.

With four days, fold Ponta Delgada into the whale day.

Plan it: find a room in Ponta Delgada, book whale watching or a Furnas day with cozido, and arrange an airport transfer.

FAQ

Is it worth visiting the Azores in winter?

Yes, for hot springs, quiet trails and low prices, if you accept rain and cloud. Stay on São Miguel and keep your plans flexible.

How cold are the Azores in winter?

Not very. Ponta Delgada averages highs of about 17 to 18°C and lows of about 12 to 13°C from December to February. The crater rims are cooler and windier.

Can you go whale watching in the Azores in winter?

Yes. Sperm whales and dolphins live here all year, and trips run when the sea allows, with more cancellations than in summer.

Do ferries run between the Azores islands in winter?

Only between Faial, Pico and São Jorge, and between Flores and Corvo. From São Miguel you fly.

Can you swim in the sea in the Azores in winter?

Few people do. The sea is about 16 to 17°C from January and there are no lifeguards, so most visitors stick to the hot springs.

More: the best time to visit the Azores, Madeira in winter and Portugal in winter.

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