Best sailing areas in Azores Islands. Sailing routes, weather and wind details, facts about region and important details to sail in Azores Islands.
The Azores is an archipelago in the waters of the Atlantic ocean, one and a half thousand kilometers far from mainland Portugal. Carthaginians used to float here, Vikings and Normans visited the archipelago and Columbus listened to the Mass at the local church, going back home from America.
The Azores were prized by navigators as a cross-waterway between continents. Nowadays, travelers are attracted by something different, it is a yacht rent on the Azores.
The name of the archipelago comes from the word “azure”. Not only water has a special shade here. Thanks to the blooming hibiscus and hydrangea thickets, the islands look greenish-blue from a distance. There are nine of them.
There are three international airports in the archipelago — Santa Maria, San Miguel and Terceira. Yachtsmen arrive from March to October. Rental rules are the same as in the rest of Portugal. Most often, skippers choose a cruise between the central islands with short passages or a trip to the western/eastern part of the archipelago with longer passages.
There are few of local yachts, so it is better to book in advance. To do it you need to leave a request for the vessel you like on our website. We offer the best prices for yacht rental, help to plan the route, answer all questions — from documentary support to the choice of local dishes.
Places that are usually included in the routes on a sailing yacht in the Azores:
Terceira. Almost the entire territory is a protected area. The historical center is Angra do Heroísmo.
Pico. There is an active volcano with a height of 2351 m. The relict cedar forest is adjacent to fields filled with solidified black lava.
Faial. The local beaches have blackish volcanic sand, and yachtsmen led to explore the caverns and caves of Costa da Feteita.
Graciosa. In addition to the natural beauties traditional for the Azores, there is an impressive residential architecture here - the island colonialists built miniature white cubic houses.
Examples of a 7-day Azores islands travel itinerary:
The amplitude of the tides of 1.5 meters and the speed of currents of 0.5 knots indicate that this region is more suitable for experienced yachtsmen.
There is a mild climate in islands. Best time to travel to Azores islands — summer. It is not stuffy, but the heat felt. In autumn and winter, the nights are rather cold, and fogs are frequent. The Azores islands water temperature during the year changes significantly from 12 ° С to 25 ° С. It should also remember that the Azores anticyclone influences the Azores.
Santa Maria Island surprises with its weather. One side of the island is almost always in the sun, and rains are rare. On the other hand, the climate is more humid, with more clouds and precipitation. In the western islands, the weather during the day can change beyond recognition.
For information about weather conditions, use the following services:
pma.pt — Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere of Portugal;
accuweather.com — accurate weather data, satellite imagery, cloud cover;
weather — a site with accurate synoptic data;
windfinder — a service for tracking tradewinds Azores islands, viewing water and air temperatures.