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If you’re flying to Europe in the coming months and haven’t given up hope for a warm off-season holiday, this small, incredibly beautiful Portuguese island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean offers untouched nature, affordable dining options, beautiful architecture, and 68 degree temperatures in winter:
São Miguel is the largest island of the Azores, a Portuguese-ruled archipelago halfway between the Old and New Worlds. your best choice during a mild European winterr, and if you fly directly from the United States, those long, tiring layovers aren’t even necessary!
There’s no need to look for a sunny retreat in Spain, or head east like Türkiye: for many Americans, magical São Miguel is just a 5-hour drive away nonstop flee away.
What makes São Miguel so special?
You probably know Portugal for its imposing Moorish fortresses, Roman ruins from time immemorial and hilly towns along scenic rivers.
It’s time to forget all that: São Miguel may be Portuguese, but… it exists in its own microcosm.
For one thing, it wasn’t settled until the Age of Discovery.
Do you know when Europeans, including the Portuguese, first left for America?
While mapping unknown territory, they came ashore here for the first time.
This means that São Miguel remained virtually uninhabited until the 15th century, so there are no particularly ancient monuments here, nor a history of thousands and thousands of years – that doesn’t mean it has no cultural value, on the contrary.
Ponta Delgada is a beautiful colonial city
Ponta Delgada, the small, compact capital, where about 30% of the island’s population of 150,000 inhabitants lives, is the typical colonial baroque citydominated by whitewashed palaces with elaborate decorations, and dotted with café-lined squares.
The main church, Igreja Matriz de Sao Sebastião, is known for its gilded altars and stained glass windows, while the nearby Portas da Cidade served as a gateway to the old city and its many museums and market halls.
The busiest of them, Mercado da Graça here you’ll find fresh seafood and local produce, and it’s definitely a place that as a foodie you should prioritize visiting: from grilled fish skewers to the universally loved pastel de nata, you will find it all here.
As charming as Ponta Delgada may be, São Miguel’s greatest triumph is wild nature:
From towering mountains to pristine volcanic beaches
No visit to the island is complete without the famous hike up Sete Cidadesa viewpoint overlooking an alien double crater filled with water, deep blue on one side (Lagoa Azul)the other a green that is as green as the surrounding nature (Lagoa Verde).
If you love nature and don’t mind challenging hikes, this is a towering one Pico da Vara waits for: the highest peak on the islandand one of the highest in Portugal, situated at a proud 1103 meters above sea level, it offers unbeatable views of the mountain-crossed landscape.
As for the beaches, on particularly warm, sunny winter days you should follow the locals Praia Formosanear Ponta Delgada, perhaps the most popular swimming spot because of its golden sand and surprisingly clear water off the North Atlantic Ocean.
To the east, Praia de Santo Amaro is the most requested for surfing – in case you’ve ever wondered why the Azores are known as the European Hawaii – but if you want see something Real uniquego to Praia da Ribera Quente.
A stretch of black sand known among tourists as ‘Fire Beach’, it borders the volcanic springs of Ribeira Quente. These springs are connected to the ocean by submarine hydrothermal vents, which naturally warm the seawater.
If you’ve ever been in the water in Portugal, you know how mild the sea temperatures actually are, so this is one quite unusual (And very welcome) prevent.
Hot springs In abundance
People from all over the world come to this emerging slice of paradise for its volcanic landscape and rich marine life – you might even spot a few whales peeking out of the water offshore! – and are numerous hot springs.
We won’t lie to you: while Ponta Delgada itself is relatively warm in winter, at least by mainland Europe standards, other parts of the island can get quite cold and rainy, but luckily for tourists they are never far away from a naturally heated swimming pool in São Miguel.
One of our favorites is Caldeira VelhaPortuguese for ‘Old Cauldron’, where you sinking into a puddle of boiling mudor bathe in waterfalls; just a 20-minute drive from the capital, it’s the perfect day trip on a gloomy day if you’re looking to relax.
Other hot springs include Termas da Ferrarisnear the sleepy town of Furnas, distinguished by its steaming fumaroles, and Termas de Gineteslocated in the more remote north of São Miguel, overlooking the azure blue Atlantic Ocean.
You just can’t beat those mild winter temperatures
As for the weather, you should know that the Azores are never particularly hot in summer and never as frigid in winter as mainland Europe: being located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, in a particularly windy zone, temperatures are are quite mild. all year round.
Regardless of the season, they can range from 61°F to 77°F––If you visit in winter, however, you should bring a few extra coats as temperatures can drop to lower lows in the evenings.
In December, the average high temperature in Ponta Delgada is a pleasant 62.6°F.
It can get much colder in the mountains, so make sure you bring something with you a wide range of clothing for all seasons: during the day you’ll probably be in shorts and light long-sleeved shirts, and you might be tempted to throw on a sweater in the evening, especially if you’re dining al fresco by the harbour.
Fly non-stop to the Azores this winter
The Azores are one increasingly popular destination for Americans, thanks to them spectacular scenerycultural wealth, postcard-perfect beaches, And accessibility.
It’s the closest point between America and Europe, and American travelers can now fly nonstop to João Paulo II Airport, the international hub serving Ponta Delgada (PDL) and the island of Sao Miguel, from two cities – and the shortest flight too of Boston takes just under 5 hours!
Check this out:
Boston, MA (BOS)
- Operated by Azores Airlines
- 1 flight per day every Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
- Outbound flights depart at 9:20 PM and land at their destination at 6:15 AM the next day
- Return flights depart at 5:55 PM and land in Boston at 8:05 PM on the same calendar date
- One-way tickets start from $320
New York, New York (JFK)
- Operated by Azores Airlines
- 1 flight per day every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
- Outbound flights depart at 9:20 PM and land at their destination at 6:55 AM the next day
- Return flights depart at 5:20 PM and land in Boston at 7:55 PM on the same calendar date
- One-way tickets start from $324.49
Learn more about the beautiful Azores and start planning your visit here.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
