The Azores’ roads

Most of the roads in Azores are in good conditions. Some were resurfaced very recently and are quite good and some were forgotten in time but are in good conditions for bike touring yet. The western side of Graciosa and the East of São Miguel are good examples.

From time to time, close to some creeks’ bridges, some land-slide can occur during the winter and that will lead you to a detour but this is a very rare situation.

The most common event on the Azorean roads is movement of cows from one pasture to other, so be prepared to some close encounter with the big mammals in the road and also get ready to the smell of their nature. Despite the size, those are very lazy and friendly animals, so you should not be afraid of them. Be aware the shepherd’s dogs, sometimes they are around and they will bark for you and for the cows!

When to go to Azores

The spring and the summer are the best seasons to travel by bicycle in the Azores. The low wind and moderate temperature invite us to the road but the high moisture and the high UV index can deceive most of the people.

The ferries timetables are also an important factor that could imply with your trip to Azores  and they use to be a very odd thing. It is quite impossible to plan in advance because the boats’ schedule that connects all the islands is only available by the end of March or April.

The logic from the ferries schedule changes from time to time (and sometimes during the season) and is quite impossible to predict how it will work from year to year. The summer schedule uses to run from May to September.

More details about the timetables are available at the Atlanticoline website or Transmaçor website (portuguese only).

Festivals and Events in the Azores

Religious manifestations and music festivals are the core of the most important events in the Azores, from Santa Maria to Corvo you will find several opportunities to enjoy several islands festivities.

The massive population devotion to the Holy Spirit celebrations after the Easter includes street corteges and oblations, the several parties along the parishes and music festivals bring another dimension for life in the islands. Streets, main squares and whole villages are transformed due to the spring and summer parties.

Santa Maria island, for instance, hosts in August the “Festival Maré de Agosto” one of the oldest music festival from Portugal, in São Miguel during May you can witness the “Santo Cristo dos Milagres” festivities, several Holy Spirit celebrations in Terceira and all around the archipelago happens during spring and summer.

“Semana do Mar” (Sea Week) on Fail, “Semana dos Baleeiros” (Whaleman Week) on Pico and “Semana Cultural das Velas” (Velas Cultural Week) in São Jorge are the major events in these 3 islands that the Azoreans lovely calls Triangle Islands. In Terceira island the celebration of the Solstice have another dimension thanks to the “Festas Sanjoaninas”, the most famous party and most rushed one from the central group.

Its quite impossible to keep an sharp and updated calendar for all of them, since most of them move back and forward due to local or national holidays or religious events attached to the catholic church.

Getting there

Sata and TAP are air companies that fly to Azores all year around.

Several charter flights also operate during the summer and you can find a wide offer from some European capitals to Azores. The routes offer can be different from every season regarding the local government strategy on some markets. To and from North America, over the year there are fights that connects Azores to Boston, Montreal, Oakland and Toronto.

Keep in mind the luggage allowance and charges for excess luggage, neither Sata nor TAP have special fares for your bicycle so be aware and ask your travel agent or inquire the companies about your bicycle as a luggage. Bringing it as freight can be much more expensive.

There are 4 international airports in Azores:

• Aeroporto João Paulo II – Ponta Delgada, São Miguel (PDL)
• Aeroporto de Santa Maria – Vila do Porto, Santa Maria (SMA)
• Aeroporto da Horta – Horta, Faial (HOR)
• Aeroporto das Lajes – Lajes (Praia da Vitória), Terceira  (TER)

Money in  the Azores

The Azores islands “belongs” to Portugal so Euro is the local currency.

Portugal has one of the most reliable ATM network in Europe and in Azores you will find a ATM in almost every village but sometimes they run out of money, most of the times during the weekends. Be aware the distance between you and the next one could be a problem in some cases.

You can use your debt card in supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants and groceries. They accept most of the extend list of types but Visa, Maestro, Master Card, Solo and Cirrus are the most common. Be aware that American Express sometimes is denied in some places due to lack of contract.