Azores FAQs
Pre-Arrival Boat: As you approach the islands, before entering the harbour, make contact with the marina/harbour authorities on VHF Ch. 16 (in Horta Ch. 09). They can provide you with anchoring/berthing instructions during working hours. See Clearance for details.
Pre-Arrival Crew: Many nationalities can visit for up to 90 days in a six month period with no visa required. See Immigration for details.
Where can I enter? Ports of entry for yachts arriving from outside the EU are on the islands that have international airports. That is: Faial - Horta, Sao Miguel - Ponta Delgada and Terceira - Praia da Vitoria and Angra do Heroismo.
Are fees high to enter by yacht? There is a lighthouse tax – see Fees for details.
What security concerns should I know about? The crime rate is very low in the Azores, but cruisers have reported isolated incidents. See Security for more info.
Azores Facts for Sailors
- The Portuguese Islands of the Azores are a volcanic archipelago of 9 islands located in the North Atlantic, 870 miles west of Lisbon.
- The Islands form three major groups: Flores and Corvo, to the west; Graciosa, Terceira, São Jorge, Pico, and Faial in the centre; and São Miguel, Santa Maria, and the Formigas Reef to the east.
- Each island is unique, from the tiny crater island of Corvo, the ruggedness of Flores, to the volcanos on Horta and the brown sandy beaches of Santa Maria.
- Portuguese is spoken here, with an accent that varies from island to island. Most Azoreans speak either English or French as well and Spanish is generally understood. Approximately 240,000 people live in the Azores.
- The currency is the Euro.
- Time zone is UTC-1.
- The climate of the archipelago is largely determined by the seasonal variations of the Azores High. In winter, the Azores anticyclone is positioned further south, and allows for a descent of the Polar front bringing generally wet and stormy weather. In summer, on the other hand, the anticyclone's movement further north, leads to the departure of the polar front and prolonged periods of calm weather with temperatures rarely reaching above 30 °C (86 °F).
- Most yachts stop in the Azores on their way east across the Atlantic, although some call on their way west or when sailing from the South Atlantic towards Northern Europe. Although hundreds of yachts call every year, very few of them cruise around the islands and the majority stop only in Horta, on the island of Faial, one of the perennially favorite places of long-distance sailors. Busy transit season is May, June and early July.
- With their secluded bays, uncrowded anchorages and protected harbors, the nine islands of the Azores are still waiting to be discovered as a cruising destination in their own right.
- Whaling is a large part of Azorean history and had a profound influence on the way of life in the Islands. Tourist offices can provide detailed information about the whaling heritage and a visit would not be complete without going to have a drink at Peter Cafe Sport and a visit to the scrimshaw museum upstairs.
- Yachting facilities are concentrated in different ports: Horta, Ponta Delgada, Angra do Heroismo, Praia da Vitoria and Santa Maria. For details of services for cruising boats see Yachting Essentials.
