What to See in the Azores, Portugal

The Azores are a Portuguese archipelago of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic, known for dramatic landscapes, distinct island communities and a history shaped by the ocean. From Pico’s mountain to the streets of Ponta Delgada and the historic towns of Terceira and Faial, the islands offer plenty to discover. Neywo has free audio guides for 5 cities in the Azores, with 103 narrated places in total.

Azores travel guide: what to see and do

The islands stretch across the Atlantic from Flores and Corvo in the west to São Miguel, Santa Maria and the Formigas islets in the east. They rise from a meeting point of three major tectonic plates, and their volcanic origins are visible in the mountains, coastlines and terrain.

The climate is mild and influenced by the Gulf Stream. Weather is generally wet and cloudy, while temperatures remain moderate throughout the year. The archipelago is remote, and its landscapes reflect the immense forces of the ocean, weather and moving land.

Pico Island and Mount Pico

Mount Pico, on Pico Island, is Portugal’s highest point. Measured from the ocean floor, the Azores are among the tallest mountains on Earth, making Pico a striking symbol of the archipelago’s volcanic character.

Pico Island also preserves the islands’ industrial and maritime history. Neywo’s guide includes the Museu da Indústria Baleeira, the Museu dos Baleeiros in Lajes, and the Igreja de São Mateus. Together, these places offer different perspectives on the island’s communities and past.

Explore the island with the Pico Island city guide.

Ponta Delgada

Ponta Delgada became the capital of São Miguel after an earthquake and landslide devastated Vila Franca do Campo in 1522. Around five thousand people died, and the capital was moved to Ponta Delgada.

The city’s narrated places include Fort Saint Blaise, the Centro Municipal de Cultura, the Carlos Machado Museum and Fonte Bela Palace. They make Ponta Delgada one of the key places to visit when discovering São Miguel and the wider history of the Azores.

For travellers searching for Ponta Delgada, Azores, the city is also a useful starting point for understanding how the islands developed through settlement, upheaval and connections across the Atlantic.

Discover the city with the Ponta Delgada guide.

Vila Franca do Campo

Vila Franca do Campo was once the capital of São Miguel, before the disaster of 1522 changed the island’s history. Its surviving places reflect the town’s religious, artistic and local character.

Neywo’s guide includes the Olaria-Museu do Mestre António Batata, the convent of São Francisco, the Igreja de São Miguel and the Church of São Pedro. These seven narrated places provide a focused way to explore one of São Miguel’s historic towns.

Follow the town’s story with the Vila Franca do Campo guide.

Angra do Heroísmo

On Terceira, Angra do Heroísmo reveals another side of the Azores’ history. The city’s places include the Sé Cathedral of Angra do Heroísmo, the Fort of São João Baptista, the Hospital da Boa Nova and the Museu de Angra do Heroísmo.

The islands were uninhabited when Portuguese navigators arrived in the early fifteenth century. Settlement brought people from mainland Portugal as well as Spaniards, Sephardic Jews, Moors, Italians, Flemings and Africans from Guinea, Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Príncipe. The resulting communities developed traditions and identities that still differ from island to island.

Explore Terceira’s historic centre with the Angra do Heroísmo guide.

Horta

Horta, on Faial, is another important stop in an archipelago whose history has always been connected to the sea. Neywo’s narrated places include the Clock tower, the Museu da Horta, the Miradouro do Monte Carneiro and the Fort of Santa Cruz.

The Azores also became involved in wider conflicts. Spain held the islands during the Iberian Union, a period remembered locally as the Babylonian captivity, while English raids later struck the islands and ships in their harbours. From the seventeenth century onward, many Azoreans also emigrated to Brazil, Uruguay, the United States and Canada.

See the city’s historic places with the Horta guide.

Island traditions and the Espírito Santo festivals

The Azores are not one uniform cultural region. Each island has its own history, dialect, cuisine, customs and traditions, shaped in part by its distance from the others.

The most important shared celebrations are the festivals of the Holy Spirit, or Espírito Santo. Held on every island from May to September, they combine religious rituals and processions with a celebration of generosity and equality.

At the centre of these events are small buildings called impérios, or treatros. They host meals, charity and adoration, and store the objects used during the festivities. The celebrations show how faith and food are shared publicly and how strongly community life remains rooted in the islands.

Explore the Azores with Neywo

Neywo offers free audio guides for 5 cities in the Azores, with 103 narrated places across 10 walking tours. Narration is available in 11 languages.

The app’s guides cover Angra do Heroísmo, Horta, Pico Island, Ponta Delgada and Vila Franca do Campo. Each story plays as you reach the place, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Download Neywo and explore the Azores while the app tells you the story of each place around you.