The Azores Family Holidays & Breaks

Take the Family is a travel agency specialising in active, adventure and luxury holidays. Your personal travel advisor will create the perfect The Azores holiday for your family, with expert advice and dedicated support throughout.

The Azores for family holidays

Lush, gorgeous islands with an abundance of wildlife and lots of volcanic features (sulphuric pools and grottoes) that delight kids, the Azores – if not as much a beach destination as you might expect – are a great spot to combine whale- and dolphin-watching with island-hopping and exploring.

Book an Azores holiday with Take the Family and discover this small string of volcanic islands in the Atlantic between Portugal and the US east coast – discovered, uninhabited, in the 15th century, and variously occupied and colonised by Spain, Portugal, Flanders and several north African nations. All have left traces in its food, culture and language.

As a specialist family travel agency, we can tailor-make the perfect holiday in the Azores for your family. Contact one of our travel advisors now and let's discuss your dream trip.

Scroll down for all you need to know about family holidays in the Azores – a protectorate of Portugal since the 19th century, with Portuguese the official language.

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Things to do with kids in The Azores

Wildlife in the Azores

• Go whale-watching. Tours from Pico or Faial last 3–4 hours and you can even help the local oceanography department by photographing each whale you see for identification.

• Discover former whaling stations converted into museums, with old whalers working as tour guides.

• Swim near wild dolphins off São Miguel, Terceira or Pico – ethical trips ensure a safe and respectful distance is maintained.

Other Outdoor Activities in the Azores

• Enjoy family walks and picnics on São Miguel, the largest and greenest of the islands, with a lovely mix of volcanic peaks, tiny villages and flower-strewn meadows. The Azores capital Ponta Delgada is a good base for exploring both São Miguel and some of the other islands, as island-hopping boats leave from here.

• Climb down into the crater of the extinct volcano on lovely Graciosa. Afterward, head to the Carapacho Thermal Spa on the island's southern coast, with hydro-massage pools, Jacuzzis and natural seawater pools directly facing the Atlantic Ocean

• Take part in water sports including kayaking, SUP paddle-boarding, canyoning and coasteering.

• Enjoy land sports such as hiking and biking.

Eating in The Azores

Food in the Azores is centred on great seafood, including limpets, octopus and fish chowders, although the cuisine differs from island to island. The larger islands offer more beef dishes, while salted cod is more of a staple on smaller ones. Excellent cheeses, delicious Portuguese sweetbreads and, for parents, very good wine are also on menus.

When to go to The Azores

The best time to go to the Azores is between May and September, when days are warm and generally sunny.

September is especially good for wildlife-lovers, with a high chance of seeing sperm whales, bottlenose, common and spotted dolphins, and a wide variety of seabirds.

As the islands are so far out in the Atlantic, you should expect showers at any time of year (hence the beautiful flowers and other plants).

How to get to The Azores

There are direct flights from the UK to the Azores from London, serving the main island São Miguel (Ponta Delgada airport) and taking just over 5 hours. You could also fly to the islands of Faial and Terceira via Lisbon.

We will include the most convenient flights for your family in the bespoke package we put together for you, as well as car hire or transfers to your hotel if desired.

The Azores are on GMT (GMT-1 in summertime) so you won't suffer any jet-lag.

The Azores

Hotel Talisman

Azores Family Adventure

Pedras do Mar Resort & Spa