Azores VS Madeira: Which Portuguese Island is Best?

Being born and raised in mainland Portugal, I’ve always had a special relationship with the Azores and Madeira. I’ve visited both archipelagos several times, and I just can’t get enough of them. 

I don’t know if it’s the natural beauty, the sensation of sitting on an island in the middle of the ocean, or the feeling of being outside Portugal while being in Portugal… But I do know that, anytime I need an escapade, the Azores and Madeira are top of the list.

All things considered, it’s no wonder the Azores and Madeira are quickly becoming international tourist hotspots. They offer all the benefits of traveling to Portugal (low cost of living, pleasant weather, welcoming local population, great food, etc.) and top it off with perks like breathtaking scenic views, exotic fauna and flora, and an abundance of outdoor activities.

They’re interesting enough to fit the needs of all types of travelers, but there are major differences between the two. The Azores are best suited for adventurers looking for a peaceful, idyllic destination.

However, Madeira is mainly appreciated for its subtropical climate, dreamy beaches, and vibrant city life.

Is Madeira part of the Azores?

No, Madeira is not part of the Azores. Both locations are Portuguese archipelagos, but they sit roughly 600 miles (965 kilometers) away from one another.

Madeira is an archipelago comprised of two main islands (Madeira and Porto Santo) and small, uninhabited islets known as the Desertas. Sitting southwest of Lisbon, Madeira is closer to Africa than to the European continent.

That may explain why it has a subtropical climate with mild temperatures year-round. In December, for example, Madeira’s usually warm enough for you to swim in the ocean (trust me, I’ve done it).

On the other hand, the Azores are a volcanic archipelago made of nine islands and situated in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, 930 miles away from Lisbon.

The weather is unpredictable and characterized by frequent rain showers. Cities virtually don’t exist outside of the main island of São Miguel, and, despite having some stunning beaches, the Azores are far from being a resort-style destination like Madeira.

Azores VS Madeira: Which is best?

While I personally favor Madeira over the Azores, I believe it would be wrong to say one archipelago is better than the other. At the end of the day, choosing between Madeira and the Azores depends on what you’re looking for in your next getaway.

Don’t worry, though: I’ll tell you everything you need to know to make an informed decision based on your preferences to pick the destination that suits you best.

Which is warmer: the Azores or Madeira?

Madeira is warmer than the Azores, with annual average temperatures spanning between 61ºF and 72ºF. Most importantly, though, Madeira has a climate that hardly changes throughout the year, while the weather in the Azores is highly unpredictable.

One of the things I love the most about Madeira is how it’s never too hot or too cold, no matter the time of the year. With an Oceanic climate, the Azores are quite harsh in the winter months, especially due to the frequent rainfall.

So, while the weather in Madeira is outstandingly predictable, the weather in the Azores can change drastically even within a single day.

Are the Azores or Madeira cheaper to visit?

In general, the Azores are more affordable than Madeira, but the cost of visiting both locations is not as different as it was 10 years ago. 

When I first went to the Azores, I was baffled to see how quiet it was compared to Madeira. However, in recent years, the international popularity of the Azores has increased. It’s welcoming more and more tourists, and the main island of São Miguel has seen a sudden influx of expats and remote workers looking for a peaceful lifestyle.

Nevertheless, spending one week in the Azores is still comparatively cheaper than spending one week in Madeira. Apart from the plane ticket (it’s usually cheaper to travel to Madeira), pretty much everything is more affordable in the Azores. Services like hotels and restaurants are more locally based and traditional, helping visitors save.

On the other hand, food and accommodation in Madeira can get expensive, especially as they invest more and more in five-star restaurants and dreamy (but costly) beachside resorts. Traditional local businesses are still abound, but it’s safe to say that, for every tourist trap in the Azores, Madeira has a good 10 of them…

Getting around in Madeira and the Azores

The best way to get around in both Madeira and the Azores is by booking a rental car. Public transportation is more well-developed in Madeira than in the Azores, but it’s still lacking when compared to mainland Portugal.

Bus routes in both archipelagos connect cities and villages, but from my experience, the trips tend to be unnecessarily long, especially for tourists in a hurry.

In the main islands of Madeira and São Miguel (Azores), ride-sharing apps like Uber and Bolt are the best available alternative to renting a car. Nonetheless, I cannot stress enough how essential it is to get your own wheels to explore both locations.

I’m not a big fan of driving myself, but I always rent a car when I visit Madeira or the Azores. Without one, I would probably waste half of my day just trying to go from one place to the other.

The number of islands in the Azores (nine) is also considerably higher than the number of islands in Madeira (two), forcing travelers to spend some extra time and money on inter-island trips by flight or ferry.

Cultural differences in the Azores and Madeira

One of the things I love the most about the Azores and Madeira is that they feel familiar and exotic at the same time. They’re familiar because, as a Portuguese citizen, they remind me of home.

They boast the same type of services, cuisine, conventions, and people you would find in mainland Portugal. But they’re also exotic due to their fauna and flora, weather patterns, and small cultural differences unique to both regions.

Let me give you a better idea of what I’m talking about by covering and comparing the most interesting cultural aspects of both locations:

Top attractions

At first glance, the top attractions and things to do in Madeira and the Azores seem pretty similar. Consider, for example, this two-day guided tour in São Miguel and this Madeira West Tour. Both are centered around natural attractions, outdoor hikes, and visits to scenic viewpoints.

However, an Azores itinerary and a Madeira itinerary are intrinsically opposed, even if they look the same. The topography of the archipelagos is different.

The Azores islands are best known for their volcanic attractions, including the must-visit Lagoa das Sete Cidades, a stunning twin lake sitting in the crater of a dormant volcano.

Madeira is prominent for hiking locations such as Cabo Girão Skywalk and the remote Pico Ruivo (the tallest peak on the main island).

For travelers who would rather sit in a beautiful esplanada (that’s the name we Portuguese give to outdoor cafés and restaurants) than break their backs hiking in the mountains, Madeira is the superior option.

Unlike the Azores, Madeira has a highly developed tourist infrastructure with offerings that go beyond natural attractions. My favorites include:

• The Funchal-Monte cable car (a Madeira clichè that never gets old).
• The quirky traditional houses in the village of Santana.
• The Porto Moniz Aquarium, a museum with 90 native species of fish sitting right next to the natural swimming pools of Porto Moniz.

Best outdoor activities

As we’ve seen, fans of outdoor activities will never run out of things to do in Madeira or the Azores. However, the nature of the outdoor activities found in each archipelago is essentially distinct.

In the Azores, the preferred outdoor activities involve either delving into the ocean to do stuff like whale watching or exploring the depths of the main islands’ forests. For example, you can go water-canyoning in the Ribeira dos Caldeirões, a lush natural site perfect for sports enthusiasts and waterfall lovers.

While you can go canyoning in Madeira, other outdoor activities take a slightly different shape. Explorations into the ocean are also common, but mainly for diving, and options for hikers tend to include sunset tours in the mountains rather than pit stops at volcanic sites.

Jeep tours exist both in Madeira and the Azores. However, the Madeira jeep tours tend to be more complete. They cover stunning locations such as the Seixal black sand beach and the Fanal. This virtually uninhabited plateau looks like something you would spot in a fantasy movie. Bring a warm jacket, though, because it’s one of the windiest places I’ve visited in my life!

Local cuisine

Deciding between Madeira and the Azores gets even harder when the subject is food… Overall, Portugal has a rich gastronomy tradition. However, Madeira and the Azores set the bar super high by offering a plethora of fish, meat, and seafood dishes you won’t find elsewhere in the country. The Azores also have a rich history of dairy products.

To choose between food, my suggestion is that you learn about the main dishes in each location and go for the one that makes you salivate the most. These are my top recommendations:

The best food in Madeira:

• Espetada: A beef dish served in a special metal structure and available around the main island. To try the very best espetada in the archipelago, I suggest passing by either Abrigo dos Pastores (Camacha) or Muralhas (Caniçal), two affordable, high-quality traditional restaurants serving espetada.
• Lapas: Lapas are just grilled limpets, but people in Madeira cook them so nicely that I end up adding lapas to every single meal when I visit the main island! This irresistible dish is usually served fresh out of the sea with a mouth-watering butter and lemon sauce and bolo do caco (Madeira’s traditional bread) on the side.
• Milho frito: I could’ve included the traditional peixe-espada com banana (swordfish served with a banana) here, but I have a soft spot for milho frito. It means “fried cornmeal,” and that’s precisely what it is: bits of mashed corn divided into small cubes and fried in olive oil. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but wait until you try it!

The best food in the Azores:

• Cozido das Furnas: The Azores are a volcanic archipelago, so it makes sense that the most famous traditional dish in the region is of a volcanic nature. More than just food, the Cozido das Furnas is a great experience! It’s a massive stew with various types of meats and vegetables cooked for hours in the volcanic soils of Furnas. Curious visitors can even watch the stew pans go inside a hole in the ground before eating.
• Alcatra: If you don’t have the time to watch a stew cook in geothermal springs for hours, a good alternative is to pass by the Terceira island and try their traditional stew. The Alcatra is a heavy but simple dish usually made with marinated beef, onions, wine, and spices.
• São Jorge cheese: Unlike Madeira, the Azores have a rich tradition of dairy products. One of Portugal’s most famous cheese companies even ran a popular ad in the Azores. They claimed that, for every person in the Azores, two cows exist.

All things considered, you’re in for the gastronomical time of your life, regardless of which archipelago you decide to visit! If you enjoy drinking, there are also good options in both locations.

Madeira is famous for the poncha (a strong alcoholic drink made with sugarcane spirits, sugar, and various natural fruit juices), while the Azores are best known for the ginja (a cherry liqueur that’s also popular in Lisbon and other cities in mainland Portugal).

Local population

Getting to know the local population is one of the things I love most when I travel. So, what can you expect from the people who live in Madeira and the Azores?

In my experience, they’re just like folks in the mainland, but with a few distinctive traits. For one, natives of both regions tend to speak with a peculiar Portuguese accent that’s easily recognizable (at least if you’re Portuguese).

People in the Azores tend to be simpler than in Madeira, as the archipelago is still home to many old-school farmers and cattle breeders. For a really authentic experience in the Azores, all you have to do is visit the traditional Bairro de Peixe and try to mingle with the locals—weird as it can be, I can only describe it as traveling back in time to 1980s Portugal!

Does Madeira or the Azores have the best beaches?

Portuguese people cannot complain about not having cool beaches, and Madeira and the Azores surely fit the norm. Both boast stunning beaches with breathtaking ocean views and watersports offerings. Yet, I believe Madeira and the Azores are suited for two distinct types of beachgoers.

If you’re looking for resort-style, easy-access beaches with modern amenities like restaurants, shops, and public bathrooms, Madeira is the place to go. There are many natural beaches in the archipelago, but they can be hard to navigate, especially for older people or families with young children.

At artificial beaches like Calheta or Barreirinha, however, beachgoers can sunbathe and swim in the ocean as comfortably and safely as if they were in a swimming pool.

Azores’ beaches, on the other hand, are best suited for adventurous travelers who enjoy exploring remote locations. If you’re one of those people who like being at the beach by themselves, you’ll fall in love with beaches like Formosa and Santa Bárbara.

Which Portuguese island is best for a honeymoon: Madeira or the Azores?

Madeira and the Azores are both wonderful recommendations for a honeymoon. So, choosing one of them depends on what you and your significant other enjoy doing on vacation.

Are you looking to relax, explore the city, and try some five-star hotels and restaurants? Then, Madeira is the way to go. Are you more into nature and feeling like you and your loved one are all alone in the world? Then, you can’t go wrong with the Azores.

Best time to visit the Azores and Madeira

These are the best months to visit each destination:

Best time to visit the Azores:

• May: In May, the temperatures in the Azores tend to be mild, and the whale watching season is already open, but there are fewer tourists than busier summer months (June to August).
• October: Despite having fewer visitors during October, the Azores are still relatively warm, which is the perfect time of the year for hiking and other outdoor activities.

Best time to visit Madeira:

• March: March is probably my favorite month to visit Madeira because it’s already full-blown summer but without the massive influx of tourists of the early spring and summer.
• December: Even though Madeira gets incredibly busy in December, there’s no denying that the main island is one of the best Christmas/New Year’s Eve destinations in Europe. Funchal takes Christmas very seriously, with decorations and special activities everywhere, and the world-famous NYE fireworks in the capital are to die for!

Is there a ferry between the Azores and Madeira?

As far as I know, there’s no ferry service connecting Madeira and the Azores. Considering that both archipelagos are separated by a 600-mile stretch of water, flying by plane is the only plausible method of transportation.

Can you do the Azores and Madeira in one trip?

You can do the Azores and Madeira in one trip, but I recommend sticking to one of the two unless you plan a two-week (minimum) vacation.

Madeira’s main island is big enough to keep you busy for a week, while the Azores have a total of nine islands (that’s more than one per day if you’re only visiting for a week).

However, if you have 15 or more vacation days, there’s no reason not to stay in Madeira for one week and visit the Azores in the next.

Azores VS Madeira FAQ

Conclusion

Madeira and the Azores are both wonderful, but they are best suited for two different types of travelers.

You should visit Madeira if you enjoy predictable, warm weather, like getting to know new cities, enjoy luxury hotels and restaurants, and prefer well-maintained beaches with a classic beachgoing experience.

Visit the Azores if you’re looking for a peaceful and out-of-this-world getaway, exploring remote locations, want to mingle with the local population, and prefer empty beaches to overcrowded ones.

Oh, and in case you’re unable to make a decision, here’s my suggestion: Book a two-week vacation and try both archipelagos!

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Check out these posts for more Portugal travel inspiration:

• Places to Go Canyoning in Madeira
• Portugal Travel Tips
• Surf and Yoga Retreats in Portugal 
• Best Surfing Camps in Portugal

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