If you’ve spent any time on social media recently, you’ll have seen reels and posts all about the new “Hawaii of Europe”. However, I’ve seen both the Azores and Madeira being referred to as this, so it’s difficult to know which Portuguese Atlantic island chain you should go to. Luckily, I’ve been to the Azores and Madeira, so here’s where I think you should go.
I’m going to go through different aspects of visiting each place as well as outlining the pros and cons of the Azores vs Madeira. Let’s dive in and find out more!
Tourism
First up, Madeira is much more touristy than the Azores. This is largely because it’s had travellers journeying to the island for much longer. The cruise ships have been going in, people have been visiting the flower shows, and the big resorts are present on the island.
While there are some cruise ships going into Ponta Delgada on Sao Miguel in the Azores, the tourism industry is still growing and improving. There are a few tours running around the islands and hopping between the island chain is a popular way to explore, but it’s not a major tourist destination for the masses in the same way as Madeira is.
Touristy places definitely have their pros and cons. As much as I’m not a fan of crowds and loads of tourist hotspots, having a present tourism industry in Madeira does make getting around, finding accommodation, and tours a lot easier – and often cheaper.
Transportation
For both Madeira and the Azores, buses are the main source of public transportation. I’d say Madeira has more bus routes around the island, but the Azores does have plenty of routes to the main tourist spots like Sete Cidades, Furnas, and Ribeira Grande.
The difference is that Madeira has grown as a hiking paradise, but not all PR routes are serviced by public transport. For example, the super popular PR1, otherwise known as the Stairway to Heaven hike, doesn’t have a bus connection which means you either need to hire a car, get a taxi, or join a tour.
You can definitely hire taxis or drivers for the day on a budget tour on both islands if you don’t want to rely on the buses.
Accommodation
In terms of resorts, hotels, and hostels, Madeira has far more on offer. This shouldn’t be surprising as it’s been a popular destination for a lot longer and there’s a larger variety of people who come here.
The big brand resorts and luxury hotels tend to be in the San Martinho area near Praia Formosa while the smaller hotels and hostels are more likely to be in Funchal’s Old Town.
In the Azores, hostels and resorts are growing in popularity at both ends of the price spectrum, especially in the capital, Ponta Delgada. However, the big international brands don’t have as much of a presence here, so if you’re planning on using points to book, Madeira might have more deals.
Cost
On the whole, the Azores is a lot cheaper than Madeira. You can find cheap deals in either place and with them both being Portuguese islands, the essentials like coffee and pastries are reasonable in both destinations.
Overall, the cost of living in the Azores is around 7% cheaper than in Madeira, and because of the increase in tourism in Madeira, prices have started to creep up. While I wouldn’t say either place is expensive necessarily, Madeira’s prices felt more expensive when eating out and booking accommodation.
Getting there
There are more direct flights into Madeira than into the Azores. The major airport in the Azores, in Ponta Delgada, travels to 27 airports in 12 countries. On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo Airport in Funchal, Madeira, travels to 55 airports in 21 countries.
If you’re trying to find flight deals, I’d recommend using Going.com or Jack’s Flight Club and setting up an alert. It’s the easiest way to make sure you’re not overpaying!
That being said, if you’re coming from the US or Canada, there are more direct routes to the Azores than to Madeira. You can fly directly into Ponta Delgada from New York, Montreal, Boston, and Toronto, whereas you can only fly direct from New York to Madeira.
If you’re coming from the UK, it’s easier to fly to Madeira as there are currently 13 airports that fly direct to Funchal
- London Heathrow
- London Gatwick
- London City
- Stansted
- Manchester
- Liverpool
- Bristol
- Leeds
- Birmingham
- Newcastle
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
- Nottingham East Midlands
For flying into the Azores from the UK, you have to go to Stansted and get the Ryanair service to Ponta Delgada. There used to be a direct Manchester route but that doesn’t seem to exist anymore.
Nature
Both Madeira and the Azores are known for their natural beauty. From hikes to hot springs to beaches to watersports, there’s a bounty on each island. However, for more varied and unspoiled natural beauty, the Azores hands-down has to come out on top.
Even our Madeira-native tour guide told us that the nature in the Azores is much better than in Madeira. This is where the lack of tourism really helps the island’s beauty thrive. Add in the fact that there are several islands in the chain that you can visit and hop around and the variety is clear.
Pros and Cons
Okay, now that we’ve outlined the differences between visiting Madeira and the Azores, let’s dive into a good old-fashioned pros and cons list.
Madeira Pros
- More variety of accommodation
- Better flight connections
- More events and nightlife
- Better digital nomad scene
- Great for hiking
- More museums and cultural sights
Madeira Cons
- More expensive
- More difficult to get to from the US
- More tourists
The Azores Pros
- Affordable
- More options from the US
- More natural beauty
- Opportunities for island hopping
- Fewer tourists
The Azores Cons
- Difficult to get to from the UK
- It can be expensive to island-hop
Which is better, Madeira or the Azores?
So, in my humble opinion, the Azores is better than Madeira, if you’re looking for an adventurous holiday in nature with a lower price tag. That’s not to say that I didn’t love Madeira – I did – it’s just slightly more expensive and touristy which isn’t always my personal vibe.
Have you been to Madeira, or the Azores, or both? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!
