Arriving on Terceira by yacht: Angra and Praia da Vitória marinas, clearance and the 2026 fees

Terceira has two marinas, and both are ports of entry, so you can clear into the Azores at either. Which one suits you depends on your draught, the day of the week and which side of the island you want to be on. Angra do Heroísmo, on the south coast, is the deeper of the two. Praia da Vitória, on the east coast, is shallow at the entrance and has nobody in the office at weekends.

Noonsite lists four ports of entry for yachts arriving from outside the EU: Ponta Delgada on São Miguel, Horta on Faial, and Angra and Praia da Vitória on Terceira. On Terceira the paperwork is done at the marina office. In Angra a computerised system passes your details to the authorities, so you only clear in and out with the marina staff. Every arriving boat has to report to the office.

So plan the day you arrive. Praia da Vitória's marina is not staffed at weekends, according to Noonsite, so a crew arriving from outside Schengen on a Saturday is better off in Angra.

Angra's marina is in the old harbour of the UNESCO-listed town, below the old centre. Monte Brasil, the crater on the west side of the bay, shelters it from the west and south-west. Portos dos Açores, the regional port authority, runs it and lists:

• 260 berths.
• A 10-tonne crane and a 50-tonne travel lift.
• VHF channels 9 and 16.
• Office hours 08:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 20:00 in summer, 08:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 17:00 in winter.
• Phone +351 295 216 304, email marinaangra@portosdosacores.pt, address Porto das Pipas.

Noonsite gives a maximum length of 25 metres and 3.5 metres of depth (June 2023). The marina is on the 2026 Blue Flag list. Banks, a pharmacy, a health centre, car hire and food shops are all in town, a short walk from the pontoons.

By day, steer for Monte Brasil. At night, coming from the west, its lighthouse only shows once you are on a bearing of 057° or more. The marina is in the eastern part of the bay behind a breakwater. Noonsite's approach is the 342° line of Angra's front and rear leading lights. When the jetty light is abeam to starboard, turn to starboard for the marina entrance, at about 38° 39′ N, 27° 12.98′ W.

The anchorage on the west side of the bay, near the Baixa da Prainha shoal, gets uncomfortable and can become dangerous when swell comes in on southerly or easterly winds. If the forecast has the wind going round to the south, take a berth.

Across the bay from the marina is Angra's underwater archaeological park, with the Lidador wreck and a field of old anchors. Diving and snorkelling on Terceira explains how to see it.

Praia da Vitória's marina is in the north-west corner of a wide bay on the east coast, between the Prainha and Praia Grande beaches, a minute's walk from the town centre. Noonsite lists 210 berths with water and electricity, toilets, showers, a laundry, 24-hour security and a 35-tonne travel lift. It is also on the 2026 Blue Flag list. The office contact is +351 295 540 219 and marina@cmpv.pt, the town council's domain. Call on VHF 9 or 16.

Getting in needs care. Noonsite (May 2025) warns:

• The water shoals near the entrance, which is marked with yellow buoys, and dredging keeps going.
• Boats drawing more than 2 metres should not go in at low tide.
• There is a green light on the marina breakwater and another on the outer pontoon. Call the marina before you pass the breakwater.
• Entering at night is not advised.

Noonsite gives the port entrance at 38° 43.35′ N, 27° 03′ W. If the marina cannot take you, there is good anchoring inside the main breakwaters of the bay.

The town's beach is right next door; see swimming on Terceira for Praia Grande and the bathing season. Lajes airport is in the same municipality, close to Praia, which helps with crew changes.

Angra charges the Portos dos Açores tariff, the same table as Ponta Delgada and Horta. A visiting yacht pays the rate for owners who are not tax resident in the Azores. Daily rates for 2026, before VAT:

• 8 to 10 metres: €12.53.
• 10 to 12 metres: €15.13.
• 12 to 15 metres: €22.91.
• 15 to 18 metres: €31.68.
• 18 to 25 metres: €48.55.

On top of that come a waste-management fee of 6% of the berth rate, a 50% supplement for multihulls, and VAT on the total. A week for an 11-metre monohull comes to about €112 before VAT. The monthly rate for the 10 to 12 metre class is €415.68, so anyone staying a month should ask for it. Showers cost €3, and the washing machine and the dryer €6 each, VAT included.

Praia da Vitória is not on the Portos dos Açores list of marinas, and we found no published 2026 price list for it. Email the office before you go and ask for a quote for your length. Fees on both sides change every year, so check them before you budget.

Figaro Nautisme's port guide puts Praia da Vitória's fuel at the reception pontoon. For Angra we could not find a current, dated statement on fuel, so ask the office by phone or email before you rely on filling up there. Both marinas have a travel lift, Angra's rated at 50 tonnes and Praia's at 35, so a haul-out is possible on either side; ask about yard space early in the season.

For crew flying in or out, Lajes has flights to Lisbon all year and, in the 2026 summer season, to Porto and Zurich as well; see flights to Terceira in 2026. Buses link the airport, Praia da Vitória and Angra, and getting around Terceira has the routes and taxi options.

Can I clear into the Azores on Terceira? Yes. Angra do Heroísmo and Praia da Vitória are both ports of entry, and you clear in at the marina office.

Which Terceira marina should I pick with a 2.2-metre draught? Angra. Noonsite gives it 3.5 metres of depth, while boats drawing more than 2 metres should not enter Praia da Vitória at low tide.

How much is a night in Angra marina for a 12-metre yacht? In 2026 a monohull of 12 to 15 metres paid €22.91 a day, plus the 6% waste-management fee and VAT. A boat just under 12 metres falls in the 10 to 12 metre class at €15.13.

Can I arrive at Praia da Vitória on a weekend? You can berth or anchor, but Noonsite says the marina is not staffed at weekends, so clearing in may have to wait until Monday. Angra is the safer choice for a weekend arrival.