São Bartolomeu vs Ribeira Seca: which Azores town suits you?
Their January highs are within 1°C of each other (16°C and 15°C). São Bartolomeu has a closer bus station; Ribeira Seca has cheaper homes to buy and less recorded crime.
São Bartolomeu
1,983 peopleChoose São Bartolomeu if you want
- Beach lovers: A beach 2.9 km from the centre
- A bus station closer by (6.4 km, against 54 km)
Ribeira Seca
1,025 peopleChoose Ribeira Seca if you want
- Cheaper homes to buy in the municipality (€731/m², against €1,366/m²)
- Less recorded crime in the municipality (15.7 per 1,000 residents, against 31.9)
Side by side
Bold marks the better value where one is clearly better and both values are precise.
Climate
Town-level · ERA5-Land 1991-2020| Measure | São Bartolomeu | Ribeira Seca |
|---|---|---|
| January high | 16°C | 15°C |
| January low | 14°C | 14°C |
| July high | 22°C | 22°C |
| Days above 35°C a year | 0 | 0 |
| Nights above 20°C a year | 76 | 67 |
| Frost days a year | 0 | 0 |
| Days with rain a year | 132 | 138 |
| Daylight on 21 December | 9 h 28 min | 9 h 28 min |
| Sea in August | 23°C | 23°C |
Daily life within a 15-minute walk
| Measure | São Bartolomeu | Ribeira Seca |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery stores | 0 | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 0 | 0 |
| Doctors and clinics | 0 | 0 |
| Cafés | 0 | 0 |
| Restaurants | 1 | 1 |
Getting around
| Measure | São Bartolomeu | Ribeira Seca |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest train station | – | – |
| Nearest bus station | 6.4 km | 54 km |
| Nearest hospital | 6.4 km | 57 km |
| Nearest beach | 2.9 km | 4.6 km |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | 20 km | 18 km |
Housing and safety (whole municipality)
| Measure | São Bartolomeu | Ribeira Seca |
|---|---|---|
| Median rent per m², per month | €4.95/m² | – |
| Sale price per m² | €1,366/m² | €731/m² |
| Sale price change, 5 years | +81% | – |
| Crimes recorded per 1,000 residents | 31.9 | 15.7 |
People
| Measure | São Bartolomeu | Ribeira Seca |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,983 | 1,025 |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.4% | 22.7% |
| Under 15 | 16.1% | 12.4% |
| Born in another country | 3.9% | 6.0% |
Natural hazards
| Measure | São Bartolomeu | Ribeira Seca |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquakes of M5+ within 100 km since 1900 | 14 | 12 |
Month by month
Town-level · ERA5-Land 1991-2020| High | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| São Bartolomeu | 16° | 15° | 15° | 16° | 17° | 19° | 22° | 23° | 22° | 20° | 18° | 16° |
| Ribeira Seca | 15° | 15° | 15° | 16° | 17° | 19° | 22° | 23° | 22° | 20° | 18° | 16° |
The average highs are within 1°C of each other in every month.
São Bartolomeu or Ribeira Seca: common questions
Which is warmer in winter, São Bartolomeu or Ribeira Seca?
They are within 1°C of each other: average January highs of 15.6°C in São Bartolomeu and 15.4°C in Ribeira Seca.
Which has more shops within walking distance?
Ribeira Seca: 1 grocery stores within a 15-minute walk of the centre, against 0 in São Bartolomeu.
Which is closer to an airport?
São Bartolomeu is 20 km from Lajes Airport (TER); Ribeira Seca is 18 km from São Jorge Airport (SJZ), in a straight line.
Cite or link
hexplace (2026). São Bartolomeu vs Ribeira Seca: climate, homes and daily life compared. https://hexplace.org/portugal/compare/sao-bartolomeu-vs-ribeira-seca-2/