Just a low-cost flight away, the enchanting Azores archipelago lies in the mid-Atlantic Ocean, cast adrift between New York and Lisbon and comprising of nine volcanic islands. In legend, these Portuguese islands are associated with Atlantis. Today, they are the only place in the world to have received a Platinum Award from Quality Coast, a European Commission-supported certification programme for sustainable tourism.
Image Credit: Abspires40
São Miguel is the largest island at 62 km in length and is home to the capital, Ponta Delgada. This meandering town is full of geometric cobblestones and inviting plazas busting with plenty of local bars and restaurants. The 16th century St Blaise fortress was an important strategic defence fortification in the capital, and its military museum can be visited.
Image Credit: putneymark
The island of São Miguel, nicknamed the Green Island thanks to its forest land and dense woods, has a hushed feel of uncharted territory, but you can find all your creature comforts here too. Relax in a wellness boutique or try the hot springs - the Terra Nostra Park is a beautiful garden with a thermal swimming pool. The Vila Franca do Campo islet and nature reserve is also a popular spot during the summer months, with a salt water inlet inside.
Image Credit: Ravi Sarma
Find a lost world of blue-green crater lakes with bubbling mud pools and bright green cliffs with waterfalls rushing down, as well as some sublime beaches. The Green and Blue Lakes, which according to legend were formed from the tears of a shepherd and a princess who shared a forbidden love, are one of the seven natural wonders of Portugal and are best seen from the Vista do Rei lookout. The waterfalls in the Ribeira dos Caldeirões Park form part of a tourism project, seeking to create an in loco museum with sets of watermills, and the small fishing village of Ribeira Quente is home to a sheltered beach with traditional fishing boats.
Image Credit: Abspires40
Try to see as many islands as possible. If you enjoy wine, take a trip to the isle of Pico, the second largest of the archipelago, where there is an abundance of grapevines. The Museu do Vinho at the Carmelite Conventual House includes a cellar and distillery for visitors to explore, and there is plenty of information about this vineyard UNESCO cultural landscape available at the CIPCVIP centre; visitors can watch a short documentary, enjoy a guided visit to the vines and fig tree plots, see a warehouse and distillery in operation, and visit the rocky lava fields. Pico also produce its own cheese, with Protected Origin status.
Image Credit: Paulo Valdivieso
Or visit the tranquil pink isle of Flores, so named after its array of beautiful flowers; between the green vegetation, waterfalls, and streams can be found the colourful pink azaleas and hydrangeas. The Rocha dos Bordões is an impressive basalt formation with vertical prismatic columns resembling a pipe organ, which would once have been formed inside a volcanic cone. It changes colour throughout the day, so this fascinating site is worth a visit.
Image Credit: Ravi Sarma
For adventurers, there is plenty to do. Whale watching is popular, with the archipelago’s year-round residents including sperm whales and dolphins, as is diving, thanks to the numerous species that enjoy the climate and shelter that the volcanic seabed offers. Watersports are also a draw to the islands, with great conditions for surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, and even swimming in one of the holes formed by lava as it cooled whilst flowing into the sea.
Image Credit: pedrik
On the island of Pico, you can descend into one of the world’s longest lava tubes to view rare stalagmites and strange structures made of lava, or hike for three hours up Portugal’s highest mountain to sunrise or sunset. Hikers may also enjoy the sheer-sided ridge of São Jorge, or the Jurassic-like beauty of Flores. You can also enjoy the the islands from above - the Azores have hosted a paragliding festival for the past 20 years. Ascending from the rims of craters make for a fantastic view!
Title Image Credit: guillermo varela (Image Cropped)