Açores

The Azores are an archipelago of nine islands, which have as much in common as they do in different ways, and which show us nature in its purest state.

If you like hiking, flora and fauna, dolphin and whale watching, tasting local products and living real experiences, the Azores are perfect for all this and more.

To the east, on the island of Santa Maria, the beaches are warm and sandy, and the amphitheatre slopes are covered with vineyards. São Miguel is the largest island, and the most urban. It has unique natural features such as the Lagoa do Fogo, the Ilhéu de Vila Franca and the pools of Dona Beija or Hotel das Furnas. You can really feel the power of the earth in the geysers, the hot thermal waters and the volcanic lakes, as well as in the tasty Cozido das Furnas which is slowly cooked underground. In the Central Group, the islands of Terceira, São Jorge, Pico, Faial and Graciosa lie harmoniously in the blue sea where whales and dolphins wander. Terceira takes us back to history in the feasts of Angra do Heroísmo, classified as World Heritage. Faial has the blue of the hydrangeas, the colours of the yachts from all over the world in the Marina and the “lunar” landscape of the now extinct Capelinhos volcano. Opposite, Pico, is the highest point in the country, a mountain rising from the sea and vineyards planted in the black lava fields. In São Jorge, the highlight goes to Fajãs and its cheese, a unique speciality with an unmistakable flavour. Graciosa in name and appearance, is a small island with fields covered with vineyards contrasting with its peculiar windmills. In the Western group, Flores Island, dazzles us with the beauty of natural waterfalls and lakes carved by volcanoes. Corvo, the smallest island, has at its centre a large and beautiful caldera that attracts various species of birds from all over the world.

Nine islands, nine small worlds, but where authenticity, contact with nature and the friendliness of its inhabitants is a common point.