Spectacular and remote - World HQ for Whale & Dolphin Watching... 

These little known islands have hardly changed for centuries and are spectacularly beautiful. Vast craters, waterfalls, hot springs, rock pools, awesome black cliffs and some unique vegetation lure a limited number of discerning visitors to their shores.
It is never cold! The warm temperate climate, sometimes subject to sudden changes, ensures an abundance of colourful flowers, and lush green valleys and grasslands contrast dramatically with sheer volcanic peaks. Set in the mid Atlantic, the islands are nicely warmed by the Gulf Stream current, and the annual rainfall is half as much as Mauritius and most islands in the Caribbean and about the same as Cape Town.

The Azores comprises an archipelago of nine islands, which can now be discovered from the UK by direct flight in three and a half hours. Once thought to be the remaining centre of the legendary “Lost Continent of Atlantis” the islands have been created by volcanic activity; lush and green, each island has distinctly different features, and an island-hopping or twin centre holiday is recommended. Travel between the islands is by a reliable local air service. There are now four international airports.
The islands were discovered by Portuguese navigators in the 15th century and swiftly became the staging post between Europe and the Americas. Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus were visitors. Little has changed. The population stands at around 250,000 and the islands are sparsely inhabited outside the main towns. The architecture is distinctly and classically Portuguese. Life depends on fishing and agriculture, with virtually no industry and no pollution.
The Azores have remained peaceful and unspoiled with tourism in its infancy. They are most suitable for those seeking something different, with peace rather than nightlife and fresh air and walking rather than lying on beaches. They can be explored quite easily on foot or by car. Generally the roads are good and distances are relatively short. The standard of accommodation is comparable to Madeira and mainland Portugal.