The 9 Islands of the Azores

The Azores is a Portuguese archipelago in the mid-Atlantic, roughly 1,500 kilometres west of Lisbon and equidistant between Europe and North America. Nine volcanic islands rise from the ocean floor across a 600-kilometre stretch of open sea, each one geologically distinct, ecologically rich, and shaped by centuries of isolation into its own character. São Miguel draws the most visitors with its crater lakes, thermal valleys, and year-round whale watching. Pico demands pilgrimage for its UNESCO vineyards and the summit of Portugal's highest mountain. Faial shelters transatlantic sailors at Horta marina and sends divers offshore to meet blue sharks. Terceira holds a UNESCO World Heritage city and a lava tube that drops sixty metres underground. Flores — the westernmost island in Europe — delivers waterfalls that cascade directly into the Atlantic. Every island rewards the traveller who gives it time.