Enter Portugal

The landscape of the Azores, with its still-smoking volcanoes, vast lake-filled craters, swamps, jungle-like vegetation and mountains embroidered with blue hydrangeas makes for a stunning walking environment.

Portugal Walks

Offering both guided and self-guided tours through São Miguel, São Jorge, Faial and Pico.
www.portugalwalks.com

Archipelago Azores

Guided and self-guided tours covering six of the Azores’ most stunning islands – São Miguel, São Jorge, Faial, Pico, Flores and Santa Maria.
www.azoreschoice.com

In the spa town of Furnas, located on São Miguel, walkers can descend into the still-smoking volcano to see geysers and both boiling and ice-cold mineral springs. The Terra Nostra botanical gardens planted in the 18th century are well-worth visiting and contain an adjacent art-deco hotel. The Vista do Rei (kings view) from the rim of Sete Cidades provides incredible views over the island.

Flores was once occupied by pirates, and contains some of the most awesome scenery to be found in the Azores. Flores is the Portuguese for flowers and the island was bestowed this name for the sheer abundance of flowers that thrive in the sub-tropical vegetation. It is home to a gorgeous crater lake along with ravines, waterfalls, water jets and other fabulous scenery.

Santa Maria has the warmest climate of the islands, containing pretty villages and the sandiest beaches of the archipelago. The highest point of Santa Maria, Pico Alto, provides panoramic views of the island.

Terceira contains the most famous volcanic cave of the Azores, Algar do Carvão. This is an ancient volcanic vent through which you can descend 100 metres into the earth to an underground lake of crystal-clear water with unique stalacitites.