Central Islands:

 
                  GRACIOSA: This island of vineyards and windmills contains
the geological curiosity of Furna de Enxofre, a small, warm sulphur lake
concealed in a grotto beneath a crater, access to which is via an 80m
(270ft) spiral staircase. Graciosa also boasts a subterranean lake
(Caldeira), and hot springs in the spa village of Carapacho. Santa Cruz, the
major settlement, is an attractive village which converges on a large,
irregular square shaded by monkey puzzle trees. It is seen at its best from
Monte da Ajuda.
 

 

                  TERCEIRA: A gently rural island, Terceira is known as the
‘Lilac Isle’ because of the distinctive colouring of its sunsets. It is also
the home of a specialized kind of bullfight known as Touradas à Corda.
Terceira is covered with hydrangeas and azaleas, and along the highways
visitors will see the gaily colored stands that serve as altar stations for
the Whitsun procession of the Holy Spirit, one of many festivals on the
island. Angra do Heroismo was founded in the 15th century and developed into
a major commercial outpost for the Portuguese and Spanish empires. Renowned
as one of the most beautiful towns of the age, it has now been listed as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Extending from the harbor is an intricate
network of streets, packed with palaces, churches and convents. Biscoitos
has natural swimming pools among the rocks.

 
                 SÃO JORGE: The island is surrounded by sheer, black
cliffs, while a profusion of vegetation covers the steep slopes down to the
sea. Cedar woods surround the island’s capital of Velas, which boasts a
number of historic buildings including a 17th-century church. São Jorge is
the centre for Azores’ dairy produce, especially cheeses.
 
   

          

                  FAIAL: The name means ‘beech tree’, but it is the
strawberry or arbutus that predominates nowadays, while blue hydrangea
hedges divide the fields. The coast is indented with sheltered bays.
Caldeira is an immense crater carpeted with greenery and has breathtaking
views. Horta, the island’s main port, is an important yachting harbor and a
popular meeting point for trans-Atlantic yachtsmen. Large cruise liners also
dock here.
 
  

 

                PICO: This island takes its name from its volcano,
Portugal’s highest peak (2351m/7720ft). The hues of the snow-capped cone
vary according to the light, from grey at sunrise to fiery red at sunset.
The island is renowned for its vineyards that grow the famous verdelho wine
of Pico. The largest settlement, Lajes do Pico, was until the 1980s the most
important whaling centre on the archipelago. Visitors can discover more
about the industry at the local museum and by attending the boating festival
(Festa dos Baleeiros) held every summer.
 

 

Western Islands:

 
                  CORVO: The smallest island, Corvo, has only one village
and its few hundred inhabitants are all related to one another. Nobody ever
locks their front door and there is no jail or courthouse. Corvo has the
living traditions of a pastoral and fishing community.
 
                 

 

 

 

                FLORES: Named after its profusion of flowers. It is often
regarded as the prettiest of the islands, with its rugged terrain, flowers
growing in the deep canyons, and waterfalls casting hues of blue and green
as they splash down into the sea. The island is ideal for water sports. The
administrative and commercial centre of Flores is the coastal village of
Santa Cruz.