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For more than 500 years, the Azores, an archipelago of nine widely dispersed islands in the middle of the Atlantic, have remained almost completely unspoilt, mainly on account of their remoteness. Volcanic in origin, they are pitted with deep craters, some filled with shimmering lakes, others covered with lush vegetation. Geysers and health-giving sulphur springs abound.
The Azores are also characterised by large tracts of arable farmland, sprinkled with tiny settlements of whitewashed houses. The gently sloping hillsides are planted with vineyards and fruit trees. The coastlines tend to be rugged and somewhat forbidding, but there are plenty of bays, and rocky inlets for swimming and sunbathing.
Watersports are widely available such as scuba-diving and whale watching; equally popular are yachting, horse riding, cycling and hiking. Tourist development throughout is on a modest scale and there are few signs of change.
The Azores are also characterised by large tracts of arable farmland, sprinkled with tiny settlements of whitewashed houses. The gently sloping hillsides are planted with vineyards and fruit trees. The coastlines tend to be rugged and somewhat forbidding, but there are plenty of bays, and rocky inlets for swimming and sunbathing.
Watersports are widely available such as scuba-diving and whale watching; equally popular are yachting, horse riding, cycling and hiking. Tourist development throughout is on a modest scale and there are few signs of change.
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