Azores is an autonomous Portuguese archipelago located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, about 1500 Km’s (932 miles) from Lisbon and 3900 Km’s (2423 miles) from the east coast of North America. The nine Azorean Islands extend for more than 600 km (373 miles) and due to its strategic geographic position, the archipelago was to become an important waypoint on the main routes between Europe, the Orient and America during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Azores’ moderate climate, along with being a part of the Palearctic ecozone, allows unique temperate broadleaf and mixed forests.

One of the key points of Azores is the existing of several volcanic sites which include a crater of 12 km’s (7 miles) where the Blue Lagoon and Green Lagoon may be found. At Furnas there’s an original and “volcanic” way of cooking: stew is cooked in existing holes at the volcanic ground with steaming water.

In terms of activities, Azores has to offer endless possibilities as scuba diving; whale and dolphin watching; sailboat cruises; hiking; mountaineering; etc.