The small island of Santa Maria, with about 97km2, despite not looking exuberant at first sight it is actually an island of endless landscapes with surprising and breathtaking views.
It is an island of contrasts, where the diversity of the landscape manifests itself in different ways. With two very distinct areas, one dry and plane and another mountainous and green, Santa Maria provides lovely views: white sand beaches, small red deserts and an interesting architecture.
Among several interesting facts about this island, one can highlight that Santa Maria was the first island of the archipelago to be discovered by portuguese sailors, Vila do Porto is the oldest village of the Azores, continuing to preserve some medieval traces, and through here passed Columbus, after he discovered America.

Terceira island has a welcoming atmosphere and lots of religious, cultural and gastronomic traditions. A visit to this island will stimulate your five senses!
Besides the overwhelming beauty of natural landscapes, the island is known for its unique and diversed built heritage: palaces, convents, churches, fortresses and streets filled with colour and life. This island also offers a great variety of natural pools for a refreshing dive in the atlantic waters.
Among the main turistic points, the importance of Angra do Heroísmo, World Heritage site by UNESCO since 1983, should be highlighted as well as Algar do Carvão, a rare geologic formation that you can not miss while in Terceira.
There are many touristic activities that help to explore the lilac island. But the inhabitants joy and hospitality will, without a doubt, be one of the highlights of your visit.

Classified as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, Graciosa is the second smallest of the nine islands and the one that presents flatter lands. The highest point of Graciosa has only 405m. From the five islands that form the Central Group, Graciosa is the one located more to the north. Windmills are one of the main features of this island, that is known as the “Barn of the Azores”.
White rocks, white sierra or white clay are toponyms for the island, related to the strong presence of trachyt, a volcanic rock common in Graciosa, which, affected by erosion and passage of time, acquires a whiteish colour, making justice to the designation White Island.
The settlement of the four parishes streches along the coast and interior of the island, a sui generis characteristic of the island’s territory occupation, with deep impact on the humanisation of Graciosa’s landscape.

Pico is an island which always had deep connections with the ocean. It is the second largest island of the archipelago, with an area of 445 km2. The island is divided in three municipalities: Lajes do Pico, São Roque do Pico and Madalena.
The Mountain Island, as it is called, is where one can find the highest elevation of all Portugal, with 2351 meters. In winter, quite often, the mountain is covered in white, with snow and ice at the top. Pico is the youngest island of the Azores and offers crystal clear natural pools that invite you to dive and observe the sub-aquatic world.
Dark basalt is predominant in the island, large extensions of lava, with different textures, can be observed along the coastline. As well as stone walls that protect the vineyards and define the Landscape of the Pico island Vineyard Culture, classified by UNESCO in 2004 as World Heritage.
This whalers land has an exceptional legacy, from whaling boats to boat houses, as well as the Whalers Museum in Lajes do Pico, one of the most visited in Portugal, and the Old Whale Factory, well preserved as a Whaling Industry Museum.

This island, with 54 km of length and 6.9 km of maximum width, is part of the Central Group and it is one of the vertexes of the so called “Triangle islands”, alongside Pico and Faial. Its landscape stands out for the contrast between the central range, that crosses the island in almost all its extension, and the trimmed and rugged coast, dotted by the typical “fajãs”. “Fajãs” are areas of flat-land ate sea level, that result from the collapse of cliffs or from lava streams. In this island there are more than fourty, which is why it is called “Fajãs” island. In some cases, there is just pedestrian access, reason why hikes are one of the best ways to explore São Jorge.
In this small paradise, the symbiosis between man and nature is perfect. For a dive in the atlantic waters, one should visit the “Poça Simão Dias” in Fajã do Ouvidor, the “Poça dos Frades”, or any of the other stunning natural pools the island offers.
The coastline is characterized by the point and islet of Topo on the east side, which allows extraordinary views off the ocean.

The third most populated island, Faial, has 173.1 Km2 and its highest point, with 1043 meters of altitude, is located in Cabeço Gordo.
Thanks to its location, the island turned into a hub of telecommunications. The information exchange between North America and Europe is done by submarine telegraph cables tied in the city of Horta, that had its inaugural network in 1893. Aviation also took advantage of the island’s privileged position, using it as a stopover for the first hydroplanes that crossed the North Atlantic. Soon after the first World War, in 1919, the first hydroplane stopped in Horta.
Faial is a charming island with breathtaking views. The eclectic environment still has emphasis in Horta, Peter Café Sport is a place of reunion for sailors and visitors from all over the world. Horta’s marina, inaugurated in 1986, is the modern extension of a port and natural bay with secular importance.
In the western extremity of the island, the Capelinhos volcano rises misterious, testifying the last volcanic eruption that occurred in the Azores, which added new land to Faial. Visiting this part of the island is something out of this world, where the grey volcanic ashes and slags, erupted between 1957 and 1958, highlight an unique and ravishing landscape.

It is in this piece of land, with a population of less than four thousand people, that the european continent has its most western point. Flores island, with an area of 141.4 km2, is part of the Western Group along with Corvo, which is at a distance of about 18 km. At an altitude of 911 meters, located in Morro Alto, is the highest elevation of the island. From there, one can see the luxurious green, where the Laurissilva forest still subsists.
Countless islets, bays, coastal caves, prismatic disjunctions, waterfalls and stunning valleys are some of the amazing peculiarities that the coastline offers.
In Flores, one can see the Monchique islet, the most western point of Europe. Side by side with the marvelous waterfalls, that give life to the island, are the seven lakes in the Flores caldera, which are one of the island’s main attractions. Here you can find one of the most famous azorean natural monuments, Rocha dos Bordões, a prismatic disjunction in a prominent location at the top of an elevation. Those who visit this island find in it an opportunity to reconnect with nature in its true essence.

The smallest island of the Azores occupies an area of 17.1 km2, inhabited by around 430 people. Corvo has its highest point in an area called Estreitinho, with na elevation of 720 meters. The entire island is one main volcanic structure, with a caldera at the top, called Caldeirão, which has around twenty secondary volcanic cones in its edges and interior. It is the only island with such characteristics.
In this island’s landscape, the green, from the pastures with the volcanic stone walls, is predominant. The scenery presents low forest density, with just a couple orchards and some specimens of azorean heather (Erica Azorica) and juniper (Juniperus brevifolia). Corvo village is the only settlement in the island. Since 2007, Corvo is classified as a Biosphere Reserve.
From the collapse of the top of Corvo’s central volcano resulted the main landscape feature, Caldeirão. Its interior, occupied by a lake and small volcanic cones, presents an incredible view at one of the most remote places of Europe.

São Miguel is the largest island with an area of 744,7 km2, it is home to more than half of the azorean population. Along with the neighbour island, Santa Maria, it is part of the Eastern Group.
Known as the green island, São Miguel, offers exuberant landscapes all around the island. From enchanted valleys to misterious lakes, everyone who visits this island falls in love with it. The natural and built heritage tells a story about men and women that overcame natural disasters and extreme conditions in order to make this piece of land their home.
Secondary volcanic activity stirs curiosity and leaves its mark on those who visit the island. There are several spots where one can observe fumaroles, hot springs, thermal waters and areas used to cook with geothermal heat.