Wyspy Madery — Madera i Santa Maria

The Azores Archipelago

Located around 1,400 km west of mainland Portugal in the middle of the Atlantic, the Azores are nine volcanic islands split into three groups: the Eastern Group (São Miguel and Santa Maria), the Central Group (Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico and Faial) and the Western Group (Flores and Corvo). São Miguel is the largest, home to the capital Ponta Delgada, crater lakes and steaming hot springs. Pico is crowned by Portugal's highest mountain; Flores is laced with waterfalls.

The islands shelter UNESCO-listed treasures — the historic centre of Angra do Heroísmo on Terceira and Pico's lava-stone vineyards — and the surrounding Atlantic is one of the world's great whale-watching grounds. With a mild, green climate year-round, the Azores deliver volcanic peaks, geothermal pools, deep blue and green crater lakes, and ocean teeming with dolphins and whales.