island.
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Azores
Flores and Corvo sit on the North American plate; the other seven islands do not.
The Azores straddle the seam where three tectonic plates meet in the middle of the Atlantic. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge runs between the islands, leaving Flores and Corvo on the North American side and the remaining seven to the east of it — a border you can fly across in under an hour. The ground behaves accordingly: the Capelinhos eruption on Faial, from 1957 to 1958, added new land to the island and pushed a wave of emigration to New England.
Pico, the volcano and the island named after it, is the highest point in all of Portugal at 2,351 metres. Around its base, vineyards are grown in currais — small plots walled in black lava to shelter the vines from salt and wind — and that landscape went onto the UNESCO list in 2004. Commercial whaling ended in the 1980s and the same boats now go out to watch sperm whales, which are here year-round.
Quick facts
Currency
EUR
Euro
Language
Portuguese
+ English
Power
—
Driving
Right
US-style
Airport
PDL
TER
Emergency
—
Police · Fire
When to go
Monthly breakdown
Storm risk: LowJan
Rain
Feb
Rain
Mar
Rain
Apr
—
May
—
Jun
Best
Jul
Best
Aug
Best
Sep
Best
Oct
Rain
Nov
Rain
Dec
Rain
Major events
Festas do Senhor Santo Cristo
Ponta Delgada's largest event, drawing emigrants back from North America. The procession carries a 16th-century image through streets carpeted with flowers.
Festas Sanjoaninas
Ten days in Angra do Heroismo on Terceira, with nightly parades and the tourada a corda, a bull run on a rope through the streets.
Semana do Mar
Horta's sea week, centred on sailing and whaleboat racing in the channel between Faial and Pico, with the marina at its fullest of the year.
Hidden gems
Poca da Dona Beija
Iron-rich thermal pools at Furnas, open until 23:00, which makes them a genuine night swim. Bring a dark swimsuit; the water stains light fabric.
Algar do Carvao
A lava chimney on Terceira you descend into on foot, ending at a rainwater lake at the bottom. The silica formations on the walls are unusual enough that the cave is a protected monument.
Capelinhos Lighthouse
Half-buried in ash from the 1957 to 1958 eruption that added land to Faial and emptied villages by emigration. The interpretation centre is built underground so it does not intrude on the ashscape.
Local food
Cozido das Furnas
Meat and vegetables in a pot lowered into a hole in the ground at Furnas and cooked for six hours by volcanic steam; restaurants have numbered holes.
Queijo Sao Jorge
dietary_tags.vegetarianA hard cow-milk cheese aged at least three months on the island of Sao Jorge, sharp and slightly peppery, with PDO protection.
Lapas grelhadas
Limpets prised off the rocks and grilled in their shells with garlic butter and a squeeze of lemon.
Safety tips
Nature
Weather on all nine islands changes within an hour and fog can close a crater rim while you are walking to it. Carry a shell layer even on a clear morning.
Water-Safety
The ocean here is open North Atlantic with cold water and heavy swell. Swim in the tidal pools and the flagged bays rather than off the rocks.
Transport
Inter-island flights and ferries are cancelled for weather regularly, especially in winter. Never book an onward international connection on the same day as an island hop.
Sustainability
Eco rating
Reef: reef_status.not_applicableCommercial whaling ended; the fleet converted to whale watching
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