Azores & Madeira — Islands in the Atlantic
Portugal's Atlantic islands are independent worlds — climatically, scenically, and culturally fundamentally different from the mainland coast.
The Azores — Europe's Last Secret
Nine islands in the middle of the Atlantic, 1,500 km west of Lisbon. The Azores are a natural paradise of overwhelming beauty: extinct volcanoes, crater lakes, hot springs, hydrangea hedges, and a silence that is hardly found elsewhere in Europe.
- São Miguel — the largest island, with the famous crater lakes Sete Cidades (a blue and a green lake in a caldera) and the Furnas Valley, where volcanic heat cooks the national dish Cozido das Furnas (stew that cooks for hours in hot earth)
- Terceira — with the UNESCO World Heritage city of Angra do Heroísmo and the unique Algar do Carvão (lava tube that can be entered)
- Faial — the "blue island" with the Horta harbor, a stopover for Atlantic sailors, and the Capelinhos volcano, which erupted in 1957/58 and enlarged the island
- Pico — with Portugal's highest mountain (2,351 m, Montanha do Pico) and the UNESCO-protected wine-growing landscapes (wine between lava stone walls)
- Flores — the westernmost inhabited island in Europe, with waterfalls that plunge directly into the sea
The Azores are one of the best areas for whale watching in Europe. Sperm whales live here year-round, blue whales pass by in spring (March–May), and dolphins are almost daily sightings.
Madeira — The Floating Garden
Madeira lies 1,000 km southwest of Lisbon and deserves its nickname "Island of Flowers." The year-round mild climate (18–26 °C) allows subtropical and Mediterranean plants to thrive side by side. The Levadas — an over 2,500 km long network of irrigation channels from the 15th century — offer some of the most beautiful hikes in Europe: you follow the narrow channels through laurel forests (UNESCO World Heritage), along cliffs, and through tunnels.
Funchal, the capital, is elegant and cosmopolitan; the market hall Mercado dos Lavradores explodes with exotic fruits. And, of course, there is Madeira wine — one of the most long-lived wines in the world, which acquires its characteristic caramel note through heating.