Best things to do and see in The Azores

The Azores: Why go

These lush, volcanic, lake-filled islands far out in the Atlantic Ocean are about as wild and exotic as you can find without leaving Europe. Reached by plane from Lisbon or Porto, or occasional direct flights from London and other European capitals, they combine dramatic coastline (great surfing and whale-watching), superb hiking (waterfalls, levadas and conical summits), dense jungles of laurel and juniper, manicured pineapple plantations and botanic gardens, and a welcome dose of year-round sun (interspersed with a good measure of semi-tropical rainfall).

The harder part is deciding which islands to visit. With inter-island flights being quite pricey, you'll probably want to stick to just one or two per trip. Most international flights land at the largest and busiest island, São Miguel - and that's not a bad place to start. The capital town, Ponta Delgada, is a bustling harbour with handsome houses, eye-catching black-and-white mosaic pavements, flower-ringed fountains and a wide array of eateries and bars. Inland, there's the surprisingly manicured spa town and almost alpine lakes of Furnas; a range of hiking trails to waterfalls and volcanic summits; some black sand beaches with surfing and whale-watching opportunities; and one of Europe's only tea plantations. If you're only coming for a week and aren't seeking total solitude, you could happily spend it here - and leave the other islands for next time!

A few international flights land at Terceira in the central island group, whose main town, Angra do Heroísmo, is the archipelago's historical capital and a Unesco World Heritage Site. It's noted for its summer festival, including the Tourada à Corda bull run, its dramatic caves, and its US Air Force base. As a tourist hub, there's perhaps less to recommend it than the other islands - but it's certainly quieter than São Miguel.

From here you can take ferries to São Jorge, Faial, and Pico if you fancy some island-hopping. Of these, westerly Faial is our favourite, for its untamed landscapes and end-of-the-world feel: it boasts 10 volcanoes (a hiking trail connects them all) and just 1 traffic light. It's only a short hop across the water to Pico, which stands out (quite literally) with its 2351m-high volcano - often wreathed in cloud - as well as its vineyards enclosed in dry-stone walls. São Jorge is a paradise for hikers, a mountainous spine with tiny hamlets - some reachable only by 4x4 or on foot - set among other-worldly fajãs: small coastal plains formed by lava flows or landslides.

Finally, in the western island group, remote Flores and Corvo are for dedicated adventurers, luddite hikers and card-carrying bird-watchers. Corvo’s perfectly shaped volcanic crater, whose sides drop sheer to the ocean, is one of the most arresting sights in the Azores - but you'll need to book your guide and accommodation well ahead, in some cases up to a year.

Three things you won't find here are white-sand beaches (instead, expect small dark-sand coves and dramatic seawater swimming pools); large-scale resorts (the authorities are backing sustainable tourism by capping the total number of hotel beds); and vibrant nightlife (except, in a low-key way, in Ponta Delgada). Also bear in mind that it can be rainy at any time of year - that's why it's so verdant. And a final word of warning: strong winds can cause inter-island flights and longer ferry routes to be cancelled, so build in a day or two of leeway before your return flight.

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Our top tips

São Miguel: geothermic rock pools

With the Atlantic often being rough and the coast rocky, the Azoreans favour natural rock pools on the shore, building ladders to get in and walls to retain the sea water which overflows into it. They call them piscinas naturais or poços (wells), and you may have seen them in the Canaries or Madeira. But here - uniquely - some are thermally heated by underwater springs, such as at Ferraria on São Miguel, whose water ranges from 18-30C, depending how close to the spring you get. Note that it's only safe at low tide, as the swell can sway you around: hold onto the ropes provided, and if you're unsure don't risk it, especially if no others are swimming.

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São Miguel: the spa town of Furnas

It's a huge surprise for first-timers to São Miguel to discover not only a mountainous interior of almost alpine grandeur and greenness, but also a genteel spa town at Furnas in the east. Some of the geothermic sulphurous springs are channelled through town, creating hot basins where residents can be seen soothing tired feet; these are flanked by manicured lawns, colourful gardens and swaying palm trees. On the edge of town are more steaming fumaroles; apparently this is Europe's largest concentration of hot springs. But the best spot to take the waters is Octant Hotel, a beautifully modernised 19th-century thermal station with indoor and outdoor pools, caldarium and all manner of healing treatments.

São Miguel: Salto do Prego waterfall

There are lots of trails on São Miguel - coastal paths, volcanic summits, lakeside strolls - but the one we enjoyed the most is the 2-hour round-hike from Faial da Terra (in the east) up the steep-sided valley to the waterfall of Salta do Prego. You climb to an isolated farm hamlet at Sanguinho, then undulate beneath dense forest canopy to the 10m-high cascata and its emerald-coloured pool, where brave souls can take a plunge. The energetic can detour (keeping left before the waterfall, up a steep path) to the wilder Salto do Cagarrão: this would add another 1.5 hours there and back. To return to Faial, you can take a lower path before Sanguinho. Before setting off, check the trail is open: info here.

Eat

São Miguel: fresh seafood at Cais 20

The Azores are all about seafood, and our most memorable meal was at Cais 20 (pronounced Ca-eesh Veinte) on the edge of Ponta Delgada. Don't be put off by their underwhelming website: our fresh mussels, fish stew, grilled sea bream and polvo frito (fried octopus) were all fantastic; and we even managed some traditional Azorean lapas (limpets), though in truth I'm not sure we'd order them again. The atmosphere was abuzz with locals, service was nineteen to the dozen, portions huge and prices fair (though not exactly cheap). Book well ahead, especially for summer weekends.

Shop

São Miguel: the Ultimate Sardine Shop

On Ponta Delgada's main square, alongside the church of San Sebastian, is an eye-catching tinned-fish boutique called Comur, which boasts thousands of colourful conservas beautifully arrayed in a century-old fabric shop. There are 21 different kinds of fish, including squid and octopus, but it's mostly about sardines - the timeless Azorean staple. Choose from hundreds of package designs (mostly in airline-friendly 150g packs), including every birth year since 1940, even gold ingots. Yes, it's a bit naff, but if you're stuck for gifts, then you can't deny that these are both nourishing and unique.

Faial: the Caldeira Circuit

This small, westerly isle has one of the most dramatic volcanic caldeira hikes in the Azores - and, best of all, it only takes 3 hours. Before setting off, check the forecast, or better still the webcam, as it can be shrouded in clouds. We actually think it's at its most picturesque when intermittent clouds swirl up from the ocean, giving you constantly changing views over the primeval crater floor. Drive up either of the two narrow roads up to the summit zone at around 900m (3000 ft), then hike the marked trail either way around the rim - it's about 8km (5 miles) in total - along mostly open ground with some low shrubs of juniper, blueberry, heather and angelica. There are a few steepish, rocky stretches but it's never technical or properly vertiginous. With a certified guide, you could also follow small paths down into the crater. More info here.

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Faial: Capelinhos Volcano

Formed during a 1957 eruption, this bleak and lunar headland on Faial's western tip has sharp, striated ridges that soar above a foaming coastline. You're not allowed onto the peninsula, but you can wander up to a spectacular viewpoint (it only takes 15 mins), or along to the ruined, ash-covered lighthouse where land ended before the new lava flows solidified. Near here is a subterranean visitor centre - a huge concrete cave resembling a Bond villain's lair - showing footage of the eruption and eye-witness accounts from fishermen.