The Azores

The Azores are one of Portugal's two autonomous regions, officially known as the Autonomous Region of the Azores (Regio Autónoma dos Açores) (along with Madeira). It is a volcanic archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean's Macaronesia region, around 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) west of Lisbon, about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) northwest of Morocco, and about 1,930 kilometers (1,200 miles) southeast of Newfoundland, Canada.

The Azores have a pleasant climate for such a far north location, thanks to their distance from the continents and the passing Gulf Stream. Temperatures are pleasant all year due to the effect of the sea. Depending on the season, daytime temperatures range between 16 and 25 °C (61 and 77 °F). In the major population centers, temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) or below 3 °C (37 °F) are unheard of. It's also mostly gloomy and rainy.

The islands' beauty is unusual and ageless; the volcanoes evoke the Miocene epoch, but there is a sense of 1950s innocence in human terms. The restless volcanic activity appears to infuse you with brilliant energy, and the salty, clean air pamper you with the best free facials in the world. There's whale watching, dolphin swimming, and manta ray diving, as well as canyoning and kayaking. You can wander inside and around volcanoes, as well as drive down empty roads lined with azaleas and hydrangeas.

Location: Azones