CORVO

With 430 inhabitants and an area of 17.1 km², Corvo is the smallest island in the Azores. The silence, especially at the top of the huge volcanic cone of the extinct Monte Gordo, overgrown with green plants, gives the almost deserted island something unreal. The only village, Vila do Corvo, is located in the west and is one of the smallest towns in Europe. If you go hiking here, you would hardly be surprised to see a herd of dinosaurs crossing the picturesque volcanic cauldron.

FLORES

Mother Nature shows her most flowery side on Flores. Especially in July and August, the hydrangeas bloom in brilliant blue. But also spring travelers and autumn visitors can look forward to the play of colors of an extraordinary sea of flowers, lush forests and clear lakes. Basically, it should be said about Flores that, similar to Corvo, the island is one of the most natural destinations within the Azores. Hidden highlights: some of the many waterfalls, which are partly imposing, partly hidden a way through the cliffs.

FAIAL

Like in Jurassic Park or In a Land Before Our Time, green meadows stretch out in the basin of the 2-kilometer-wide and 500-meter-deep volcano Cabeço Gordo in the center of the fifth largest island of the Azores. Due to a devastating eruption of the Vulcão dos Capelinhos about one kilometer off the western tip of the island, a volcanic island of 2.4 km2 was created in the open sea in 1957/58, which is today connected to Faial by an isthmus. There is hardly any other island where one can learn to understand volcanic history as well as on Faial.

PICO

Even though activities like whale watching are offered everywhere in the Azores, Pico is one of the hotspots. More than 20 species of whales and dolphins cavort in the coastal regions. The best chances to observe orcas, sperm and blue whales from land are on the steep south coast, at the lighthouse Farol Ponta da Ilha. Due to the different strong currents, swimming at the beaches should be avoided. But Pico offers countless natural swimming opportunities inland and other adventures that make Pico probably the most versatile island of the Azores. The highlight: the eponymous 2,351 meter high volcano and highest mountain in Portugal: Ponta do Pico. With an area of 447 km², the island is larger than Cologne and thus the second largest of all Azorean islands - with just 15,000 inhabitants.

GRACIOSA

The second smallest island of the Azores is a lovely place. Just 1,800 inhabitants live in the capital Santa Cruz da Graciosa. Adventurers explore the lava caves Furna do Enxofre or Furna da Maria Encandata. Those seeking peace and quiet enjoy the idyllic villages or the thermal baths with sea swimming pools. On the northeast coast, one loses oneself in the view of the small rocky islands of Ilheu da Praia and Ilheu da Baleia, which are the habitat of numerous sea birds and whose shapes are reminiscent of beached whales.

TERCEIRA

Terceira is the third largest - and second most populous - island in the Azores after São Miguel and Pico. Most of the 58,000 inhabitants live in the once important port city of Angra do Heroísmo. After a violent earthquake in 1980 and the subsequent reconstruction of the city, a large part of the historic center was classified as "of public interest" and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1986. However, Terceira is truly special because of the many brightly painted cheerful churches that can be found all over the island, motivating adventure tours. More than 70 of the churches date back to the 19th century and were still built of wood according to the architecture of that time.

SÃO JORGE

The fourth largest island with 246 km² is relatively sparsely populated with 8,491 inhabitants. Also touristically São Jorge is rather undeveloped and therefore invites especially to the active adventure. Geographically, the island is very interesting: narrowly cut, the up to more than 1,000 meters deep cliffs wind through the Atlantic for almost 54 km and offer phenomenal views of Faial, Pico, Graciosa and Terceira.

SÃO MIGUEL

With an area of about 759 km² and 138,000 inhabitants, São Miguel is the largest and most populous island of the Azores and usually the main tourist destination. Rugged and rugged in the north with an imposing coastline that drops steeply into the Atlantic, mild and lovely in the south. The cosmopolitan city of Ponta Delgada offers visitors a combination of contemporary life and historical flair with a modern marina, fine restaurants, bars and nightclubs, and turn-of-the-last-century architecture.

SANTA MARIA

With an area of 97 km² and about 5,500 inhabitants, Santa Maria is the third smallest and also the oldest of the nine Azores islands. Although it is also of volcanic origin, it is the only island without active volcanism - and therefore probably the only one with really white beaches and clear bathing bays. Because basically the beaches on the Azores are of volcanic origin, which means that dark sand - a gray, almost black color - unfortunately affects the visibility of the water a little.