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🌏 Overview
The Azores are nine volcanic islands in the mid-Atlantic, roughly 1,500 km west of mainland Portugal. This autonomous region offers emerald crater lakes, hot springs, towering hydrangea-lined roads, and dramatic coastal cliffs. São Miguel draws most visitors with twin crater lakes at Sete Cidades and fumaroles of Furnas where locals cook stew underground using volcanic heat.
The Azores have become one of Europe's premier ecotourism destinations. Over 20 whale species pass through these waters. Hiking trails cross volcanic calderas, diving reveals underwater caves, and the unhurried pace feels like a secret Europe has kept from the world.
