Crater lakes and whales in mid-Atlantic
The nine islands of the Azores lie far out in the Atlantic, with a landscape of volcanic craters, hydrangea-lined roads and lush pastures. Most visitors start on São Miguel, where the twin lakes of Sete Cidades fill a huge caldera and Furnas has steaming fumaroles, warm iron-rich pools at Terra Nostra and a stew cooked underground in volcanic heat. The waters around the islands are among the best in the world for whale and dolphin watching. Pico, with Portugal's highest mountain, and Faial are rewarding next steps.