Azores
 

We may be interested in traveling to the Azores (9 islands). I understand there is also another Portuguese island that is suppose to be very nice. I am not able to find any travel books about either. If any of you have traveled to either or both I would love some info. Things to do, which island to stay on etc.

Is Madeira the other island you are thinking of?

My father frequently visited the Azores courtesy of the US Air Force. He liked the mild climate.

I don't believe there is a lot to occupy the restless.

Search on google if you don't find a book.

Wikitravel has good info on both places.

Put Azores in the Search box here. There is plenty of info there.

Besides your Google searches, you might have to look at a travel book for Portugal, rather than either the Azores and/or Madeira individually.

I've ridden a bike over 4 of them, the people are amazing, no one seems to lock their doors, they all know everyone else and the scenery is pretty good. Everything is a ittle strange, for instance we went for a walk one evening and realised we were being followed by an very large man and an enormous bull, also just going out for an evening walk. The weather changes every hour, we had a fantastic time whale watching and loved out visit to the main winery.

Seriosly worth some time.

Yes, Madeira is the other island. Would those of you that have been there choose one or the other.
I did find a little information in an eyewitness book.

Please take my information with a drop of salt. I visited Portugal last year for a week. At the time we looked at the Azores and wrote it off as too small. Due to a quirk of flights we were able to arrange a 10 hour stop over on San Miguel and I was dumb struck. It is now on the top of my list of places to go and I don't think there will be any trouble filling a week if you like walking, great scenery and a rural environment. There are lovely warm beaches, hot springs and long hiking trails around crest of volcanoes and along old roman viaduct. Also a couple of world famous gardens and whale / dolphin migration at certain time of year. I am very much looking forward to planning this trip soon.

We visited the Azores a few years ago, hopping from one island to another : Sao Migue, Terceira, Sao Jorge, Pico and Faial and had a great time. We hired a taxi for the day and asked the driver to take us where we wanted. The islands are beautiful and as indicated above, the people are extremely nice and welcoming.

The Azores over Madeira every time

Kinloch - warm beaches ? There are very few beaches, thank God, and they aren't warm. It is the middle of the Atlantic. Lack of beaches has preserved the Azores from overdevelopment.
Roman viaducts ? The Romans never got there.
That said, the Azores are a wonderful place to visit. We spent three summers there. Oh, the flowers !! Fantastic.

We spent our Christmas vacation in. madeira last year and loved it-so much to do and see with wonderful weather,food,scenery,etc. even our Portuguese friends told us to choose Madeira over Azores!

The other islands may be the Cape Verde Islands. They're further west but worth a visit.

Well I don't know what to tell you. As I said we were only there for 12 hours but I have beautiful photos of an ancient viaduct, now with beautiful scenic plants growing on it. Also we walked along a beach all made of black volcanic ground rock. Not really a sand beach but lovely and warm because black absorbed solar energy of the day. Just one persons experience.