Far beyond the horizon, where the Atlantic touches the sky and the world seems to slow its pace, lie the islands of the Azores.  Scattered like magical ships across 400 miles of ocean and untouched by mass tourism, they are the perfect destination for travelers who want to know the true meaning of the phrase "Getting away from it all".

To the east lie the islands of Santa Maria and Sao Miguel, home of the capital, Ponta Delgada.  With hot thermal springs, volcanic lakes, steaming geysers and deep verdant valleys, Sao Miguel sometimes seems like a lost world, while its sister island offer gentler, more tranquil lanscapes.

The five islands that make up the central group are Sao Jorge, Graciosa, Terciera, Faial, and Pico; this is where whale lovers maker their pilgrimage to watch theses magnificent animals breaching and spy hopping in the deep ocean.  But the delights don't stop with whales - the island of Pico shares its name with the majestic volcanic peak that rises above 2,350m above a lava-strewn landscape, whilt the forests, hills, and stone-walled fields of Terciera offer more scenic delights.  Faial has an altogether more cosmopolitan flavor, with a superb yachting marina and harbour.

Futher west lie Flores and Corvo.  Remote and wild, theres islands were once  the haunt of pirates and buccaneers.  They now offer modern adventurers the chance to enjoy some of the most beautiful walking imaginable.  Corvo is particularly blissful - the island's single policeman often has little more to do than warn sleeping dogs not to get in the way of one of the island's two taxis.