Atlantic Azores ready to remain unspoiled

Beautiful natural islands get top100 sustainable destination award

It’s no surprise that the Azores is one of the global Top100 sustainable destinations.

Since activities such as hiking, mountain biking, whale watching, scuba diving and exploring volcanic landscapes are key to the Azorean economy, the islands take conservation, both on land and at sea, very, very seriously, making this a thoroughly satisfying place for nature lovers to visit.

Moreover the beauty of the archipelago is overwhelming. Its rolling, astonishingly -green hills; volcanic, black-stone cliffs; and winding roads that lead to seaside hot springs and the kinds of fishing villages you thought didn’t exist anymore.

Its main industries are agriculture, dairy farming (the islands produce gallons of wonderful milk!), livestock, fishing, and now tourism, which is becoming the major service activity in the region.

There are nine major Azorean islands and an islet cluster, in three main groups. These are Flores and Corvo, to the west; Graciosa, Terceira, São Jorge, Pico, and Faial in the centre; and São Miguel, Santa Maria, and the Formigas Reef to the east. They extend for more than 600 km (370 mi) and lie in a northwest-southeast direction.

The islands combine wild and green landscapes with a great variation in language, cuisine and traditions. Each island has its own natural landscape but one aspect in common, the presence of luxuriant and exuberant vegetation that radiates all the colours of the spectrum, speckled here and there by bright wild flowers.

Wonderful placid volcano lakes, soaring cliffs, undulating countryside, a wide variety of flora and fauna, geysers, spouting mineral springs, and secluded coves are everywhere. All this is dotted with glistening white cottages. You can just imagine the sunsets!.

And these islands are well known for promoting sustainability. They have a rich and protected geodiversity and marine life, natural areas with well-regulated hiking trails as well as an "eco-school". Rational use of water is supported by the Regional Plan for the Water (PRAA).  Moreover, tourism businesses are ensuring long-term social and economic benefits and the government actively supports human rights activities with for example, campaigns against domestic violence.

There’s also active investment in renewable energy – the islands have generated hydroelectric power for well over a century, there have been wind farms here since 1988 and Sao Miguel currently harnesses geothermal energy.

So for an amazing holiday with your conscience to an unspoiled place of beauty, visit the Azores – the archipelago was rated top of 1000 global destinations for sustainability in 2014 and was the first ever place awarded a Platinum Quality Coast Award – things have only got better!

You’ll feel like you’ve been let in on a fabulous, happy cherished, stunningly beautiful secret!

Valere Tjolle