Everyone has heard about the Azores high - here is its home. A 3½ hour flight from London, the nine islands of the Azores - Santa Maria, São Miguel, Pico, Faial, São Jorge, Terceira, Graciosa, Flores and Corvo - are situated in the middle of the Atlantic. Still free from mass tourism, the archipelago, belonging to Portugal, is a Mecca for nature-lovers and individualists.The Azorean landscape is the very picture of extremity. Enchanting forests fuse with heavenly rolling hills and deep-blue crater lakes. Extinct volcanoes tower to the heavens and countless cleft valleys have been deeply cut through the volcanic stratum. The areas lying directly on the coast, often difficult to reach, are exceptionally fertile and under intense cultivation. From a multitude of scenic viewpoints, one can gather breath-taking views of volcanic craters, lakes, hilly countryside or the bizarre coastline. Additional attractions are fumaroles and hot springs as well as thermal bathing pools. Because of these things, the spectrum of possible walks range from pleasant strolls through meadows and forests or along the coast all the way to challenging mountain hikes on Pico, Portugal's highest peak.In years gone by, author Roman Martin has toured the Azores time and again. In this Rother Walking Guide, he offers a choice of 77 routes making up a comprehensive cross-section for the walks available on each of the individual islands. Every route is provided with comprehensive GPS data, ready for download. Listing the most important features and providing detailed route descriptions, excerpts of maps with the routes marked in, height profiles as well as many tips, the guide provides all of the information necessary for a successful walking holiday on the Azores.
