Azores Region

Azores Tourism Looks Ahead

Saturday, 23 January 2010 00:00

The Azores is holding its own according to its tourism director, Miguel Cymbron. With better transport links in place, Cymbron is focused on generating more awareness of one of the most stunningly beautiful natural parts of the world, spread across 300 miles between Portugal and the U.S. Each island is a standalone destination with a range of geographical and cultural features. The local waters are Europe's number one spot for whale-watching. The region's scuba diving centers are modern and well organized with prices reasonable compared with many other destinations, and some even offer the chance to dive at night. Golfers can currently choose from three courses affording views from the greens and fairways, with another two in the pipeline. Geocaching (a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices) is fast becoming a popular eco-friendly tourist activity in the Azores and is soon to be extended across all nine islands, with the idea being to locate hidden containers called geocaches and share the experience online. The region’s first-ever five-star hotel, the Príncipe do Mónaco (with casino attached), is soon to open in a prime location overlooking the marina in Ponta Delgada. Meanwhile, several newly-built four-star hotels have recently opened on the islands of Graciosa (the Graciosa Resort & Business Hotel), São Miguel (the Furnas Spa Hotel), Pico (the Baía da Barca Aparthotel) and Flores (the Hotel das Flores), with more at various stages of development. The islands are responding with a traditional kind of hospitality being served up at places like Aldeia da Cuada, a typically Azorean village comprising 13 restored houses. The island region came second in National Geographic Traveler magazine's study of the world's most sustainable tourism destinations, while Flores, the most westerly of the nine islands, was recently declared a UNESCO biosphere reserve, one of 533 in 107 countries. Pico, for its part, glowed with pride when Florida-based Islands magazine described it in a recently article as 'one of the best places in the world to live'.

SATA Sees Passengers increase in last quarter of 2009

Thursday, 14 January 2010 17:35

Portuguese airline SATA reports a jump in passengers for the last quarter of 2009. Together SATA Air Açores and SATA Internacional saw a 5.3% rise in passengers over 2008, on 5.26% more flights. SATA Internacional (which serves Boston, Mass), between October and December transported some 170,288 passengers, up 6.3%.

Walk the Azores

Sunday, 10 January 2010 00:00

Ramblers Worldwide Holidays of the UK has added a new tour to a ‘quartet’ of beautiful islands in The Azores. The Azores offer a choice of many multifaceted walks, embracing villages, churches and attractive land and seascapes. The tours start in Ponta Delgada on São Miguel – the largest of the islands which is 40 by 10 miles in size and consists largely of a volcanic spine rising to 1080m From São Miguel they go west to São Jorge in the north – an island with tree covered cliffs and famed for its cheese and wines. Then comes the island of Pico which is dominated by a volcanic landscape the highest being 7,700 ft and then by boat across to the island of Faial for a days walking tour.

Weeklong Valentine's Azores Package for Carnaval Just $829 Celebrate Mardi Gras on the Mid-Atlantic Island of São Miguel

Wednesday, 06 January 2010 20:17

A fun Mardi Gras celebration is just four hours if you aim to mark the holiday on the Mid-Atlantic Islands of the Azores, where celebrations go back centuries. Azores Express/SATA, is offering travel packages starting at $829 per person (plus tax, double occupancy). In the Azores, Mardi Gras is known as ³Carnaval² a celebration starting on Saturday, February 13, 2010 and continuing through Tuesday, February 19, 2010. Parades and pageants are heart of the Carnaval festivities. There is lively music, colorful costumes, hand-made masks, and floats. On the island of São Miguel, known for its mild weather, you can chose from several hotels in historic Ponta Delgada, the Azores¹ main city. Stay in the heart of the downtown at the Hotel Ponta Delgada for just $829 per person, plus tax. Carnaval has a sweet taste on São Miguel, with street vendors selling fried sweet dough, called a Malassadas. The festival on the Azores biggest island starts of with a black tie grand ball, and heats up with dance music at the restored Coliseu Micaelense. There is a children¹s parade in the streets of the capital, Ponta Delgada, with children in costume from each school district on the island. Then, a massive carnaval parade fills the streets into the wee hours with music, costumes and dancing. For more information and reservations, contact Azores Express at 800-762-9995, www.sata.pt

Azores Hopes to be a New Geopark

Sunday, 03 January 2010 00:00

The regional government of the Azores will present in 2010 a proposal to make the entire archipelago into a Geopark. It would include more than 100 places of geological interest in terms of heritage, science, and geology.