Running
This remote group of islands in the mid-Atlantic are the perfect adventure paradise for everything from trail running to deep sea diving.
There are very few places on the planet where you can find top spots for many different adventure sports packed close together. The Azores is one of them. This remote archipelago of nine islands in the mid-Atlantic has 26 active volcanoes and is lined with long, wind-filled beaches, coastal cliffs and deep offshore seamounts.
There are three island groups: Santa Maria and São Miguel in the east; Faial, Pico, São Jorge, Graciosa and Terceira in the centre; and Corvo and Flores in the west.
Only five percent of the land is built on, leaving 95 percent to wild nature. And with volcanoes, thermal springs, lagoons, waterfalls and fajãs – unique flat expanses of collapsed cliffs and lava beds – it's perfect for a whole range of different adventure sports. The islands are also a venue for the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, which brings world class competitors and spectators to its shores.
1. Kayaking
Best islands: São Miguel, Santa Maria and Terceira
You can kayak here on lakes in volcanic craters, or on the ocean in secluded bays, around small islets and inside giant lava sea caves. São Miguel is the top spot, combining unique paddling in the crater lagoons of Sete Cidades and Fogo with sea kayaking at Água d'Alto and Monte Verde beaches. On Santa Maria there’s rocky coast around São Lourenço, while Terceira has a sea full of small islets at Contendas.
There's also the added bonus of paddling with dolphins, or even whales, because a third of the world’s cetaceans are either resident or stop here on their migrations.
2. SUP
Best islands: São Miguel, Terceira, Faial and São Jorge
A great climate and a variety of ideal destinations means you'll never get bored on a SUP here. On São Miguel, Sete Cidades crater is a good meeting point, while the round tour of Furnas Lagoon, past steaming fumaroles, is popular with locals. The island also has good places for sea paddling, past rock arches and secluded bays, at Ribeirinha, Caloura and Ribeira Quente Beach.
On Terceira, there are rocky cliffs at Contendas and beaches at Angra do Heroísmo Bay and Biscoitos; on Faial you can paddle into a crater from Porto Pim beach; and on São Jorge, there are beautiful bays at Fajã das Almas that have views of the towering volcano on nearby Pico island.
3. Windsurfing and kitesurfing
Best islands: Santa Maria, São Miguel, São Jorge and Faial
Complex currents and winds create varied options for windsurfing and kitesurfing, with reliable beach and point breaks, long tube waves formed by the Atlantic crashing over the fajãs and off shore winds for long coastal rides. Summers create calm smooth conditions, while winters bring varied weather fronts that provide a near guarantee of constant wind and intense waves.
Top spots for waveriding are Vitória Beach in Terceira, Monte Verde Beach on São Miguel and Meia Broa on Pico. The latter is also good for freeride, as is Mílicias Beach on São Miguel. For something more serene, and extremely unique, you can paddle the twin lakes inside the Sete Cidades crater.
4. Canyoning
Best islands: Flores (42 routes), São Jorge (25), São Miguel (18) and Santa Maria (8). Faial (8) and Terceira (3) are also good for beginners.
The Azores is one of the world's top places for canyoning, with more than 100 equipped routes of different difficulty spread across six islands. The best season is between April and October.
Many routes include high drops and waterfalls, and end in the sea or small ponds. The volcanic rock is either super sharp or super slippery, which leads to challenging routes, although set ropes make things easier.
Flores, which has more rain than the other islands, has the most routes, including Fajã Grande, with a 100m waterfall. On São Jorge, the Sanguinhal stream is a raw environment, with waterfalls right down to the sea.
5. Hiking and trail running
Best island: All islands offer something unique
There's hiking or trail running year round, with more than 80 marked trails across the nine distinctly different islands.
If you were to pick a top three, though, number one would be the ascent of Pico Volcano – a tough 7.6km return trip that takes 7–10 hours. There are several different trails and you can also visit one of the world's longest lava tubes, the Gruta das Torres.
The next most popular route, on São Jorge, is the Serra do Topo-Caldeira Santo Cristo. It goes through native forests, steep valleys and rugged slopes that plummet into the Fajã de Santo Cristo Biosphere Reserve.
Finally, the Dez Vulcões trail, on Faial, passes 10 volcanoes to reach the lunar landscape of Capelinhos, formed by a 1958 eruption. It combines the three trails of Caldeira, Levada and Capelo-Capelinhos.
For some other unique Azores adventures, try the trail to boiling fumaroles and bubbling mud pots on São Miguel, or take one of many coastal routes to the best Fajãs on Flores or São Jorge.
Find information on some of the top Azores trails here.
6. Paragliding
Best Island: São Miguel
This is a top paragliding destination, with 32 take-off and landing spots around the islands and mild weather that allows flying year-round. There's also an annual festival in August. São Miguel's crater rims make excellent launch points for spectacular flights over the three big volcano lakes of Sete Cidades, Furnas and Fogo.
Find out more info on paragliding on São Miguel here.
7. Scuba diving
Best islands: All islands offer something unique
The warm waters, nutrient rich currents and clear visibility down to 30m from May to October make the Azores an awesome diving destination. You can swim with five kinds of sea turtle, more than 24 different species of cetaceans and about 600 types of fish, including pelagic fish, sharks, manta and devil rays. You can also dive through natural lava arches, caves and shipwrecks from the 15th century up to World War II.
The Condor Seamount, close to Faial and Pico, is one of the world’s most popular places to dive with blue sharks, while the coastal waters of Santa Maria have regularly visits from Whale Sharks.
The Princess Alice seamount is 65km from Faial or Pico and the Dollabarat seamount is 40km from São Miguel or Santa Maria. Both are only for pros, but are great for big groups of devil rays and large schools of pelagic fish.
Ambrosio Shoal, much closer to shore off Santa Maria, is good for snorkelling, as much of it is shallow, but experienced divers can go 46m down to a 50m-wide platform, where large stingrays, scorpionfish and sunfish can be found.
8. Cycling
Best islands: Pico Island or Terceira Island (road), São Miguel (cross-country) and Santa Maria (Enduro)
There are plenty of routes for bikes, both road and MTB, from ultra-technical single tracks connecting mountains and beaches to gentle routes around lakes and through mountain ranges.
One of the top road trails, on Pico, is a steep climb from Madalena followed by a fast descent into São Roque. Off-road, São Miguel has a 25km route around the Sete Cidades caldera that takes in four lagoons. For high adrenaline, Santa Maria has a downhill trail on forest singletrack to the Barreiro de Faneca (Red Desert), which is like landing on Mars.
Check out these recommended routes.
Getting there and getting around
Getting there: Budget airline Ryanair now flies direct from the UK, while Azorean airline SATA goes from 12 destinations in Europe and four in North America.
Getting around: SATA operates shuttle flights and Atlanticoline or Transmacor provide ferry links between the islands.
For more information on visiting the Azores, click here.
