By Jane Stokes

(NC)-So near, so fascinating, yet hardly on the radar.

Nine islands lie in the mid-Atlantic, only a 4-hour flight from the mainland of Canada. Visiting them is far less expensive than most European holidays, and yet, it is like these gems just popped up on the planet.

Ask someone if they know the Azores and there may be quite a pause before your discussion continues. It is worth continuing.

From the beginning of time, the Azores chain has quietly minded its own business about one thousand kilometres off the coast of Portugal. But now they are prospering and they are all polished up as a result of their mother country joining the European Union (EU).

As you approach by air for the first time, try to get a window seat for the landing. Your destination could be the main city of Ponta Delgada on the largest island Sao Miguel. But first, be ready for the scenery below to keep you glued. The landscape colours and contours down there are so exaggerated, it looks like scenery “created in the imagination of a child”, wrote travel writer Simon Calder in a feature for The Independent. It is true that islands of volcanic origin have the edge on natural beauty - but it would appear that Sao Miguel, Santa Maria, Terceira, Graciosa, Sao Jorge, Pico, Faial, Flores, and Corvo, have more allure than their fair share.

So now let the imagination unfold:

To colour any one of the Azores, a child would be using the greenest paint possible for all the high rounded hills that roll, at whim, into deep plunging valleys, plus a walnut shade to outline a checkerboard of little fields all over the rolling landscape. That patchwork, on closer look, is the result of hand-made stone walls built like terrace steps into the hillsides to save all the vineyards and farmland from erosion. Dots of black and white ‘cows’ would speckle all this greenery, and vibrant red and yellow dots would be the wildflowers. An unusual mix of lavender with blue is perfect to show the clarity of an untarnished, Atlantic sky. Sparkle paint would shimmer constantly on the blue-black sea - and yet its illumination could never be bright enough for all those rays of sunshine on the long and broad stretches of white sand beach.

And once on the ground, it all comes to life. You will also see for example, that in the Azores:

. It is a temperate climate, not tropical, and yet oranges are grown, as well as bananas, pineapple, passion fruit - and tea.

. The temperate climate delivers no major variations in temperature, between 14C and 24C. Rain is abundant from November through March, with sunshine the rest of the time.

. Golf, surfing, tennis, whale watching, dolphin watching, diving, deep sea fishing, paragliding, windsurfing, tennis, hiking, 30 nature reserves, or exploring volcanic craters and caves, are just some of the ways to spend your day.

. 16th century architecture is officially preserved on Terceira as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

. A never-ending mosaic of black and white hand laid tile is found on pretty well every sidewalk, in every community, on every island.

. Rich volcanic soil and hillside vineyards produce abundant grapes on most of the islands for the robust production of wine.

. Surface thermal activity provides abundant hot springs, deep caves and enormous fertile craters.

To get there, fly direct with SATA Air Azores from Toronto or Montreal, several times per week (www.sata.pt). Or, make it easier and get your accommodation and flight all in one economical package with tour operators such as Conquest Vacations, or EuroSun. More on the Azores at: www.drtacores.pt.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

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