The Azores, located in the Atlantic, are rapidly becoming a must-visit tourist destination, and feel somehow familiar yet very different from the rest of Europe. The main island, São Miguel, offers some stunning scenery, and the islands are relatively easy to get to from London.

This writer stayed at two sibling hotels during my stay here, Octant Furnas and Octant Ponta Delgada, which proved to be the perfect spots to introduce ourselves to the island’s wonders. Here’s my experience.
Octant Furnas is located in Furnas Valley and is one of the most unique hotels in the world. The area is actively volcanic (but not in the sense of lava and fire). Take a trip here, and you’ll be very close to hot springs and thermal pools, some of which are integrated into the hotel itself- more on that later. As with much of the Azores, everything feels very green, and there’s a real sense of retreat without being *too* out of the way.
Octant Ponta Delgada, meanwhile, is located within the city, and while it may not have the same lush green “out of the way-ness”, it’s still an impressive location and one that offers an excellent stay. It’s ideal for exploring local culture and landmarks.

Read the full article here.

SOURCE: The Handbook Online