These verdant islands filled with natural wonders and awe-inspiring scenery do seem to be part of a long-lost magical world, rivaling the natural beauty of New Zealand or Scotland, to which they are often compared.

The scent of flowers, the sounds of waterfalls and of the ocean where whales and dolphins are regularly seen, the rare variety of vegetation and exotic topography, natural swimming pools carved in rocks, idyllic shaped lagoons, volcanic peaks reaching the clouds, and deep craters of extinguished volcanoes, often lead visitors to conclude they've in fact stepped into a fabulous dream world.

Although Porto Santo in the Madeira archipelago offers a glorious sandy beach, these islands are not beach resort destinations. Instead, they are true paradises for those who enjoy nature and with a taste for adventure, or looking for laid-back pleasures and to get away from it all.

Portugal's Islands

The Azores - A variety of landscapes and traditions; unique architecture; holidays for the nature-loving Madeira - Semi-tropical climate; Porto Santo's unspoilt beach; Madeira wine