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Portuguese islands map
Map of Portuguese islands. Portuguese islands map (Southern Europe - Europe) to print. Portuguese islands map (Southern Europe - Europe) to download. While the mainland gets plenty of attention from visitors to Portugal, the country collection of islands is more of an undiscovered gem. Between the archipelagos of Madeira (300 miles off the coast of Africa) and the Azores (850 miles west of mainland Portugal as you can see in Portuguese islands map), nearly a dozen inhabited islands offer unique and rewarding experiences for visitors. The largest island of the Azores, São Miguel is also home to the archipelago only major airport and cruise ship terminal. Both are located in Ponta Delgada, the capital and biggest city, so almost all tourists will start their visit there. While every Azorean island has its share of beaches, most are black and quite rocky—unless you head to Santa Maria. The southernmost island in the Azores has the whitest sand, warmest water, and driest climate in the archipelago, making it an appealing beach holiday destination.
Visited by around a million people a year, Madeira sees about twice as many visitors as the Azores and is one of Europe leading island destinations as its mentioned in Portuguese islands map. Most of that activity is concentrated on the 268 square mile Madeira Island, which houses almost all of the archipelago permanent population. Along with horse riding, paragliding, and several golf courses, Madeira offers many water-based activities. Portugal Algarve region is wildly popular with tourists, but those in the know head just a little further south to the island of Armona. Located just off the coast, Armona is easily accessible by ferry, but it is completely car-free and feels a world away from the mainland of Portugal.In the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean are the Azores, a collection of autonomous islands belonging to Portugal. Faial is one of the Azores, and it is known as the Blue Island.
Another of the Azores Islands in the Atlantic is Sao Jorge as its shown in Portuguese islands map. The island is long and thin, and it boasts tall cliffs that contribute to its dramatic landscape. Traditionally, the mountains, ravines and cliffs made all but the coasts uninhabitable, but today the interior of the island is ideal for hiking. North of Madeira in the North Atlantic Ocean is the island of Porto Santo. The island main attractions are its beaches, and it boasts more than four miles of pristine, sandy shoreline. Another of the remarkable Azores Islands is Sao Miguel, the largest in the island chain. If you are flying to the Azores, you will likely land in the major airport located in the city of Ponta Delgada. Just a few hundred meters off the southern coast of Portugal, and the town of Tavira, is the similarly named Ilha da Tavira. Only accessible by boat, the island is often busy on sunny, warm days when travelers come for a day of sunbathing and swimming.