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The Archipelago of the Azores is situated in the Atlantic Ocean, halfway between Europe and America. Due to the volcanic nature of the nine islands which form the Archipelago, the landscape offers incredible sights of rolling green hills and sparkling volcanic lakes. The Lagoa do Fogo, one of the volcanic lakes formed on the bottom of the crater of an extinct volcano, and one of the main objectives of São Miguel Island, was recently elected as one of the 7 Wonders of Portugal, in the category for wild beaches.

The Archipelago of the Azores, 9 Portuguese volcanic islands isolated at 1500 km from Lisbon, in the North Atlantic, were discovered in the 15th century. The largest and most populated island is São Miguel and it was from here that the first steps towards big game fishing were taken in the Archipelago, at the beginning of the 50s, in large thanks to the presence of several tuna fish species, such as the dorado or the bonito. At that time, a few great marlins were caught, but the equipment and the material used were of course nothing like those used nowadays.

The Archipelago of the Azores has won a European Distinction for its ongoing efforts to promote sustainable tourism and protect its natural riches. The Terras do Priolo natural reserve for bullfinches, located in the west of São Miguel Island, the largest if the nine islands of the Archipelago, was recently included in the European Charter Areas for Sustainable Tourism by EUROPARC , a European NGO. The endemic bullfinch of the Azores nearly went extinct a few years ago, but it territory was recovered and to this day, environmentalists are working to get the species off the endangered list.Following this award, the Land of the Priolo will invest in the development of natural tourism in protected areas, contributing thus towards the sustainability of the several local ecosystems on the Island of São Miguel, where half of its territory is located. yAzores.com is cooperating with the institutions involved so that it can promote sustainable tourism in the nine islands of the Azores.The plan which has been outlined includes various actions which will take place from now and till 2017, including coordination and conservation measures, the promotion of sustainable activities such as hiking in the protected areas, acknowledging the environmental and cultural significance of the Land of the Priolo, promoting the area as a tourism destination and increasing the number of sustainable tourism operators working in the area.This plan will help coordinate several different institutions and economic agents related to tourism and nature conservation in order to reach a common strategy to promote sustainable tourism.On www.yazores.com you'll find more information on the islands, the reserves, and also the different ways in which you can enjoy touristic activities in the protected areas, making sure at the same time that you do not negatively impact the nature and the ecosystem. Besides trekking, hiking and mountaineering, you can also practice bird watching and observe this wonderful species that was saved from extinction.  Media ContactMr. Rui Teixeira Estrada de S.Gonçalo, 235 - Fajã de Baixo 9500-435 Ponta Delgada bookings@yazores.com

Those who are interested in holidaying at Azores Island should visit the website, yazores.com/en, which acts as the official guide for Azores Islands, an archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. This is an island that has not yet caught the attention of the whole world in general, so one would be able to holiday in peace, without people crowding their holiday.