We were in the Azores on Tues. This is the 2nd time we have visited. I cant tell you about restaurant prices but the prices in the post office & supermarket were very cheap, i.e. about 2 Euros for a bottle of wine (and that wasnt the cheapest). The climate is excellent also. The lowest it gets is 12 deg and the highest about 22 deg. I wouldnt mind living there. The island is very clean and very portugese (obviously). The people were great.

Thank you Lesley for your post.

Did you use a travel agent to travel to the Azores? If yes, could you let me know which one?

Thank you

HelloZabka, Take a look at this site, they go to the Algarve/Lisbon Coast/ Madiera and the Azores. We used them last summer to go to Estoril on the Lisbon Coast they are very good and look after you very well.

http://www.caravela.co.uk

Dave

We visited Sao Miguel a couple of years ago, Destination Portugal organised our flights and hotels, they are very clued up on the Azores. If you go to Sao Miguel its worth staying in Furnas for a few days, and get a copy of the Sunflower guide for some good walks. Prices were very reasonable in restaurants and generally good value

We just got back from the Azores and we really liked it. Does anybody know if Madeira is similar to the Azores?

We were on Sao Miguel during the last two weeks of June, and I can never recall having such a relaxing holiday, in such pleasant surroundings.

Stayed in Ponta Delgada at Hotel Camoes (not featured in many UK package arrangements). Hotel was very comfortable, though the restaurant was far from the best in the City (try The S. Perdo Hotel for excellent food and "silver service" at an economy price).

Travelled using the bus network, which is very efficient, and exceedingly cheap, though the timetables from the tourist office in P. Delgada tend to miss out some services / routes that, I suppose, they don't expect tourists to want to use!!

Walked the Island using the "Sunflower" guide by Andreas Stieglitz - the walk descriptions are so detailed they must be similar to the fabled "Wainwright" books on the Cumbrian Fells.

The whole trip was booked independently, flights and hotel being found on the web.

Finally, given the size of PDL airport, room for 4 aircraft on the terminal at any given time, there seems absolutely no chance that Sao Miguel will get ruined by the "bucket and spade brigade" - actually as there aren't too many beaches either thats perhaps as well!!

If you ge the opportunity, go, we'll certainly be returning.

Does anybody know if Madeira is similar to the Azores?

The climate is almost the same, although late May, June can be humid. Temp varies from 16-18 in winter to 22 24 summer. The language the same but there are a lot more people. About 240,000 on the island with 140,000 living in Funchal. English language is quite common. The island is almost entirely mountainous, the only flat bit being the airport runway. However the Autonomous Govermnet in Madeira has made a policy of not allowing indiscriminate hotel building. These are more or less comfined to the Hotel Zone in the SW of the island. Also it does not encourage "lager louts", indeed there is nothing there for them to do. There are numerous Madeirense resturants and bars some of which put on "Fado" folk singing every evening. These are concentrated around the Old Town area. Taxis are cheap enough and public transport even cheaper. It has been said that Madeira is for the "newly-wed or nearly dead"! but there are a few night clubs. I worked there for some years and always go back for January! This is the website for the biggest hotel group (My daughter works for them! )
http://www.pestana.com
If you like the Asores you will like Madeira.

We're thinking about going to the Azores for a week next year. Will there be enough things to keep us occupied while we are there? We like museums, old houses, walking etc.

Has anyone been to the Azores recently as I want somewhere a bit different for a holiday in late July and would be interested as I can't see much about it anywhere!!!!

Thanks