What mustn’t I miss during a week spent in the Azores?

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Sao Miguel, the archipelago’s main island, is extraordinarily beautiful (Getty)

Q I want to go to the Azores for a week in March. Where do you advise me to visit?

Penny S

A The Azores comprise one of the most beautiful, friendly and affordable archipelagos in the world. These nine Portuguese islands are scattered across the Atlantic about 1,500km west of the mainland. From several visits over the past 15 years I strongly recommend the main island, Sao Miguel. It is easy to reach: the capital, Ponta Delgada, has multiple daily flights from Lisbon, plus a few from Porto. Direct UK flights are not operating in March, but you might want to turn that to your advantage by building in a city break in either mainland city.