For decades, the Canary Islands have been a favorite winter getaway for British tourists. Guaranteed sunshine, frequent air connections and a highly structured tourist industry have made the Spanish archipelago almost synonymous with an Atlantic getaway. But that formula began to show signs of wear. And it is in this context that this Portuguese destination emerges as the alternative chosen by those looking for something different, according to the British.
According to an analysis published by the British newspaper The Telegraph, the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores stands out precisely for what it is not: it is not mass market, it is not predictable and it is not tailored to ‘package tourism’. For many UK travelers, this difference has become the main attraction.
A less obvious, more authentic destination
One of the central points highlighted by the British publication is the feeling of discovery associated with the Azores. While the Canaries receive around 16 million tourists per year, the Azorean archipelago welcomes just over a million, spread across nine islands.
This numerical difference translates, in practice, into less pressured landscapes, villages with active local life and a more direct relationship with the territory.
According to the British source, the Azores maintain an identity that has not been diluted by mass tourism. The cities are small, the pace is slower and the experience tends to be shaped by nature and not by the tourist entertainment calendar.
Geography as a seduction factor
Another frequently cited reason is the location itself. The Azores are located in the middle of the North Atlantic, further away from continental Europe than Madeira or the Canaries. For the British, this geographical position contributes to the idea of true, almost exploratory travel.
The publication highlights that the archipelago is located in a contact zone between three tectonic plates, which is reflected in a landscape marked by volcanic craters, inland lagoons, steep cliffs and lava fields.
Unlike the Canaries, where many coastal areas have been intensely urbanized, in the Azores nature continues to dominate the scene.
More unstable weather, richer experience
The climate appears as one of the most interesting contrasting elements. The Canaries offer meteorological predictability, something that for years was seen as an advantage.
The Azores, on the contrary, have a more variable weather, with rapid changes and distinct microclimates.
For the British cited by The Telegraph, this instability stopped being a problem and became part of the experience. The alternation between sun, fog and rain reinforces the feeling of being in a living territory and not in a formatted destination. It is tourism more linked to the landscape, walking, observation and adaptation.
Active nature and wildlife
The close relationship with wildlife is another valued aspect. The archipelago is described as one of the best spots in Europe for whale and dolphin watching, with dozens of species identified throughout the year.
According to the British newspaper, this connection to the ocean and geology makes the Azores particularly attractive for those looking for nature tourism, moderate adventure and experiences linked to the environment, rather than the quick consumption of beaches and resorts.
Less crowds, more silence
Finally, there is a recurring argument: silence. It highlights that, even in the best-known places in the Azores, it is possible to find tranquility, something increasingly rare in traditional destinations in southern Europe.
For many British tourists, the Azores represent what the Canaries were several decades ago: a territory yet to be discovered, where the landscape, history and local daily life continue to impose themselves on the logic of intensive tourism.
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