Situated 1450 Km. from the European coast and 3700 Km. from North America, the archipelago of the Azores was discovered during the first half of the 15th Century by Portuguese navigators. Consisting of nine islands, it is divided into three groups: the eastern (São Miguel and Santa Maria islands), the central (Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico and Faial islands), and the western (Corvo and Flores islands). Apart from international airports of Santa Maria, Ponta Delgada and Angra, there are flights to the islands (operated by regional airline) and ferry boats between the islands. Even the blasé visitor will be touched by the sapphire blue and emerald green lakes, fertile prairies, volcanic cones and craters, colorful hydrangeas and azaleas, 15th Century churches and majestic manor houses. This legendary land, consisting of nine poetically-named islands, enjoys year-round mild temperatures (between 14°C and 22°C–57°F and 71°F) and is a peaceful shelter with a population of 250.000 inhabitants, for whom the words “stress” and “pollution” are not part of their vocabulary.