The Azores are midway between the eastern coast of the United States and mainland Portugal - scattered over several hundred nautical miles of Atlantic Ocean. The closest point to Europe from the United States, just four hours away, the Azores are an autonomous region of Portugal.

Because these once uninhabited, remote islands were settled sporadically over a span of two centuries, their culture, dialect, cuisine and traditions vary considerably from island to island. Farming and fishing are key industries that support the Azorean economy. These traditional trades give the Azores an unspoiled, historic and authentically European feel that is becoming harder to find in other nearby locations. Visitors find plenty to see and do here, with upscale lodging and restaurants integrating with both the tiny, rural towns and the sometimes wild and lush landscapes that make up the islands

The Azores are considered to be some of the most beautiful islands in the world... yet they remain a closely guarded secret by tourists in the know. The National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations recently named the Azores as the world's second most appealing islands destination.

The Meredith Vieira Connection
The ties that bind the Azores to United States go back 300 years, when many English ships carrying what would become American colonists to the New World stopped in the Azores to rest and replenish supplies. Azoreans were among the first to fish the waters of North America. Many Portuguese historians believe that sailors from the Azores sighted North America years before Columbus.

Sailors stopped in the Azores for centuries to load up on oranges, which was the only way to ward off scurvy on board. Every major whaling expedition sailing from New England -- from ports such as Nantucket Island, New Bedford and Edgartown -- sailed to the Azores for supplies, dories and sailors before starting their voyage. In fact, it was New Englanders who taught the Azoreans the value of whaling. The Azoreans became so good at landing whales that American sea captains came to the Azores just to get crews. This built the foundation of a strong commercial bond between the sailing ships of New England and the Azores.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Azores became the main port of call for trans-Atlantic clippers. Leading Boston merchants felt at home in the islands. In 1944, an American airbase was set up on Santa Maria and was later transferred to the NATO airbase at Lajes on Terceira.

As the whaling industry declined following the introduction of crude oil in the 1870s, many Azoreans - like Meredith Vieira's family- began to immigrate to New England. They brought their strong work ethic to the then-thriving mills in southeastern New England and the fishing industries around Providence, R.I, New Bedford and Gloucester, Massachusetts. But they also made a significant cultural impact on New England. Popular summer feasts and festivals in Portuguese communities in New England all trace their roots to the traditional Holy Ghost festivals of the Azores.

Meredith's paternal grandfather António Cláudio Vieira was born in the city of Horta, on Faial, on November 1, 1864. He was baptized in the church of Matriz do Santíssimo Salvador on November 10, 1864. Son of Maria José Vieira and Manuel José Vieira, a farmer who was in the U.S., where he had emigrated in June of 1864 aboard the ship Fredónia. In 1876, at age 12, António Cláudio Vieira went to the local high school with 28 other boys. He then went to seminary in Angra on Terceira and studied there until April of 1887, when the adjunct bishop, D. Francisco Maria do Prado Lacerda, made him a priest. On June 27,1887 he became the parish priest (Cura) in the parish of Angústias, in Horta.

Soon after, António Cláudio Vieira was transferred to the island of Flores, west of Faial, to the parish of Caveira and then to Mosteiros. In 1893, he was given leave to emigrate to the United States.

Foods that are commonplace in New England kitchens are also uniquely Azorean - Portuguese sweet bread, Portuguese muffins, red pepper paste and linguiça sausage all hail from the islands. Even the way New Englanders often pronounce Portuguese foods - "shurrice" for chouriço sausage - shows an Azorean influence. By 1998, immigration from the Azores to New England had ended, but today there are twice as many people of Azorean descent living outside of the Azores than on the islands or mainland Portugal.

Vieira's Island
In the middle of the Azores, Faial Island encompasses some 67 square miles, but back in 1957 it was a mile less. The lava from volcanic eruption that year eventually added to the land mass and made the island's western end look a lot like the surface of the moon. Now a regional park, the landscape is one of reddish and black dust rock and the charred remains of a lighthouse. Meredith's physician father in Providence worked with other community leaders to help the many people who left Faial in the eruption's aftermath.

Ships have stopped in Horta - the main port of Faial - on their way between the New and Old Worlds for centuries. The seafarers left their mark by creating a giant collage of inscriptions and colorful paintings on the walls and sidewalks of the marina's jetty. Legend has it that bad luck will follow any sailor who doesn't leave a painting or inscription behind.

Yachts still regularly pull into Faial. More than 1,000 yachts visit the port with more than 4,400 crewmembers aboard each year, making it the busiest marina in Portugal. The port has about 250 slips.

Horta's internationally flavored waterfront offers shops that specialize in outfitting the ships that pass through. The city is full of modern cafes, bars and a few nightclubs, while the architecture is largely from the 19th century.

While her paternal grandfather hailed from Horta - two of Vieira's other grandparents came from the farming town of Cedros on the north coast, where the islands famous Ilha Azul cheese is made.

The Azores Today
The Azores' year-round mild climate gives the islands a fresh, springlike quality no matter when you visit. No matter what the weather back home, it's always between 57 and 71 degrees in the Azores. Summer arrives in July and often stays until December. The lava-rich soils, fed by volcanic eruptions of the past, nurture more than 1,200 species of plants, flowers and trees. The landscape varies from open fields lined with country roads to tiny towns perched on oceanfront cliffs.

The islands were created by volcanic activity millions of years ago, giving them a landscape that is varied and often dramatic. Rocky cliffs, crater lakes, geysers, waterfalls and lava caves are all remnants of Mother Nature's historical touch, and all make for excellent exploring opportunities for today's visitor.

In the harbor towns, visitors can watch the day's catch hauled in from the fishing boats, count the yachts that have sailed into port for the evening and stay in the manor homes and inns that may have once been the luxurious residences of wealthy sea-faring traders. The cities tell stories about the Azores' prosperous history during the time of Portugal's great explorations. Churches and town halls are built in varied styles including Gothic, Baroque, Manueline and classical architecture, evoking an old-world charm with new world functionality.

Visitors have the opportunity to learn about the 19th century history of whaling in the Azores, when expeditions from the Americas would stop to recruit crew-members and teach the locals the art of scrimshaw and whalebone-carving. While whaling is no longer an industry, whale-watching opportunities are abundant. An adventurous visitor can see these marine giants up close with the help of trained guides piloting fast, inflatable boats.

The Azores sit at the very spot where the tectonic plates for Europe, Africa and North America meet. The nine islands of the archipelago are divided into three groups:
Eastern: São Miguel and Santa Maria
Central: Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico and Faial
Western: Corvo and Flores.

...For more information on the Azores, go to http://www.visitportugal.com , or http://www.visitazores.org

Getting to the Azores
Direct flights to the Azores from Boston, Oakland and Providence are available only through Azores Express, a U.S.-based tour operator and member of the SATA Group. For information and reservations, call Azores Express at 800-762-9995, or visit: www.sata.pt. Fall packages with roundtrip air and 6 nights lodging start at $709 per person. TAP Portugal offers one-stop service from Newark's Liberty Airport, with daily flights via Lisbon, http://www.flytap.com/ or 800-221-7370.

Related: Let off some steam in the Azores, a travel story about the islands.