Aldeia da Cuada - Azores

Recalling times from days gone by, Aldeia da Cuada (pictured) on Flores Island in the Azores, is a very rare hotel treat right on the western edge of Europe.

Set on a peaceful plateau with cascading waterfalls and stunning Atlantic views all around, accommodation is composed of renovated cottages made of volcanic rock.

Inside each stone cottage the facilities are of a high standard with televisions, music systems and telephones available and heating is generated by genuine wood-burning stoves.

Backed by lush green mountains, Aldeia da Cuada is in a delightfully rural setting of Portugal surrounded by dry stone walls and small pastures where well-fed cows are happy to roam free and seem surprised when someone appears.

And at night, under the cloak of an intense silence disturbed only by the wind and waves, everything seems more surreal, like a mid-Atlantic dream.

Need more inspiration for your next visit? Why not listen to or download the Portugal Travel Show, the podcast for people planning a trip to sunny Portugal…