Where to go? A selection and short description of geological highlights in the Azores

Abstract

Volcanism in the Azores is heterogeneous in terms of composition, frequency, style and duration. Additionally, they differ significantly in their geomorphological characteristics, accentuated by climate as well as the time that volcanism lasted for and the time that has passed by since the last eruption. This is responsible for costal cliffs several hundred meters high or flat lava deltas, large volcanic edifices and those that underwent significant vertical subsidence, exposed intrusive rocks and incomplete deposit sequences, lush rain forests or arid areas. This chapter is a selection of geological outcrops or landmarks from each island that we have selected to be worthwhile visiting. This list will significantly differ from the must-see/must-do lists of many guidebooks. Albeit incomplete in terms of what the islands have to offer geologically, the presented sites allow for grasping the plethora of geologic features in the Azores. This chapter is structured in alphabetic order of the nine islands.