Are there any lesser-known, secret places worth exploring on your journey through Europe?

While people linger in Portugal's ancient cities, the Azores are suspended alone in the Atlantic Ocean at the far west of the country. In the seemingly isolated waters of the Azores, there is actually a great deal of activity.

The mild climate and rich marine ecosystem attract many aquatic spirits, making the Azores the most famous experience - a unique whale/dolphin watching tour. Here, they can be caught all year round. An "unlikely encounter" with these large marine creatures is an amazing and stunning experience that cannot be adequately described in words but is best witnessed in the extraordinary moment in front of you.

For those eager to open up new horizons in Portugal, whale watching in the Azores is a recipe for a surprise. In recent years, the Azores has been increasingly visible to the public, as the mainstream media have covered it.

National Geographic ranked it the second-best island in the world to visit in 2016, and Lonely Planet ranked it third in its "Top 10 Destinations of 2017", calling it another Eden and the next Iceland. Tourist visits to the Azores are growing at a rate of 30 percent a year, and this booming tourism industry means more jobs and economic development, while the question of how humans can live in peace with nature is a constant.

Among the Azores' marine life observation experiences, whales and dolphins are the most common and popular stars due to their gentle nature and natural proximity to boat people.

At any time of the year, it is possible to spot resident groups such as broad-snouted dolphins and common dolphins when out at sea. If you want to observe migratory populations of marine life, you need to visit the Azores at certain times of the year.

For example, spotted dolphins, sperm whales, fin whales, and minke whales are more common in the summer, while blue whales are often found in the late winter.

But for sure, when the weather is right, the Azores has a 98% chance of encountering marine life, so no matter when you visit, you can find something different among the waves.

There are 9 islands in the Azores, known as the 9 daughters of Portugal guarding the Atlantic Ocean. 9 islands are Corvo Island and Flores Island, which are located more than 100 km west of the remaining islands.

Then there are the islands of Graciosa, Fajar, Picu, São Jorge, Teixeira, San Miguel, and Santa Maria. One of them, San Miguel Island, is home to Punta Delgada, the capital of the Azores.

From the sky, each island appears to be floating alone in the Atlantic Ocean, where a rich marine ecology, volcanic cones, volcanic lakes, volcanic caves, hot springs, and underwater hot springs are abundant.

Many historians believe that Atlantis is a myth and that Plato merely borrowed it as a metaphor for the values of Athenian society, but many archaeologists and historians still hope to find this city that has gone silent. There are also many who believe that the Azores is the part of Atlantis that is only visible above the sea.