Ponta Delgada is the capital of São Miguel, the largest and most populous island of the Azores. Founded in the 15th century, the city is home to elegant architecture and some excellent restaurants, though the main attraction is the tranquility and natural beauty of the surrounding countryside.

São Jorge is home to some of the most dramatic volcanic scenery in the Azores, with some fantastic walks along the coastal plains known as ‘fajãs’, which were formed by lava flows and landslides. The main town on the island, Velas, has a pretty harbour and some interesting churches and museums.

Horta is the capital of the island of Faial, in the centre of the Azores archipelago. The harbour is a popular stop-off point for yachts crossing the Atlantic, and it’s also the base for whale watching trips and excursions to the spectacular Caldeira Cabeço Gordo volcanic crater.

Beautiful Flores, at the western edge of the Azores archipelago, is a watery wonderland of lakes, waterfalls and streams, verdant and carpeted with hydrangeas during summer. The island is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and it’s a wonderful destination for hikers and nature lovers.

Funchal, Madeira’s bustling capital, tumbles down a dramatic hillside towards a beautiful sweeping bay. Highlights include colourful markets, wine lodges and the spectacular cable car ride up to the village of Monte, home of the famous toboggan run.

The lush volcanic island of La Palma is one of the Canary Islands’ best kept secrets, a place where tourism is still low key and the beautiful scenery is unspoilt by high rise developments. Don’t miss the colourful colonial architecture of the capital, Santa Cruz, reminiscent of the Spanish Caribbean.

Little La Gomera is the quietest of all the Canary Islands, still barely touched by tourism. The dramatic landscape of craggy volcanic peaks and misty laurel forest is staggeringly beautiful, and the diminutive capital, San Sebastián, is low key and laid back.

The city of Dakhla sits on a narrow peninsula in Western Sahara, a disputed territory under the de facto control of Morocco. Your time in this rarely visited part of Africa will give you a unique insight into the culture of the nomadic Sahrawi people, amongst the spectacular desolation of the desert.

Santo Antão is perhaps the most beautiful of all the Cape Verde islands, a landscape of spectacular peaks and ridges where houses cling precariously to the steep valley sides. The winding mountain roads, which take you up past banana and sugarcane plantations, are not for the faint of heart, but worth it for the stunning views from the top.

The island of Fogo is a remarkable sight, a towering and still active volcano where several hundred hardy (or perhaps foolhardy) souls still insist on living inside the crater. The otherworldy volcanic landscape is extremely fertile, and we recommend trying the excellent wine produced here.