Friday 14 May 2021 Holidays to a select list of countries are officially back on for those travelling from England, Wales and Scotland from Monday 17 May. But where should we be looking if we want to get abroad while staying away from the crowds? These are our top spots. Azores The Azores Portugal and its islands (including the Azores and Madeira) plan to welcome British tourists from Monday 17 May, when Portugal will also become a green list country. Advertisement This archipelago cast off the coast of Portugal is made up of nine islands that poke out of the depths of the Atlantic. All were the result of volcanic eruptions, which left behind dramatic landscapes and rugged beaches backed by craggy peaks, uninhabited until the 15th century, when the Portuguese colonised these remote outcrops. The largest, São Miguel, is the only isle that could reasonably be referred to as urban, although there are also plenty of small towns built around natural hot springs, crater lakes and lush, jungly forests. Flores is the most elemental of the nine islands, and is one of the hardest to reach, adrift on the westernmost point of the archipelago, while Pico has volcanoes to climb and UNESCO World Heritage site vineyards to explore. And the entire archipelago became the first to be certified under the EarthCheck Sustainable Destination programme in 2019, as a mark of its eco-friendly tourism approach and commitment to sustainability.