has anyone visited Portugal's Azores and/or Canary islands?

Well I've been to the Azores, once. In was very pleasant and low key but two full days would be max, at least for me. We talked to a couple who'd been there a week (and had traveled expensively) and they were so done with the Azores. There is great scenery, lots of whale watching etc. and a small population (all of whom I met were also friendly and low key). This is not a big place and it is rather out of the way. Time and money might be better invested elsewhere. I'm sure there's are people on this post who could spend 3 months there so take my comments with that in mind.

I spent 3 3-month "vacations" in Lajes, Azores, Portugal courtesy of US Navy. My wife and newborn son joined me for one of those trips. We loved the people, the island, and the food. They also have a great golf course. I spent a few days in the Canary Islands with the same outfit but couldn't speak of its vacation potential. TAP, Portuguese airline, used to fly out of Boston, but it appears they now only connect to mainland Portugal. I'd vote for 3-4 days if you have a lot of disposable income-I don't have any idea of "normal" tourist costs. As an alternative, Lisbon and the Majorca Islands in the Med might satisfy your Iberian sweet tooth, albeit more mainstream. Good luck.

I went to Azores it was an amazing expirience, i didnt see when is it your going but i know in the summer i could go for a nice week. I also agree with Mallorca thats a place where you can easilty go for a week !!!

Went to the Canaries about 10 years ago. It's difficult to generalize, because there are multiple islands, each with its own personality. The big island, Grand Canaria has lots of grotesque overdevelopment: if you like the Costa del Turismo, then you'll love Grand Canaria, with it's wall-to-wall concrete condos filled with northern Europeans, roasting their nekkid butts on the nice beaches. You can get away to other parts of the island, which had some charm. I went to several other islands, Fuertaventura (mobbed with German wind surfer hippies), Lanzarotte (surreal volcanic moonscapes). There's definitely some stuff to see, but the islands lack the punch of European first-tier attractions. It all depends on what you're looking for in a vacation. Expect crowds - discount airfares from western Europe make it a cheap place for sun, drinking and raucous behavior. I caught a short, cheap flight from far southern Morocco, don't know if they still have that route. Although I'm glad I visited, honestly, it seems too far to go for a week, and I wouldn't make it the focal point of my trip (it makes a great side-trip). My rule is I don't cross the Atlantic Ocean unless I have 10 full days there, and require a minimum of 2 weeks for Pacific crossings. Any less just seems crazy to me.

Thanks for the personal experience... I appreciate it.