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**This post is the 3rd of a 7-post series discussing what to see in this part of the Azores (You can check out the other parts in the list below, separated by each specific island/city. Everything is also summarized in another post here.**

The Azores islands are one of two autonomous regions of Portugal (the other being Madeira), located roughly 1000 miles from mainland Portugal. It is a 9-island archipelago that are split into three groups: Eastern (São Miguel, Santa Maria), Central (Terceira, Pico, Faial, São Jorge, Graciosa), and Western (Corvo, Flores). Their discovery dates back to the 14th century and were named ‘açor’, meaning Goshawk, which was a common bird known in that time. Each island is accessible either by plane or by ferry. For those who love nature and a bit of adventure, the Azores are an absolute must see.

In this blog post, I will cover the island of Pico. A Google Map of these places I will talk about can be seen at the end of this article. You can see all my Azores islands related blog posts below:

• Ponta Delgada (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island)

• São Miguel Island (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: São Miguel Island)

• Horta (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Horta on Faial Island)

• Faial Island (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Faial Island)

• Madalena (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Madalena on Pico Island)

• Pico Island (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Pico Island)

• Summary (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: A Summary)

Getting to Pico Island

You can fly to Pico Island from Ponta Delgada on São Miguel with Sata Air Azores which may or may not include a layover. Furthermore, if you’re already in one of the central Azorean islands of Faial, São Jorge, Terceira, or Graciosa, you can reach Pico by ferry with Atlantico-Line. Different ferry routes will be abundant depending on the time of year. The ferry into Pico will drop you off right in Madalena after a 25 minute journey across the channel (if coming from Faial).

Madalena

Madalena is located in the island of Pico at the foot of the Pico stratovolcano. Made up of six parishes, it is home to about 6,000 people. Chronologically, Madalena and Pico island in general was settled a bit later than the other Central Azorean islands, where only small animal herds and workers were sent to the island originally. Madalena itslef is quite small but very quiet and relaxed.

If you plan on spending some time in Madalena, you can check out some of these places during your stay:

• Calma do Mar - We had a pretty great experience at Calma do Mar guesthouse. It is a short walk from the Madalena ferry terminal (about 15 mins) and features a garden, shared lounge, terrace, and modern rooms. What I really loved was the kitchen (so we could prepare our own meals) and the amazing spread for breakfast!

• Consuelheiro Terra Pinheiro and Ouvidor Medeiros - These picturesque streets are found in the city center. For those who like street photography in charming places, this is where you go!

• Areia Funda - This calm beach is very popular for swimming. Sometimes the waves from the Faial channel can be quite choppy so this beach gives you excellent respite from that. There are also some natural pools in the area created by volcanic rocks that offer some protection from the sea.

• Museu do Vinho (Wine Museum) - The history of wine in Pico is extensive and you can even see the remnants of the industry on the southern part of the island. So it is perhaps not surprising that Madalena boasts a wine museum, paying homage to the industry.

• Jardim dos Maroiços - Jardim dos Maroiços is a garden area with a tennis court, climbing wall, and skating area and is located near the village in the Areia Funda hamlet.

• Igreja de Santa Maria Madalena (Church of Santa Maria Madalena) - This church dates back to the 17th century and is the largest church on Pico island. Its most distinguishing features have to be its hexagonal-shaped spires and 19th century clock.

• Madalena Islets (Ilhéus da Madalena) - These two islets can be seen anywhere from the Madalena coastline and feature Ilhéu Deitado and Ilhéu em Pé, which stands for ‘Lying Down’ Islet and ‘Standing Up’ Islet, respectively. They are both over 50 meters in height and are made mainly of palagonite tuff.

If you like some of my photos that you have come across, just know that I have many prints showcasing a variety of landscapes, including the Azores, available for purchase below! (Sold as Posters, Canvas, or in Metal-Frames).

Moinho Do Frade

There are a few windmills like this in the Azores but this one seems to be special. You can’t miss it with its bright red base and is standing on a volcanic stone foundation before entering the old vineyards, just south of Madalena.

Crição Velha

If you venture just a little bit south of Madalena, you will come up a vintner type landscape called Crição Velha. This area is a model for what the entire south of Pico looked like before its wine industry was shuttered. Think of black volcanic rocks stacked together to make rectangular fields, which contain grape vines. And now imagine this setup extended for miles and miles. This is what is left in the present day. It’s a pretty cool region to explore and if you have a drone like me, an awesome landscape for some aerial photography.

Farol de São Mateus (São Mateus Lighthouse)

We stopped at this lighthouse after passing through Crição Velha, mainly because I was tired. After days of driving and our early morning, I needed to stop and take a nap (you can even see our black car just next to the lighthouse). After waking up a bit more refreshed an hour later, we got to explore this area. This lighthouse is located between São Caetano and São Mateus.

It is actually solar powered and sits on such an incredible landscape. I took the drone up to the sky to catch some top down views and I was just floored with what I saw. The red clay landscape, the green-yellow foliage, the black lava rock, and the blue ocean waves make for such a dramatic photo (seen above). This has to be one of my favorite from all the Azores.

Lajes

Lajes do Pico is a town on the southern coast of Pico Island. It is quite small, home to roughly 4000 people. We decided to stop here to find a nice cafe to recharge our batteries at (metaphorically). The coasted landscape looked wild with tall grasses and volcanic rocks peppering the coastline. I especially enjoyed the bright colored mill that stands out among the muted colors of the surrounding nature.

The cafe we stopped at was wonderful and cozy! It is called Pastelaria Aromas E Sabores. We got some sweet and savory pastries with coffee, everything was delicious, and it was pretty cheap. We didn’t have enough cash at the time so the lady let us eat first and pay her when we were finished. You could tell that this spot was a really respected place in the community as the locals and owners seemed very close.

Farol da Ponta da Iha

The name of this lighthouse translated to ‘Tip of the island’, which is appropriate since it is located on the eastern tip of Pico Island. The lighthouse was first built in 1942 and first operated in 1946 and standing about 29 meters high. It is a restricted area with other/potentially military installations also located here so the grounds themselves are off limits. You can still park just outside the perimeter (which we did) and walked out towards the water on the heavily volcanic landscape. Use caution when walking on these rocks as they are jagged and given the location of this lighthouse on the island, it was super windy (at least when we went).

Sao Roque

São Roque do Pico is a village on the northern side of Pico island. A town of just 3,000 people, it was quite spread out and vast compared to Lajes do Pico on the other side of the island. The orange/red colored windmill is what brought our attention to this spot, along with the need for another driving pause. We were also searching for some natural pools to swim in but the tide proved to be too high and thus the water was too rough for us to really enjoy taking a dip. Nonetheless, the area is naturally very gorgeous. We just sat at the mill for awhile, taking in the ocean waves and calm sounds of the wind. Highly recommend!

Mount Pico

So Mount Pico is obviously the crown jewel of Pico island. You can see it from the neighboring islands of Faial and Sao Jorge. It is classified as a stratovolcano and is the highest mountain in Portugal, standing at 2,351 meters. The crater on top of the volcano is approximately 500 meters wide and 30 meters deep. The crater also possesses a small volcanic cone which rises 70 meters above the crater, making it the tallest point of Mt. Pico. The entire area is designated as a nature reserve.

Hiking Mt. Pico

Climbing Mt. Pico is not for the faint of hearted. It is composed of Two mountains, one is Pico which is the volcano, and the other is Piquinho, which is the extra mountain inside the crater. If you so desire to conquer both of these, here is some useful information you can use to prepare for your hike:

• It costs €20 to climb Pico, an extra 1-2€ to climb Piquinho by day. It costs €30 to climb at night. This fee includes a GPS tracker.

• It takes about 7 hours to complete the hike in total (about 1,050 meters in elevation) with a third of people not being able to do it. Imagine taking the stairs for hours each way, that’s what it’s like.

• The Climb starts at Casa da Montanha. Take the EN3 road to get there.

• You don’t HAVE to have a guide, but there are certain benefits with having one:

  • Guaranteed entrance since only 200 people allowed on the mountain at one time and guids get priority.

  • Good to have in case of bad weather conditions since the unnumbered markers may not be visible on ascent.

  • Transport to Casa da Montanha if you have not rented a car.

  • General knowledge of the flora and fauna of the area.

What to Pack to climb Mt. Pico

Here is a list of what I would recommend packing for your hike to Mt. Pico:

• Layers: Jacket, sweater, leggings/shorts, hat.

• Climbing sticks: These are not required I would say but it makes the hike much easier, especially towards the end. Your guide also provides them.

• Sun protection: Sunglasses, sunscreen, and lip balm.

• Water: For obvious reasons. Bring at least 2 liters.

• Small to Medium backpack: nothing too large that will be a burden on the hike.

• Food: sandwiches, nuts, fruit, etc.

There is plenty to do on the island of Pico and much of it is weather dependent. Nonetheless, you can see the entire island in one long day but if you really would like to enjoy it, I would recommend 2-3 days, which will give you greater flexibility with the weather if you intend on climbing Mt. Pico.

Pico’s location among the Azores central island group make it a place that you can’t afford to miss due to its incredible convenience to reach (the ferries that go among the central Azorean islands also have room for rental cars).

If you’re keen on seeing more of Portugal, plan your trips by checking out my blog posts below:

• Lisbon (Blog Post: Sightseeing in Lisbon? Learn how to surf too!)

• Sintra (Blog Post: Do not go to Lisbon without seeing Sintra: a day trip guide)

• Funchal (Blog Post: What to see in Funchal on the island of Madeira)

• Madeira (Blog Post: Madeira: One of Portugal's Most Beautiful Islands)

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