Azores: What To See on Pico Island
Pico Island, crowned by Portugal’s highest mountain, is a striking blend of volcanic beauty, rich wine-making tradition, and marine life. From lava fields and underground caves to whale watching and UNESCO-listed vineyards, Pico offers an unforgettable journey into the raw heart of the Azores.
An island where the dark tones of the basalt meet the blue of the ocean. Here you can visit lava tubes and enjoy areas of protected vineyard landscape. This is the island with the highest point in Portugal at 2351 meters.
Throughout this episode we’ll pass by various places of interest such as the lagoons that can be found here – the highlight being the Captain’s Lagoon. This lagoon has calm waters and is surrounded by a green landscape with the mountain of Pico in the background.
You can take a trail through the protected landscape area of vine cultivation, which was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. This is where the grapes are grown, which later give rise to wines and brandies, which are increasingly popular.
This island is also home to the largest lava tube in the Azores archipelago, the Gruta das Torres. Don’t forget to book your visit. Before getting to the last point, I couldn’t fail to mention the Frei Matias Cave, which was undoubtedly a wonderful surprise.
The ascent to the mountain peak can be done independently or with a guide. Both the ascent and descent take an average of 3 to 4 hours. There are a total of 47 markers, the last of which is inside the crater, indicating the trail to the piquinho.