Pico
Pico is an island in the Azores archipelago, an autonomous region of Portugal, in the Atlantic Ocean.
Understand
Three main settlements on the island are Madalena, São Roque do Pico and Lajes do Pico.
Get in
By plane
- 1 Pico airport (PIX IATA). Direct flights from Lisbon, Ponta Delgada and Terceira.
By boat
30 minutes from Horta, in Faial island.
60 minutes from Velas, in São Jorge island.
Get around
See
- Whale museum
- Museu do Vinho (Wine Museum), Madalena, Rua dos Baleiros 13.
Do
- Swim in the largest man-made, outdoor, public saltwater pool. It's a fantastic place to relax and cool off in the summer. The pool is deep enough for diving. Beginner swimmers should stay away from the middle, as the size is quite large.
- 1 Mount Pico (Montanha do Pico). A stratovolcano 2,351 m (7,713 ft) above sea level. It is the tallest mountain in Portugal. Climb the mountain in the afternoon so you can see the sunset when you reach the summit. Normally it takes 2 to 3 hours to climb, more if you are not fit. Then in the morning to see the sunrise, climb a little mountain called Pico Pequenino (Little Pico) that the mountain has on top. From there you can see the islands of Faial and São Jorge perfectly.
- 2 Gruta das Torres. A more than 5 km (3.1 mi) long lava cave.
Buy
There are two CompreBem supermarkets in this town. They both offer cheap prices for good food, colorful produce, a variety of canned goods, and an assortment of household items from fly swatters to televisions.
There is also a local shop run by a Chinese family that sells inexpensive items of almost every variety from electronics to socks. Clothing is mainly imported, and as a result, expensive.
Eat
There are many cafes in the area and all of them offer good food for reasonable prices. Variety of food is limited mainly to bread, cheese, and beef. Vegetarians may have some trouble having a balanced meal. Even the local soups will most likely have meat or meat broth as an ingredient. If you're a vegan, be prepared for starvation.
Budget
Prices for food are very reasonable.
Mid-range
Splurge
Drink
The local cafes usually double as the local bars. Beer here is cheaper than bottled water, at about .50 cents U.S a bottle.
Sleep
Budget
- Retreat of Goats, Travessa de Santo António, 5 (São Mateus, in front the Atlantic Ocean and overlooking the mountain of Pico), ☏ +351 918171681. Holiday cottage.
Mid-range
- Pocinhobay. 6-room boutique hotel with traditional stone cottages and modern decor.
Splurge
Connect
Stay safe
Towns in Pico are very safe. Crime is very low and violence is almost non-existent. However, be VERY aware when crossing the streets; people on this island tend to drive a bit crazy. You will frequently see cars driving at freeway speeds on cobble stone roads. Also, it's not surprising to see cars parked in the middle of a road and blocking traffic. The driving laws are loose at best.