8 Best Sights in Pico, The Azores

Azores Wine Company

Fodor's choice

Pico’s wine-growing landscape can be challenging, with its volcanic soil and proximity to the sea, but a new generation of winemakers is recovering neglected vineyards and putting Pico wine back on the map. The young Azores Wine Company was founded in 2014 with the goal of making minimal-intervention wines using traditional Azorean grapes, particularly the white varieties Terrantez do Pico, Arinto dos Açores, and Verdelho. Besides single varietal wines, they also produce white, red, and rosé blends. Visitors can stop by to hear their story and taste their wines, as well as to buy bottles to take home. There are also five apartments set among the volcanic rock where wine lovers can spend the night, plus a restaurant.

Cooperativa Vitivinícola da Ilha do Pico

Fodor's choice

This cooperative was formed in 1949 by a group of local winemakers; by 1961, they had started producing wine using the traditional Verdelho, Arinto, and Terrantez grape varieties. Output remained small until the early 1990s, when the production processes were modernized and more varieties were introduced, including in 1997 the first fortified wine with a distilled spirit added (Lajido), and in 2001, the first sweet fortified wine (Angelica). Today, the cooperative is the largest wine producer in the Azores, with about 240 members growing grapes. Book well in advance or try your luck stopping by for a tour of the wine production facility.

Lajido

Fodor's choice
About a 15-minute drive east of Madalena is the postcard-perfect town of Lajido, filled with charming all-black and black-and-white volcanic houses with striking red and green doors and shutters.

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Montanha do Pico

Fodor's choice

Visible from many locations around Pico—unless it’s shrouded in fog and clouds, as is often the case—and even more visible from across the water in Faial, 7,713-foot Mt. Pico is the highest mountain in Portugal. Past eruptions have occurred on its flanks rather than from the summit, the most recent back in 1720. If you want to hike up Mt. Pico, you can start at the Casa da Montanha (Mountain House) at 4,035 feet. Though it’s not a difficult climb, it can still be quite challenging as the path is steep with uneven rocks; depending on your experience level, consider hiring a guide to accompany you. Come early or book online to be guaranteed a hiking spot, as hikers are limited to 120 per day. Bring photo ID to register.

Casa dos Vulcões

The unique volcanic landscape of the nine Azores islands is explored in this jam-packed museum. Visits are by 45-minute guided tour, which must be booked in advance. The topics covered at Casa dos Vulcões range from the broad, like how the universe was formed, to the more specific, like the geological history of tiny Pico, the youngest island in the Azores. The main reasons to visit the museum, however, are to take the journey to the center of the earth, by way of a 360-degree film, and to try the earthquake simulator, which uses VR headsets for a very realistic seismic experience.
Family Science Museum
Rua do Lajido, 9940-108, Portugal
292 644 328
parquesnaturais.azores.gov.pt
sights Details
Rate Includes: €5, including Centro de Interpretação da Paisagem da Cultural da Vinha da Ilha do Pico, Closed Sun. and Mon. Nov.–Mar.

Centro de Interpretação da Paisagem da Cultural da Vinha da Ilha do Pico

This small wine museum isn’t worth making a detour for, but if you’re already visiting the charming town of Lajido it’s well worth a short stop. You’ll find exhibits in English and Portuguese about wine production in Pico, covering topics including vineyard landscapes, the local climate, and indigenous flora and fauna. The admission price includes a glass of wine at the end, with more available for purchase. The staff offers guided tours of the nearby vineyards and lava fields.

Museu do Vinho

Set inside and on the grounds of a former convent, this compact but comprehensive museum explains the history of wine on Pico, from its beginnings in the late 15th century to widespread Verdelho wine production—which lasted until the vines were hit by phylloxera in the mid-19th century—to the reintroduction of traditional grape varieties, including Verdelho, in the 1970s. In the adjoining gardens, you’ll find magnificent dragon trees—grown throughout the Azores and so named for their red-colored resin—along with examples of vineyards using Pico’s traditional “currais” method, where square-shaped areas of volcanic gravel are surrounded by low stone walls that protect them from wind while still allowing sunlight to enter. Other highlights include an interactive display on how to identify the color and aroma of wine, an area devoted to brandy making, and an old winepress. Helpful information sheets in English are available in most of the rooms.

Museu dos Baleeiros

Whaling was a major industry in Pico up until the end of the 20th century. This small museum, set inside a former whaleboat warehouse, screens a movie (available in English) explaining the history of the whaling industry on the island along with historic photos and interesting displays showing some of the tools and equipment used in whale hunting. The exhibits offer an interesting look at this important part of the Azores’ history.