Best things to do in Pico Island

Pico Island Essentials

Pico Island is defined by Portugal’s highest peak, the 2,351-meter Mount Pico, and its UNESCO-designated vineyard culture. This selection highlights the island's volcanic origins through the Gruta das Torres lava tubes and high-altitude crater lakes like Lagoa do Capitão. Explore the maritime history at the Whalers Museum in Lajes do Pico, or observe marine life with Espaço Talassa. Architectural landmarks include traditional red windmills and the award-winning Cella Bar, while the Museu do Vinho showcases viticulture practiced in basalt stone corrals.

Pico Island Essentials — Map

José Luís Ávila Silveira/Pedro Noronha… / Public domain

A

Mount Pico

Mount Pico is a currently dormant stratovolcano located on Pico Island, in the mid-Atlantic archipelago of the Azores.

B

Whalers Museum

Housed in 19th-century boat houses in Lajes do Pico, this site documents the island's historical whaling industry through tools, scrimshaw art, and traditional whaleboats.

Figure 8 from Aguilar de Soto N,… / CC BY 4.0

C

Espaço Talassa

A pioneer in sustainable whale and dolphin watching based in Lajes do Pico, featuring a small sea library and an observation post for marine biology research.

José Luís Ávila Silveira/Pedro Noronha… / Public domain

D

Lagoa do Capitão

A freshwater body 790 meters above sea level, providing views of Mount Pico and a habitat for endemic Azorean flora and migratory birds.

E

Museu do Vinho

Located in a former 17th-century Carmelite convent in Madalena, featuring a lookout tower and a forest of ancient dragon trees surrounding traditional vineyards.

Mikenorton / CC BY-SA 3.0

F

Cave of Towers

Gruta das Torres, is a lava cave, a geological formation of volcanic origin formed from the flow and cooling of subterranean magma rivers.

G

Cella Bar

An architectural landmark in Madalena merging a classic stone building with a contemporary timber structure designed to resemble a wine barrel.

H

Moinho da Avenida do Mar

A restored 19th-century red structure on the coast of São Roque do Pico, serving as a lookout point with views toward the island of São Jorge.

José Luís Ávila Silveira/Pedro Noronha… / Public domain

I

Lagoa do Caiado

Lagoa do Caiado is the largest lake on Pico Island, Azores. The high-altitude lake is located on the Achada Plateau, an extensive volcanic…

Gonçalo M. / CC BY-SA 4.0

J

Farol Ponta da Ilha

A 19-meter-high tower at the easternmost point of the island, featuring modernist architectural elements from the mid-20th century.

Other Lists

Volcanic Peaks of Pico Historic Churches of Pico Best Island Viewpoints Natural Wonders of Pico