Pico (Pico) is an island located in the central part of the Azores. Here is the highest point of Portugal - the peak of the mountain (volcano) Pico (2351 m), which is the mountain with the largest underwater part and even recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. The mountain was recognized as a national reserve in 1972.

The island is a unique place because in its vicinity lies the migratory path of whales, where tourists come from all over the world. Here you can see such a rare species as the sperm whale. Due to its vineyards and unique landscape Piku is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The island is located 7 km east of the island of Faial and 15 km south of the island of San Jorge . The length of Piku is 42 km in length and 15 km in width

How to get to Piku

On the island there is an airport in the central city of Velas that accepts local flights You can get to the island in several ways:

• by plane: first to Lisbon, then by domestic flight by plane TAP Portugal and Sata (approximately two hours) to the airport of Faial Island, located in the city of Orta, and then by ferry to the island of Pico (cost the ferry ticket costs about 22 EUR per person)
• by water: by boat from Lisbon

Money

There are banks on the island, which are open from 8:30 to 15:00 and where you can exchange money, as well as a good network of ATMs. Most restaurants, hotels and car rental points accept Visa and Master Card credit cards.

Piku Weather

The climate is subtropical oceanic, the average air temperature in January is +15 ° C, in July +22 ° C. In summer it is hot, but it is not stuffy. From September to April, rains often occur, there may be fogs.

Transport Piku

Main type of public transport - bus . The first bus departs at 8:45 from the pier in Madalena and follows along the north coast. He arrives at the final destination, Piedade, at 11:00. The return bus departs from Piedade at 12:25 and arrives in Madalena at 15:00.

Taxi here is beige. They do not have a counter, the fee is taken for the travel time or for the distance, in the latter case the return trip is always included in the payment (after 10 km, the payment will be charged for 20 km.)

Here you can rent a bike and go on a trip island. Piku is an ideal place for cycling thanks to its landscape and rich nature.

Cuisine and Restaurants

The cuisine is based on Portuguese, but there are a number of local dishes from fish and seafood. Pique is known for his vodka Bagaceria do Pico, blackberry liqueurs Amora and Angelica, as well as his wineries. A unique wine is produced here - Verdelho do Pico, which is considered an excellent aperitif

There are many cafes on the island offering delicious food at an affordable price . Gorgeous fish, amazingly delicious beef and shellfish are at the heart of many dishes on the island of Pico. Delicacies that are worth a try include the famous fish soup known as caldos de peixe, a meat dish mohla de carne and an octopus soup. The famous Pico cheese is served either before or after each meal and fits well with bread or a homemade corn cake.

The Hocus Pocus Restaurant (Rua Caminho de Baixo Silveira, Lajes do Pico) is located at the Hotel Aldeia da Fonte, it can be visited by any who is not even a hotel guest. Traditional dishes are cooked here, among them smoked azor sausages, marinated in white wine with garlic and spices. The Hocus Pocus Restaurant is a great place to sample local cheeses and Pique wines. Thanks to its refinement and creativity of the kitchen, as well as the high quality of service, Hocus-Pocus restaurant has earned a reputation as one of the best restaurants on the island.

Fun, sightseeing and attractions Piku

One of the island's unique attractions is whale and dolphin watching. In the Azores area, 23 species of whales live, which is one third of all existing species in the world. The most unique thing that can be seen on the Peak is the sperm whale, the largest of the toothed whales. Piku Island is located in warm waters just in the area where females and young sperm whales live and where the migration path of males runs.

When diving (for trained people), you can observe whales in their natural habitat. Coastal waters also inhabit different types of dolphins: Atlantic bottlenose, gray dolphin, Atlantic spotted dolphin, Atlantic striped dolphin. From June to October, you can not only admire these unique and friendly animals, but also swim with them.

The waters of the Atlantic Ocean near Piku are rich in rare species of inhabitants of the underwater world. Here you can see various jellyfish, gray electric rays, octopus, a variety of fish, among which rare species such as parrotfish, barracuda, fish-needle.

On the island of Piku is the village of Punta Topo, the surrounding waters of which for 20 years have been a natural park. During this time, diving and fishing were banned, so the reefs with their inhabitants are well preserved.

As in other islands, the architectural heritage of Pico is found in its churches and chapels, among which the Church of Santa Maria Madalena in the town of Madalena deserves special attention , the church of São Roque and the monastery of São Pedro de Alcântra in San Roque and the church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição with the monastery of São Pedro in Lajes . Being in Lajes, it is definitely worth visiting the museum of Baleeiros . He tells about the whaling craft that flourished on the island in the past . Here is a bio rafts, whaling canoes and everything that was necessary for whaling . And although this fishery has long gone down in history, the spirit and traditions of the "sea wolves" are still alive on the island .

@ One of the main attractions of the island is Mount Pico, which is considered a sleeping volcano - the last eruptions were recorded about 300 years ago, but he adds mysticism to this island and serves as a magnet for volcanologists . You can book a hiking trip to the volcano . From the location of Furnas, located at the foot, and ending 1500 m high, the mountain is covered with dense forests . Further, up to an altitude of 2000 m there is a shrub zone . Even higher can be seen a bare lava covered in winter by a snow cap . The mountain is crowned by Pico Alto, a round crater with a perimeter of 700 m and depth of 30 m . Sunrise, met here at the very top - an exciting and unforgettable sight .

The network of roads around the foot of the mountain and winding along the coast allows you to enjoy the stunning views of Piku. Among them it is impossible to distinguish more or less interesting - each of them is beautiful in its own way, but it is necessary to inspect the following:

• lakes Capitão, Caiado and Paúl in the frame of amazing landscapes
• Mistério da Prainha and Mistério das Bandeiras on the north coast , as well as Mistério de São João on the south coast - vast fields of solidified lava,
• Arcos do Cachorro - a huge lava flow, pierced with a network of tunnels and grottoes. You can hear the ominous noise of the ocean filling these natural cavities, the
• Frei Matias, Silveira and Montanheiros caves, which are very popular with both ordinary tourists and professional speleologists,
• the reserves of Caiado Lake, Caveiro and Mistério da Prainha with cedar forests.

Photo Piku (15)