pico is the youngest island of the archipelago and, of course, its youth reveals an explosion of uniqueness nature in the middle of nowhere. a perfect communion between the dark and naked basalt, the vineyards in the rocks, and the peaceful and lively blue of the atlantic.
nothing is simple here; its an island of hard and lonely workers and was the set of brave fishermen that for years feared the whale hunting as a way to survive in the isolation of times. nonetheless, it’s a land of dreamers; a characteristic of all insular men and women growing up with the companion of a perfect horizon, trying to discover what is beyond that line.
from afar
up! to the magic mountain
(see the full post about our trail up the mountain here)
wine and lava in our blood
(see the full post about pico’s landscape and its relation with wine here)
from lages to são roque
the belly of the giant
the faithful companion (view from terra alta)
crossing the channel of the triangle
to stay
the youth hostel at são roque do pico, an old convent rehabilitated, is a good choice. not a luxury place, but the view from our room to the fields and sea offered us unforgettable awakenings and sunsets.
to eat
pico was, probably, the island where we had the best meals. at são roque do pico, casa âncora, by the hand of the chef timur abuziarov, is a modern restaurant using fresh produce from local fishermen and farmers. amazing how he managed to seize the azorean flavor in a unique and creative way. a must to do at the island, with the restaurant and lounge just by the sea. perfect at sunset. at madalena, across the canal, a huge sperm whale lies in the rocks, resting for long time in the atlantic. cella bar, winner of 2016 hospitality architecture award, combines the pico’s tradition on whale watching, long days whale fishing and the dark basalt landscape on an exquisite design bar/restaurant. nice flavors with some unusual twists of local food and contemporary tendencies accompanied with local wines. also at madalena, ancoradouro a classical seafood house by the sea had the best fish cataplasma we ever tried.
the map
