One of the most interesting activities in Pico is hiking the trails. Besides being a healthy activity, it’s free and lets you explore places with unique beauty and pieces of this island’s history.
History of the hiking trails:
For centuries, the Azorians used the sea route to move more easily between two locations on the same island.
The majority of the families had someone who was a fisherman or whaler, for it was very common to have at least one family member with a boat.
The pathways, often narrow, were used by the island’s inhabitants for their daily tasks, often accompanied by horses, donkeys, or mules.
They also used them to attend parties and nearby markets to exchange agricultural products, fish, coal, and other goods.
The cattle also passed by there, by the winding pathways, to go or return to the pastures.
Later, it was this same path network that was recovered and placed at the disposal of all those who intend on enjoying the full Azorean landscape.
The hiking trails in Pico are therefore many, built from ancient pathways on the island before the introduction of tar and the regional roads that connect the main villages and parishes of the island.
Table of Contents
Description of the trails:
Being a volcanic island, Pico Island offers unique landscapes, unique by their relief and color contrast.
The dark of its majestic mountain, of the lava fields (lajidos), of the walls and basaltic rocks that separate the gardens and the cames contrast with the deep blue of the ocean that surrounds it and with the luxuriant green of the island interior, which is full of punctuated pastures by small cones of basaltic scum and magnificent small lakes of clean and crystalline waters.
There are 15 trails in Pico. To climb the mountain, you’ll find a specific article and another 14 that all pass through areas of exceptional beauty and are the best way to discover the island’s beauty. Trail of Pico’s Mountain
We recommend that you only follow the “official” trails, which are part of the Trails of The Azores, because they are well kept, signed at the starting point, and marked along the route. Of those 15 trails, 4 are circular routes, and 11 are linear.
Other activities you may like:
– Whale Watching
– Visit one of the many natural swimming pools on the island
– Visit the Cave: Gruta das Torres
Walking Trails Linear and Circular
In a linear route, the starting point is different from the arrival point.
You must remember that when you get to the end of the trail, you must go back the same way, or you’ll have to find a “ride” to go back to the starting point.
Being an island with a less developed public transport network, you must plan and organize your return before starting the trail.
The circular route, as the name says, starts and finishes at the same point.
This type of trail has the advantage of ending near your transport.
In the Azores Trails, you will find all the detailed information about every route, including maps, the duration of the walk, the level of difficulty, GPS coordinates of the starting point, etc.
The PDF pamphlet is especially useful because you can store all this information offline and print it if necessary.
If you already know the signaling, navigating these hiking trails is fairly simple. Therefore, you won’t need a guide; you only need to pay attention to the signage along each trail.
Images of some of the hiking trails of Pico:
Below are images of some of the existing trails.
Trail PR03-PIC Porto Calhau – Manhenha – Tip of the Island
Trail PR05-PIC Vinhas da Criação Velha (Vines of the Criação Velha – “Old Creation”)
Trail PR19-PIC Caminho das Lagoas (“Path to the Ponds”)
And you, have you done any of the hiking trails of Pico? If so, tell us which one you liked the best and why.
