The island of Pico is situated less than 5nm to the west of Faial. The most recently formed of the volcanic Azores, Pico is dominated by its tall cinder cone – at almost 8,000′ (2400m) elevation, it’s the highest point in the Azores as well as the highest point anywhere in Portugal. The island is aptly named, as Pico translates to “Peak” from Portuguese.
Unlike Horta’s well-protected harbor on Faial, Pico doesn’t have anywhere that offers great shelter for a cruising sailboat. There are a few small harbors filled with local fishing and whale-watching boats, but finding a free spot in them is a hit-or-miss proposition. So, we left Madrone safely tugging at her anchor in Horta and hopped on the half-hour ferry ride across the Faial channel.
Pico was one of the last of the Azores to be populated, largely because it was difficult to grow grain in the volcanic soil. That soil, however, turned out to be perfectly suited to grapes, and a large population of vineyards flourished.
Because of the consistent ocean breezes and resulting salt spray near the coast, the vines needed some protection. The solution was to build an amazing network of volcanic stone walls – the vineyards consist of what looks like an endless series of tiny rectangles, each large enough to protect just a few vines. In addition to the walls, the stone constructions also includes tanks to hold water, buildings for various uses, and even stone paths with tracks from the oxcarts that were pulled on the same route for hundreds of years.
While the vineyards are mostly abandoned now the walls still remain, likely little-changed from the 1500 and 1600s when they were a vital part of the island’s economy. Now a UNESCO world heritage site, the landscape is a remarkable site. We feel lucky to have seen it.
