Is Pico worth visiting?
Quick answer
Yes, if you want landscape rather than a resort. Pico has Portugal's highest point at 2,351 metres, a vineyard landscape on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2004, and whale watching from two coasts. It has no big town and almost no sand, and the weather decides more of the trip than you do.
Who it suits
Pico is worth the trip for three things that are hard to find together anywhere else. The first is Montanha do Pico, a 2,351 metre volcano you can climb in a day. The second is the vineyard landscape, basalt walls built around vines on bare lava, inscribed by UNESCO in 2004. The third is the sea: whale watching boats sail from two coasts.
It also suits people who like empty places. The island covers 447 square kilometres and holds 13,834 people, so the roads, trails and villages are quiet by the standards of most European destinations.
Who it does not suit
Pico is not a beach island. Swimming means natural pools in the lava, which are excellent in calm water and closed off by swell. There is no town like Horta, and evenings are quiet. If you want a town to walk out into in the evening, Faial is the better base.
What would change the answer
The weather. The summit and the boats both depend on it, and the island makes its own. A short trip with no spare day can lose both. See how many days you need.
A car. Without one you see Madalena and little else. See renting a car.
The season. Summer is the most reliable and the most booked. See the best time to visit.
For the rest of the planning, read the full guide to planning a trip.
