Madalena, Pico
What is Madalena, and why do most visitors start there?
Quick answer
Madalena is the largest of Pico's three municipalities and the town where the ferry from Horta berths, which makes it the island's arrival point. It sits on the west coast facing Faial, with the UNESCO vineyard landscape immediately south and north of it.
The arrival town
Madalena faces Faial across the channel, and the ferry from Horta berths here. That single fact shapes most visits: unless you fly into Pico's own airport, this is where you land, and it is the only town on the island where a day trip without a car makes sense.
The two rocks offshore, the Ilhéus da Madalena, are the thing you see first from the boat. The town behind them is small and flat enough to cross on foot, which is not true of everywhere on Pico.
What is within walking distance
The island cooperative Picowines is on the northern edge of town, close enough to reach on foot from the ferry, and it is the most direct way to understand what the UNESCO vineyard landscape actually produces. The whale watching and diving operator CW Azores is on the quay itself, across from the terminal.
South of the town the Criação Velha vineyards begin, and north of it the coast runs towards Santa Luzia and the lajido walls. Both are covered in the wine country section.
Using it as a base
Madalena is the best base for anyone who will be crossing to Horta more than once, and the nearest of the three towns to the road up to the mountain. It is the furthest from Lajes do Pico and the south coast, which matters if whale watching from that side is your reason for coming. São Roque do Pico on the north coast splits the difference, and Santa Luzia along the same coast is where the vineyard walls meet the sea. See where to stay and Pico's villages for the comparison.
What this page does not tell you
The population is the 2011 census figure, the most recent carried by the source used here. Ferry crossing times and frequencies are not stated: take them from the ferry timetable, which reads from a committed schedule rather than from this page. Nothing here about restaurants or opening hours has been checked.
Facts and sources
Common questions
Can I see Madalena without a car?
Yes. The town is small and flat enough to cross on foot from the ferry. The Picowines cooperative on the northern edge of town and the whale watching operator on the quay are both walking distance from the terminal, which makes Madalena the one town on Pico where a day without a car works.
How many people live in Madalena municipality, and how big is it?
Madalena municipality had 6,049 residents at the 2011 census, the most recent count carried by the source used here, and it covers 147.12 square kilometres. That makes it the largest of Pico's three municipalities by population, though not by area.
Is Madalena a good base for climbing Montanha do Pico?
It is the nearest of the three municipal towns to the road up to the mountain, which makes it the most practical base for the climb. What the climb involves, and what has to be arranged before it, is covered in the hiking section of this guide.