Mount Pico, Dormant stratovolcano in Pico Island, Azores, Portugal
Mount Pico rises to 2,351 meters above sea level, featuring a crater 500 meters wide and a small volcanic cone called Piquinho at its summit.
The volcano demonstrated its power through multiple eruptions between 1562 and 1720, with the final eruption affecting mainly its eastern slopes during summer and winter months.
Portuguese authorities established the mountain as a nature reserve in 1972, reflecting their commitment to protecting this geological formation for future generations.
The ascent from Casa da Montanha follows 47 numbered markers along the trail, requiring a reservation system that limits access to 160 hikers per day.
The PICO-NARE observatory near the summit studies air currents and particles from across the North Atlantic. The station operates at this remote altitude and collects data on air quality and climate patterns over more than two decades.
Location: Azores
Elevation above the sea: 2,351 m
Address: Mt Pico, 9950, Portugal
GPS coordinates: 38.46872,-28.39928
Latest update: December 2, 2025 21:03
The Azores archipelago is located approximately 930 miles (1500 km) off the coast of Portugal in the Atlantic. The volcanic origin of the nine islands has shaped a landscape featuring crater lakes, active hot springs, caves carved into the rock, and botanical gardens arranged around geothermal basins. São Miguel hosts many of these sites, including Parque Terra Nostra in Furnas with its 102°F (39°C) ferruginous pools, the Fogo Lake at 1,887 meters (6,191 ft) above sea level, and the Gorreana tea plantation, operating since 1883. The archipelago also features geological formations accessible to visitors, such as Algar do Carvão on Terceira, descending 90 meters (295 feet) underground, and Vila Franca do Campo, an old crater now a lagoon. Pico's vineyards, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, demonstrate agricultural adaptation to volcanic terrain. Beyond natural sights, several religious and civil buildings dating from the 16th century remain in historic towns, notably in Angra do Heroísmo on Terceira.
Gruta das Torres
9.4 km
Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture
13.3 km
Fort of Santa Cruz
21 km
Museu dos Baleeiros (Lajes, Azores)
15.1 km
Monte da Guia Special Area of Conservation
20.6 km
Porto Pim Whale Factory Museum
20.6 km
Fort of Greta
20.1 km
Bartizan of Porto Pim
21.2 km
Military Battery of Espalamaca
20.5 km
Porto Pim
20.9 km
Forte de Santa Catarina
14.6 km
Church of Santíssima Trindade
15.4 km
Monte da Guia
20.3 km
Cultura da Vinha-Zona Norte
10.1 km
Antiga Fábrica da Baleia do Porto Pim
20.6 km
Hermitage of São Vicente
8.9 km
Capela de Nossa Senhora da Guia (Horta)
20.8 km
Fuerte de São Sebastião de Porto Pim
21 km
Reduto da Patrulha
21 km
Ponta de São Mateus Lighthouse
6.7 km
Forte de Porto Pim
20.8 km
Church of Santo António
9.1 km
Piscina natural das Poças de São Roque
10 km
Horta Breakwater Light
20.7 km
Paços do Concelho da Madalena do Pico
13.3 km
Madalena Pier Head Light
13.9 km
Piscinas da Madalena
13.8 km
Porto da Formosinha
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