The Pico Vineyards: UNESCO Lava-Stone Landscape

On the island of Pico, vines grow in thousands of tiny plots enclosed by black lava-stone walls, called currais, which protect them from wind and sea spray. This extraordinary landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the wines it produces are increasingly celebrated.

Quick answer: explore the vineyard landscape around Madalena, Criação Velha and the Lajido area, visit a wine cooperative or small winery for a tasting, and see the wine museum in Madalena. Look out for wines made from Verdelho. See places to stay on Pico.

What to see

• The currais: a maze of black stone walls running down to the sea.
• Lajido: a village of stone houses with red doors and windows, amid the vineyards.
• Tide pools and windmills along the coast.
• Wineries: tastings of Pico’s mineral whites and fortified wines.

Tips

• Car: the easiest way to explore. See getting around the Azores.
• Combine with whale watching and Mount Pico. See climbing Mount Pico and Pico whale watching.
• Harvest: late summer is a lovely time to visit.

More: Pico, UNESCO sites in Portugal and Portugal’s wine regions.

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