Subscribe To Magical Azores Islands
|
Pico Azores AccommodationsLooking for Azores Accommodations in Pico? One of my friends in the Azores, Zelda, is a property manager for three vacation homes on the island. I consider her a trustworthy source and she has provided information on two of the accommodations she manages as well as some notes on what to see in Pico Casa da Barca is a two bedroom house located just metres from the coast on Barca Bay near the main town of Madalena. Casa dos Arcos is a house located near interesting lava flows These homes are a great choice for Azores Accommodations in Pico
What to See in Pico Azores - From ZeldaIn a suburb of Madelena is one of the most interesting sites on Pico, it is the region called Criacao Velha, meaning, old creation. Here the landscapes of Pico’s vineyard culture are best preserved. This culture was classified by UNESCO as World Heritage in 2004. And now is popular with visitors to the Island. The wine from this region was sent directly to the Czars of Russia. This industry began at the end of the 15th century when the first settlers arrived on the island. The landscape is an unusual one for wine production, but shows the wonderful results that can be gained under such conditions producing the famous Verdelho wine. Criacao Velha also has a well marked hiking trail through the vineyards, a lighthouse and a natural ocean filled swimming pool. Near the Criacao Velha, a traveler can also explore The Natural Regional da Gruta das Torres, This is considered to be the largest lava tunnel known to exist in the Azores. It has a total length of roughly 5,150 meters and a maximum height of 15 meters. These lava tunnels are located at an altitude of 285 meters, consisting of a large main tunnel and several secondary tunnels above and to the sides, the interior is rich in geological formations. The Centre has an innovative project that reproduces the local building systems used in the livestock pens, Gruta da Torres is also designated as a World Heritage zone. Above the town of Madelena, in an area called Sete Cidades, is the the Forestry Reserve of Quinta das Rosas,. This Quinta is an attractive leisure park with a picnic area, small lakes and other recreational facilities. One of its most notable features of this park is the Maroiço, a mound built from loose stones; this is considered a characteristic structure of the island of Pico, In the Quinta visitors will find a remarkable variety of botanical plants, such as the Japanese camellias, (Aucubuas, monkey puzzle trees (Araucaria), dragon trees, (Dracaena, draco), Hibiscus, bushlilies, palms and tree ferns. When exploring Picos coastline, travelers only need to continue along a few kms past Baia da Barca and discover the regions most impressive lava flows. The first one is lava coastline of Cachorro. Cachorro, meaning puppy is named because of the rocky formations are in the shape of a snout of a dog. Interesting sounds effects are made when the Ocean enters the many tunnels created by the Ocean’s erosion. Visitors can also see the power factory that works with wave energy. The second lava flows is at the bay of Arcos. Most of the attraction to Arcos is because of its well preserved lava markings on its coastline. Arcos is a protected seaside cove, named after the arrow (arcos) shape of its coastline. These markings are reminders of the historical wine industry. These impressions were caused by the use of oxcarts that were filled with grapes from the vineyards. This repetitive activity resulted in imprints of the cart wheels on to its lava rocky coastline. The grapes were transported to wine houses or Adegas for the production of wine. These houses are now all well preserved in Arcos and Lajido and now welcome visitors to visit these popular converted UNESCO historical sites. Top of Page: Pico Azores Accommodations |