GuardTrailsPortugal · July
Pico Volcanic & Vineyard Heritage
Explore the unique basalt vineyards, volcanic slopes, and maritime whaling history of Pico Island.
- days6
- bases3
- stages4
- nights5
- transfer days3
- stage to stage95 km
- at the wheel, day by day2 h 24
The season for your dates
- Less favourable12% of days exceed the gust threshold during activity hours, over the whole requested window.
Historical statistics (Open-Meteo), not a forecast.
Who this itinerary is for
This itinerary suits a traveller looking for: a trip in July, days of walking, a day hike and a village stroll.
The area
The volcanic, vineyard, and maritime heritage of Pico Island.
The map
Loading the map…
The days at a glance
One line per day: where you sleep, what the day is, the road, and how its time is split.
| Day | Evening base | The day | Road | Time of the day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day1 | Evening base : Madalena | TransferMadalena Basalt Vineyards | Road 16 min | |
| Day2 | Evening base : Prainha | TransferPrainha Forest & Lava Fields | Road 41 min | |
| Day3 | Evening base : Prainha | Day on sitePrainha Forest & Lava Fields | — | |
| Day4 | Evening base : Prainha | Day on sitePrainha Forest & Lava Fields | — | |
| Day5 | Evening base : Lajes do Pico | TransferLajes Whaling Coast | Road 32 min | |
| Day6 | — | DepartureMadalena, departure | Road 55 min |
- programme
- road
- free time
12.0 h usable every day
Good to know
The trade-off
Focuses exclusively on Pico Island, omitting other Azores islands.
What this version leaves out
São Miguel Island · Faial Island · Terceira Island
Getting there
Fly to Aeroporto da Ilha do Pico (PIX), 16 min by road from the start.
Where you sleep
You will find a variety of accommodations including hotels, guesthouses, and rural tourism properties, but booking well in advance is essential during the peak summer season.
Safety
Portugal: no warning from the UK authorities (FCDO). Advice of 2026-08-11 · Official advice
Check before booking and before taking out insurance: the advice may have changed since.
Why this version, the cost in detail and the sources are on the method page. Read the method →
When, and for how long
How long?
- You ask for
- 7days
- The area needs, at least
- 6days
- Days kept
- 6days
Travelling in July.
The climate — July
- Daily high, 1 day in 4 is hotter
- 24 °C
- Daily high, 1 day in 20 is hotter
- 26 °C
- Unfavourable day
- 8%
- Windy day
- 13%
Rain, wind and temperature are measured over the 8 h in the middle of the day, on a historical baseline of 40 observations (Open-Meteo). It is a measuring window, not the length of your day: each day of the programme counts 12 h of usable time.
The itinerary, day by day
4 stages over 6 days, in the order of the days. A stage appears on the day you first reach it: you sleep several nights at some, and a day trip leaves from your base and brings you back to it. Each day has its own page.
Every day of this trip has 12 h of usable time. Room to breathe — we have not padded these days to fill them: the free time left is part of the trip.
Stage 1 · Madalena
Madalena Basalt Vineyards
We sleep at Solar dos Limas, 700 m away
1 night · climate favourable
- Day 1Madalena Basalt Vineyards · night in Madalena4 h planned · 16 min on the roadSee the day →
- Day 2Prainha Forest & Lava Fields · night in Prainha9 h planned · 41 min on the roadSee the day →
- Day 3AT BASEPrainha Forest & Lava Fields · night in Prainha10 h plannedSee the day →
- Day 4AT BASEPrainha Forest & Lava Fields · night in Prainha10 h plannedSee the day →
- Day 5Lajes Whaling Coast · night in Lajes do Pico9 h planned · 32 min on the roadSee the day →
- Day 6DEPARTUREMadalena, departure · end of the trip3 h planned · 55 min on the roadSee the day →
What it costs, roughly
€468 to €732 per person
€78 to €122 per day
Based on: 2 people.
The cost estimate and the availability of accommodation, transport and activities are as of 26 October 2026: prices and availability change over time.
Where the money goes, and how this figure is obtained →The method
Why this version, what sets it apart from the others, the cost in detail, the interest of the places, the automatic review and the sources.
Read the method →