Pico do Carvão

Pico do Carvão is one of those viewpoints that photos simply don’t do justice. On a clear day, you can see both sides of São Miguel at the same time, the north coast on one side and the south coast on the other. There aren’t many places on the island where that happens, which makes this spot pretty special.

It sits right on the island’s central ridge, so the views stretch far in both directions. If the weather cooperates, it’s absolutely worth the stop.

The only downside is that it’s quite remote. There’s not much around in terms of cafés or places to hang out, so this is more of a quick stop for the view rather than somewhere you spend a long time. And because it’s high up in the mountains, it can get chilly or foggy very quickly.

But when the sky is clear, the panorama here is fantastic and easily one of the most unique perspectives you can get on São Miguel.

Rui's Visit Log