Silvio

Places shared by Silvio

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  Miradouro do Morro Das Velas

  Viewpoints

  A footpath leads from Velas up to the hill Morro das Velas. From the viewpoint there is nice new on Velas, which is worth the way up. What really inspired me was the view to the football ground, which you reach by following the narrow path to the north. Experiencing this view I re-named the ground to "you-go-and-get-the-ball stadium". Though be careful. You will be close to the cliff.

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  Azores Dream Hostel

  Accommodations

  We really got a challenge finding accommodation. We booked the whole trip via a travel company, but then they went bancrupt and I had to find something on my own in short term. The furniture and facilities are far from new, not much storage space and there are only shared bathrooms. The latter one is not of everyone's taste. But there are apparently enough of them. I always found one, which was free. It is behind the kitchen. Also with the typical guests on the Azores you don't have to fear that you find the bathroom unusable. There is a kitchen available for guests and a small veranda with one table. The location at the edge of the historic downtown is also good, as long as you can live with noise in the street late night at weekends. Conclusion: You can go there for short term stays on budget.

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  Garden's Nest - North Villa

  Accommodations

  The house is on the ground of the Azoris Faial Garden Resort Hotel. Checkin is at the reception of the hotel, but apart from that it is just the house and you cannot use the other facilities of the resort. There is a small kitchen, where you can prepare your own breakfast. Could be too small if all rooms are occupied. The equipment and furniture looked quite old. E.g. in the private bathroom there was no shower but just a bathtub with a hose. Though everything was clean and in order. Also the price was good (around 50 € per night for a twin room) and the view from the room was great - across the resort and the harbor to Pico. Also the location is great. Just walk down the stairs on the other side of the resort and you are close to Peter Café Sport at the yacht harbor. I would go there again. But it seemed that they started renovating the house. So I think the rate would be much higher next time, once everything is brought to today's standard.

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  Porto Velho Boutique Lodge

  Accommodations

  Accommodation on Pico seems to be more pricey than on the other islands around. We paid close to 100 € per night for a twin room in September 2025, which was almost twice of what we paid on São Jorge or Faial. And still this was the most budget friendly accommodation I found I Madalena. Though this was the best accommodation on our trip. We got a barrier free twin room with private bathroom and a nice view across the old harbor to Faial. The room has lots of storage space, so one doesn't have to live out of the suitcase. The hostel got a patio (no views) which is used for having a cigarette or drying clothes. There is no breakfast served, but upstairs is a well equipped kitchen with enough tables. So you can prepare your own breakfast or dinner. The location is almost perfect, close to the ferry terminal. An edge of it is even visible on the photo. The only downside was that there is a discotheque next door and there was noise outside until early morning on weekend. Conclusion: Good for budget travelers who don't need breakfast served in the hotel.

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  Hospedaria Austrália

  Accommodations

  Budget accommodation located in a quiet street in Velas not too far from the ferry terminal. No great views, just a patio to which there was no access. The twin room was tiny with a tiny bathroom and not much space in cabinets. Just telling this, no complaints. It's a budget accommodation. Downside: No breakfast served and no kitchen available for guests, which means that you need to go out for breakfast, which is a challenge in Velas on Sundays. This is a little weird, since there is a restaurant in the ground floor. But it only opened for lunch when we were there. So assuming that the typical tourists explore the island during the day, they won't have many hostel guests in their restaurant. Maybe they have/had an issue finding staff? Conclusion: Good for short term stay on budget.

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  Furna do Frei Matias

  Caves

  There are some caves accessible for the public on the Azores, where you pay entry and get a guided tour. This is not one of them. It is located on private ground and the owner does neither support nor inhibit visits. There are no signs pointing to it. So your GPS needs to know where it is. Allegedly an hermit had been living in the cave. This is where it got its name from. If you want to feel a little bit like a speleologist, then this is good reason for a stop when traveling along the EN3 between Madalena and the east of Pico. Watch your head and bring a torch (flashlight to North-Americans).

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  Caldeira do Cabeço Gordo

  Trails

  Most visitors stay only at the viewpoint. They miss the magic of walking around, having (almost) always good views into the caldera and onto the sea and neighbour islands. The path is mostly easy to walk. A small portion is a little rough and steep. If you are not sure about it, turn left and surround the caldera clockwise. Then you have this part at the start of your hike. It pays off to show up early. When we started there was just one other car at the parking lot, but at return it was full. Also when we visited the central group, the Cabeço Gordo was almost always covered with clouds. Probably it doesn't pay off to go there at these days. But when the tip is clear of clouds, it is a must for all hikers. If you want to walk down into the caldera, you can do this only with a certified guide.

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  Peter Cafe Sport

  Restaurants

  The café has a unique rustic atmosphere with all the flags, pictures and stickers on the bar. A lot of sailors show up there. We only had two Gin Tonic and a glass of wine. When we returned later for dinner, all tables were occupied. So I can't tell about the food. Though it looked good. Considering that it is probably the most famous bar on the Azores, they could make a tourist trap out of it, but they don't. The prices on the menu are still within the range of casual bars and restaurants.

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  Pico da Vara

  Trails

  The path to the highest point starts at a forest house near Santo António de Nordestinho. One needs a permit for the trail, which can be acquired online (no fee). Generally the trail is circular, but at least for the last two years only a part of the trail has been open and it became a linear path with return to the start. I can only rate the linear path and it's not really worth doing it, compared to other hikes with greater and more genuine views. I remember most that parts are very muddy.