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The Azores (Açores), Portugal
March 2001

Madalena, Island of Pico

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Want to borrow this image for your website or blog? Please read Terms & Conditions Church of Santa Maria Madalena Madalena, on Pico’s western coast, is the principal town on the island. It is also a vital transportation link to the island of Faial via ferry from the nearby municipal dock [see my Pico - Faial Ferry page]. The most impressive building in Madalena is undoubtedly the Church of Santa Maria Madalena. It dates to the 17th Century and was rebuilt in the 19th Century. We found a taxi stand just to the left of the church in this photograph. Here, drivers can be hired at reasonable rates for personalized guided tours of Pico. This was much better than simply renting a car on our own. Some of the drivers speak excellent English because they have connections to the Azores' expatriate communities in Canada and the United States. And of course they know much more about Pico than any guidebook or map. Look for the signs in the taxi windows that denote English-speaking drivers. Want to borrow this image for your website or blog? Please read Terms & Conditions Pico, the Mountain Everything on Pico is dominated by the huge volcano that created the island. Pico literally means "Peak" in Portuguese so even the name of the island derives from this huge mountain. We observed this particular view from Madalena harbor but this is a typical backdrop everywhere on the island whenever the weather cooperates. Pico was the most dramatic and distinct of all the geographic features we observed during out visit to the Azores. Want to borrow this image for your website or blog? Please read Terms & Conditions Pico from a Distance Pico is equally impressive from a distance. This view was taken from the sea while crossing to Faial. Madalena sits on a relatively flat coastal plain in the foreground that slopes gently down to the sea and allows easy access onto the island. Pico, the volcano, juts steeply upward some 2,350 meters (7,700 feet). It is highest point in Portugal and the greatest summit of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Want to borrow this image for your website or blog? Please read Terms & Conditions Madalena Residence Above is a residence located in Madalena. I included this photograph for a couple of reasons. First, it shows that there is a level of prosperity on the island. Second it demonstrates an interesting mixture of modern and traditional building techniques. The house is thoroughly modern. The terraced walls, however, are typical of Pico: dark volcanic rock with starkly white mortar. More Options Previous Travel Adventure: Ferry between Pico and Faial Next Travel Adventure: Pico - Porto do Cachorro Azores Menu