Pico da Esperança is the highest mountain on the island of São Jorge in the Azores, rising to 1053 meters high.
From here, you have an incredible view over the island of São Jorge itself, the ocean and the islands of Faial and Pico. On days with good visibility, you can also see Graciosa and Terceira in the opposite direction.
In this area there is a large group of mountains, lower than this one, which form the central mountain range of the island of São Jorge. Between the various craters of extinct volcanoes, lagoons emerge, offering magical scenery.
Due to the altitude of the area, it can be under heavy clouds of fog, as was the case with us. However, as is common in the Azores, the weather is always changing, so the scenery can quickly open up and reveal the beauty that is Pico da Esperança.
Access to Pico da Esperança is via a wide dirt track that forks off from the main path. From here, it's a steep climb that leads directly to one of the highest areas, overlooking the two large lagoons in its center. From here, there is a small path that circles the highest area, encircling the lagoons - however, be careful as it is a windy, foggy and quite high area.
how to get to Pico da Esperança
The main way to visit this destination is via a footpath, 16.9 km one way, called PR 04 SJO - Pico do Pedro - Pico da Esperança - Fajã do Ouvidor. You can consult the official trail information (here.).
The trail itself, although long, is quite simple, always following a dirt track that navigates between the mountain ranges, with a special stop at Pico da Esperança.
Despite the beauty of the trail, it is quite a long one with a few climbs due to the various mountains. In addition, it is a linear path, which makes it difficult for those who only want to visit Pico da Esperança (which is about 30% of the way).
Therefore, and due to the logistical difficulty of having to do the whole trail backwards or arrange transportation, we opted to take the car for part of the way. At the time of our visit (January 2022), there were no restrictions on vehicles on this trail, which is actually a dirt road. The path is not very easy for cars, but it is doable with a little care and reduced speed.
We chose to leave the car about 1 or 2 km from Pico da Esperança, next to a memorial that is located here, as it is one of the areas where the road is widest and allows for greater safety. In addition, from here Pico da Esperança appears straight ahead, so the view up there is worth the effort.
This memorial, the only human sign in the landscape, is a tribute to the passengers and crew of SATA Air Açores Flight ATP SP530M, which crashed into Pico da Esperança in 1999. In addition, there is a memorial to Father Júlio Soares, one of the victims of the crash.
more to see
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