We spent a couple of nights at Cantinho do Ceu, a “rural tourism house” located on the northwest coast of Pico in Santa Luzia – we absolutely loved it and hated to leave after such a short stay. You rent the entire house; it was just the two of us on this trip, but it would also be an ideal place for a family. There are 2 bedrooms – the second one has bunks and has been colorfully and playfully decorated to appeal to children. There are also 2 full baths, both very spacious (one with a tub and one with a shower). There is a large kitchen with modern appliances, a dining area, and a comfortable living area.
The house has been beautifully and lovingly restored, using first-class materials. It has tile floors and wooden-beamed ceilings, and pleasing artwork and hand-painted tiles adorn the walls. Our photos of the house can be found here:
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We also received a welcome gift of wine; a fresh loaf of bread; a big round of Pico cheese (some of the best we’ve ever eaten); a bowl of local fruit; and some delicious homemade jam. The next day, a container of homemade Carnival sweets was dropped off for us by the very hospitable owners.
The owners, Fernando and Maria, are delightful. They met us, along with the Ilha Verde car rental representative, at the ferry terminal just after 8:00 in the morning, and led us to the house. They were very informative, and gave us outstanding restaurant suggestions. We had fabulous meals at the lovely Restaurante Hocus Pocus in the Aldeia de Fonte hotel in Silveira (near Lajes do Pico) and Restaurante O Ancoradouro in Madalena. Fernando recommended the latter as the best place to try the famed regional dish of caldo de peixe. It was great, as were the incredible views of crashing waves.
Fernando and Maria both speak impeccable English (Fernando actually teaches English). We made all the arrangements re: the rental via E-mail. Fernando always responded promptly, and answered questions about the ferry schedule and island activities. The house is located in a perfect location, close to both the ferry and the airport (we arrived from Faial by ferry and left for Terceira by plane). It also provides a great view of Mt. Pico.
We thoroughly enjoyed exploring the island of Pico. Both the coastal and interior scenery is stunning. The towns and villages are neat and colorful. The whaling museum in Lajes and the whaling industry museum in Sao Roque are both interesting, worthwhile stops. The wines and cheese are excellent and very reasonably priced. It has some of the best restaurants we encountered on the 4 islands we visited. We would like to return to Pico during a different time of year (though we actually enjoyed the off-season here), and we would definitely want to stay again at this very special place. Aside from being a beautiful property owned by extremely kind and friendly people, it was also an incredible value. What a gem.
