At an altitude of 437 metres, the Pico Castelo Viewpoint offers one of the widest views over the island of Porto Santo. From this viewpoint, it's possible to see part of the bay, the centre of Vila Baleira and several of the islets that surround the island, such as Ilhéu da Cal and Ilhéu de Cima.
On the summit of this peak, there are traces of a small fortress built in the 16th century to defend the inhabitants against frequent invasions by French pirates. Here, some cannons stand out. The bust of Schiappa de Azevedo can also be found on Pico Castelo, a tribute to one of the men responsible for planting trees on this hill, which was once much more deserted.
Although it's accessible by car, a good alternative to reach the Pico do Castelo Viewpoint is a walk along the Pico Castelo Footpath. This footpath starts in the Camacha area and goes around Pico do Facho, the highest peak in the island, at 516 metres. It then passes through a pine forest until it finally reaches the viewpoint. In this case, you have two alternatives, a shorter path with 3.2 km, and a longer one with 4.6 km.
Details
At an altitude of over 400 metres and with the ruins of a fortress, the Pico do Castelo Viewpoint guarantees one of the widest views over Porto Santo.
