Two coastal settlements define the local area: Cachorro and Cais do Mourato lie on the coast of the Freguesia of Bandeiras in the Concelho of Madalena. Both are part of the viticultural landscape of Pico Island, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Paths, chapels and an annual pilgrimage add specific local and historical dimensions to this landscape.

Local Access and Routes

The access routes to the settlements are clearly distinct: Cachorro is reached via Caminho do Poço, and Cais do Mourato via Caminho do Poço Velho. Caminho da Costa connects Cachorro with Cais do Mourato. The routes can therefore be understood by their function: two provide access to the individual coastal settlements, while the third connects them.

The route between Cachorro and Guindaste offers information at 29 points, as well as two marked hiking trails and a cycling route. A connection between the same places that runs mostly along the coast is listed as approximately 25 kilometres long. The approximate distance and the designated route types answer different planning questions: one indicates the extent of the route, while the others distinguish between hiking and cycling.

Landscape and Geology

The route between Cachorro and Guindaste passes through a black landscape featuring dry-stone walls, functional buildings and winding vegetation. Near Cachorro, basalt lava flows associated with Lomba do Fogo reach the coast. The route can thus be read as a journey through both built and natural landscapes.

Chapels and Oral History

In the centre of Cachorro stands the 17th-century Ermida de Nossa Senhora dos Milagres. The Ermida de Nossa Senhora do Desterro in Cais do Mourato dates from the 20th century. The chapels thus mark different historical periods in the two coastal settlements.

The pilgrimage to Nossa Senhora dos Milagres has taken place every year on 2 February since 1718, commemorating the volcanic eruption of that same year. It ends at the Ermida de Nossa Senhora dos Milagres. The year therefore marks both the event being commemorated and the beginning of the annual tradition.

Oral accounts and surviving ruins suggest that Bandeiras once had eight traditional distilleries. This historical trace complements the sacred heritage with a different local practice.

Swimming Area in Cais do Mourato

The Cais do Mourato swimming area in the Freguesia of Bandeiras received the “Zero Pollution” award for its excellent water quality. A municipal post dated 5 June 2025 reports on the award. This gives Cais do Mourato its own coastal point of interest alongside its chapels and routes.

Discover more destinations: Baixa, Lajido do Meio, Canto da Areia, Candelaria, Ribeiras, São Mateus, Terra Alta, Pontas Negras

For the overview of the wider area: Pico.