Monte da Guia A Quick Hiking Guide to One of Horta’s Most Beautiful Views

If coming by air or sea into Faial Island of the Azores, it’s almost impossible to miss Monte da Guia. This iconic volcanic cone is a short walk from the port town of Horta. The protected landscape is actually two separate cones, Monte da Guia and Monte Queimado

With its close proximity to Horta, hiking both Monte da Guia and Monte Queimado provides stellar views of one of Faial’s picturesque cities.

The hiking trail is fairly easy, but the rewards are grand. The trail can be a loop, or simply pick the places you wish to see.

Both hills offer views of sea cliffs, bays, and unique flora and fauna. The Bay of Porto Pim can be seen with its sandy beaches and distant views of the Fort of São Sebastião.

This is a quick hiking guide to Monte da Guia and why it’s worth exploring.

Table of Contents

Disclosure: This is part of my Hikes & Adventures series, which means these treks can be strenuous and challenging. These are my experiences and I am not an expert. Please have all the proper equipment, verify the weather conditions, use professional resources, do your own research, be mindful of constantly changing trail conditions, and take into consideration your own physical abilities and/or limitations. These guides are for entertainment purposes only. Please see my full disclosure for more information here.

• Overview of Monte da Guia Hike
• Where to Find the Trailhead to Monte Queimado & Monte da Guia
• Monte Queimado Trail
• Things to See on Monte da Guia
• Praia de Porto Pim
• Is the Hike up Monte da Guia Worth it?
• Conclusion | Quick Guide to the Monte da Guia Hike

Monte da Guia Hike Overview | PRC 08 FAI

Monte da Guia is part of an officially marked trail on the Azores Hiking Trail on Faial Island. The official trail is known as the Entre Montes route. While I typically follow the official trails, this time I visited different points of interest along the hiking path.

Be mindful to check in with route closures and updates as the weather can disrupt and close official hiking trails.

• Loop Trail | Entre Montes – PRC 08 FAI
• Trailhead: Rua da Rosa or the official trailhead is marked with a signboard near this parking lot
• Official Trail Markers: PRC 08 FAI is a fairly straightforward trail with different markers and signboards found along the route
• Difficulty: Easy
• Distance: Officially marked at 2.1 Miles (3.4 Km), but can be explored at leisure (I didn’t make the full “loop”)
• Excursion Duration: 1 -3 hours, dependent on route, stops, etc. There are a few museums and a beach en route
• Azores Trails has a downloadable version of the Entres Montes Route

Where to Find the Trailhead to Monte Queimado & Monte da Guia

There are numerous places to join the trail and explore both Monte Queimado and Monte da Guia. Most travelers who stay on Faial Island will sleep in Horta to explore the island, which is a short walk to the Monte da Guia trailhead.

Technically, you could join the trail if enjoying the beaches at Porto Pim Bay or if walking from the Marina area of Horta. As it’s a loop trail, there are multiple ways to reach the trailhead.

I had stopped in for a beverage at the legendary marina bar Peter Café Sport after hiking the challenging 10 Volcanoes hike. The sun was shining and I decided that I must see the views from Monte da Guia.

A short 5-minute walk from the Horta port led me to Rua da Rosa. Here, there is a painted signboard on a wall of a staircase for Monte Queimado. If coming from the marina area in Horta, this is definitely the most convenient place to pick up the trail.

Monte Queimado Trail

Start up the concrete staircase from Rua da Rosa. The trail soon becomes a dirt path. If you look to the left, you’ll get some stellar views of the port of Horta. Continue on the trail to see those first glimpses of Porto Pim Beach. Monte da Guia sits majestically in the backdrop.

Both Monte Queimado and Monte da Guia are part of a protected landscape so it’s important to stay on the marked trails.

From the viewpoint, notice at the foot of the shore across the bay is the Fabrica da Baleia de Porto Pim, an old whaling station that is today a museum. Whaling was a huge part of the Azores culture and traces can be seen throughout almost all of the islands from São Jorge to Santa Maria.

Whaling in the Azores was banned during the 1980s and today the Azores are turning their efforts to more sustainable programs like whale-watching.

Next to that is the Casa dos Dabney, a home that belonged to John Dabney, who was the Consul General of the United States in the Azores in the early 1800’s.

Come down Monte Queimado to arrive near the parking lot where the official trailhead signs can be found that lead up to Monte da Guia.

Things to See on Monte da Guia Protected Landscape

These are some of the highlights of the Monte da Guia hike.

Miradouro da Lira (Lira Viewpoint)

I followed the trail behind the whaling museum and Dabney House that leads to the Lira Mirador. This was one of the best miradors to appreciate the São Sebastião Fortress, as it wasn’t as high as the other vistas on the volcanic cone.

Looking out there was a nice view of the Porto Pim beach with Monte Queimado in the backdrop.

Capela de Nossa Senhora da Guia

After savoring the views, I took the wooden stairs built into the hillside up to the chapel. Although you’re only climbing up around 280 ft (85 m), it can still be quite steep. The wooden planks that assist as stairs help alleviate the climb!

From the Chapel of Our Lady of Guia, there are numerous vantage points. Looking over the Bay of Porto Pim you can see the entirety of Horta including the port. It’s a great place to savor the beauty of this volcanic island and in my opinion one of the best views of Horta.

Move to the opposite side of the hermitage to see Caldeirinhas, a Nature Reserve Bay that is blessed with tons of fish. The bay is a result of part of the volcanic cone being submerged underwater.

There are underwater caves near here making it one of the best places to snorkel and dive in Faial. Be mindful that diving is limited to certain areas as it is a protected area.

If you’re exhausted from a big day of hiking in the Azores, you can follow the stairs back down to head to Porto Pim Beach. Otherwise, follow the trail to the Miradouro do Neptuno.

Miradouro do Neptuno (Neptune Viewpoint)

From the chapel, it’s possible to visit the Neptune Viewpoint, a place famous for a ferocious storm that hit the shoreline in the 1980s with 155 mph winds. A local man, Jose Henrique Azevedo, was able to take a photo of a giant wave that smashed against the rocks here that looked identical to the face of the Roman God Neptune.

Hence why this viewpoint is named Miradouro do Neptuno.

This area is on near a cliff, so be mindful of your footing. From here, it’s possible to follow the trail that runs parallel to the Bay of Porto Pim. The trail leads to the Aquarium where you loop back behind the Whaling Museum.

The loop from the chapel to the Neptune Viewpoint to the Aquarium is around 3/4 of a mile, or just over a kilometer.

Next, continue to the sandy beach of Porto Pim.

Praia de Porto Pim (Porto Pim Beach)

The Porto Pim Beach is one of the best beaches in the Horta area. It’s definitely a great place to relax and enjoy after hiking Monte da Guia. The bay is fairly protected, making it an ideal place to swim on Faial Island. Always be mindful and respectful or current sea conditions.

On the beach, find changing rooms and showers, so don’t forget to pack your swimsuit in your day pack.

Afterward, I took a stroll up to the Cafe Do Porto Pim. This area kind of acts as an outdoor gathering place where you can savor a beverage of your choice. For me, I loved the built-in cupholders and views of Monte da Guia!

To end my rewarding day hike, I followed Rua Nova back to the main port of Horta.

Is the Hike up Monte da Guia Worth it?

Even though I was tired, mentally and physically tired from my big early morning hike on the Rota dos Dez Vulcões, I’m so glad I took the hike to Monte Queimado and up to Monte da Guia. The trail is lovely and is not nearly as challenging as some of the hiking routes on the other islands.

The trails on Monte Queimado and Guia offer some of the best views of Horta. Additionally, on a clear day, it’s possible to see Pico Mountain towering in the distance on Pico Island. What was fun was that I also got to appreciate Monte da Guia from Pico while walking the Vinhas da Criação Velha Wine Trail.

If you only have time for one short hike on Faial, Monte da Guia is worth it. The hike does not cover a lot of distance but offers lots of rewards and viewpoints. With hillside chapels, protected landscapes, and numerous observation points, the Monte da Guia hike is worth exploring!

Conclusion | A Quick Hiking Guide to Monte da Guia

In short, this is a quick hiking guide to Monte Queimado and Guia, a unique protected landscape made of two volcanic cones.

This short hike is fairly easy and is accessible from the port town of Horta.

Both Monte da Guia and Monte Queimado provide lovely views of Horta and the volcanic terrain. The hiking trails can be followed with ease and there are numerous signboards along the way. In addition to natural beauty, it’s possible to visit important museums and sandy beaches.

Hiking Monte da Guia is one of the best things to do on Faial Island!

Have you been to Faial? Did you get to savor the views from Monte da Guia and Queimado? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!

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