The most recent municipality of Pico is Madalena, which was founded in 8 March 1723. It was inhabited by people from Faial, or who were living on that island.
Due to its geographical location, facing its neigbouring Faial Island, Madalena has won growing importance as a link port, through which all internal trade passes. Today, the port is used to transport people and small products to Faial. It was inhabited by the municipality’s main owners, who through hard work transformed the imense camps into productive orchards and vineyards. This was the beginning of the "verdelho" period, a much appreciated wine which, for almost two centuries, enjoyed international fame, even amongst the Russian Csars.
We still find here some manors, in fact in good state, which tell us old stories of the first settlers. Some were property of the commanders of the Province (capitães donatários) of Faial as well as Pico.
The Salemas manor was the scenery of the mini-series “Mau Tempo no Canal”.
The local government of the municipality of Madalena seats in the village with the same name, which is composed of a single parish: Matriz de Santa Maria Madalena. The municipality also includes the parishes of Bandeiras, Criação Velha, Candelária, São Mateus and São Caetano.
In São Mateus parish, on 6 August, people celebrate the Day of the Good Lord, the second greatest religious feast of the Azores, which attracts many people, namely our emigrants.
The mother-church, dedicated to Saint Mary Magdelene, is located right beside the sea, at the village entrance. Built in the 17th century, its façade underwent significant change in the late 19th century. Inside we see the main altar overlaid with gold.
In July, the feasts of Saint Mary Magdelene are celebrated. They are of both religious and profane nature, and due to the variety of attractions people come to the village throughout the whole week of celebration.
The Municipal Hall – of very modest design – was the only public building on the island in the 18th century. Rebuilt in 1999, the Wine Museum is housed in the old Carmelite Convent. In Areia Larga, a traditional summer destination, one finds some manors built in the golden period of “verdelho“ wine export by the “lords” of Faial, who, in the early settlement period, were also the owners of property in this area of Pico. In some places in Madalena we find small constructions in volcanic stone called "maroiços", which were built by the settlers from the stone extracted during the cleaning and management of the boundary properties for planting vines and conquering land for sowing, horticulture and orchards.
This is where the Cellar of the Cooperative of Wine Producers on Pico Island is located. The grapes are brought here and the much appreciated wines, "Terra de Lava" (white and red), "Basalto" and "Curral Atlântis", are produced, as well as the tasty spirits, which can be savoured in the many exquisite restaurants in this community. This production is also a source of income as large quantities are exported to the other islands of the Azores and to continental Portugal.
The Frei Matias cavern, on the western slope of Pico Mountain, is a 650m-long lava tunnel, where several light holes favour the proliferation of different kinds of bryophytes. Arcos do Cachorro, neighbouring Bandeiras parish, is an impressive set of tunnels and arches carved in the rock through which the sea enters in commotion.
Quinta das Rosas, in the vicinities of Madalena, is a park with many exotic species of trees, much visited by tourists and a place where couples come to take pictures on their wedding day.
The intriguing islets of Madalena which face the village, called “Deitado” (Lying Down) and “De Pé” (Standing Up), embellish the Faial-Pico channel. Many marine birds nest on these islets.
The illustrious figures of this municipality are Cardinal Costa Nunes, writer Nunes da Rosa and the always available "senhor Gilberto" who, although illiterate, helped the student population of Pico Island enormously.
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