The Mysteries - Pico Island - The Charm of the Landscape

Lava beds originating in eruptions that took place after the settlement of the island, they have locally been given the name of mistérios or "mysteries" since the people knew no explanation for the volcanic phenomena and mainly for the effects of the eruptions which destroyed cultivated lands, making them inproductive. Covered by more or less dense woods, they are spread all over the island, the dark lava marking the surrounding landscape. The mistérios of Prainha (1572), Santa Luzia/Bandeiras and São João (1718) and Soldão (1720) are spectacular.