From the top of Pico Castelo (Castle Peak), 437 meters above sea level, the extensive view of the landscape let us understand the morphology of Porto Santo Island: two distinct volcanic levations with a lower part, where the airport is situated, dividing them.

The volcanism in this island has started in the Tertiary and has last until the Quaternary period. Now, the volcanic activity in Porto Santo is completely extinct.

Pico Castelo belongs to the main volcanic system unit that occupy the Northeast and East of Porto Santo. Though this is the oldest volcanic set of Porto Santo, one can still observe here the highest altitudes and the deepest valleys of the island.

Photos by Catarina Fagundes