Road to Mount Pico, Portugal

© Marco Bottigelli/Getty Image

The road less taken. Mount Pico, Portugal

At almost 8,000 feet above sea level, Mount Pico is the highest point in the Azores, a collection of volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean that are an autonomous region of Portugal. Back in 1562, an eruption here on Pico Island lasted for more than two years, but this stratovolcano has been lying dormant since 1720.

These days, Mount Pico is popular with hikers and, at more than twice the height of any other peak in the archipelago, there are stunning views on offer from its peak, for those determined enough to make the climb.