Drinks at Casa do Sardinha

Some drinks are memorable because of the bartender; this one begins with the journey. Casa do Sardinha sits at the far end of the Ponta de São Lourenço trail, beside the old reception centre and the pier, in a stark landscape of volcanic rock, wind and Atlantic blue. You arrive on foot after the exposed walk - or by boat if your appetite for scenery exceeds your appetite for climbing - and suddenly an Aperol Spritz, a local craft beer or a traditional poncha feels like a prize. The current menu also includes Madeira wine, island rum, homemade lemonade and red-fruit iced tea, plus bolo do caco, steak sandwiches and simple plates if the hike has sharpened more than thirst. Do not expect cocktail-bar theatre: the landscape is doing all the theatre required. Find shade, drink water first, then order something cold and look back at the ridgeline you have crossed. Casa do Sardinha is not merely inside the protected park; it is part of the rhythm of visiting it - effort, arrival, refreshment and the long view home.