The first island discovered by Portuguese navigators, Santa Maria is one of the smallest islands in the archipelago. Small, yes, but home to great natural beauty. What’s more, it’s one of the least visited islands in the Azores, because it’s less directly accessible than other islands such as São Miguel, Terceira or Pico… But if, like Travel to the Azores, you love places off the beaten track, that makes it all the more appealing! On top of that, it has the warmest climate in the Azores, which certainly doesn’t hurt…
Pack your suitcase and add Santa Maria, the yellow island, to your discovery itinerary 🙂
1 – The formation and history of Santa Maria
Santa Maria tops the podium when it comes to the archipelago’s geological formation: it’s the oldest island, the first to rise from the waters, 10 million years ago. The island is divided into two types of landscape: a rugged, higher part, the Pico Alto, and a flatter part, where the small towns and villages lie. 8 volcanic episodes lie behind this magnificent creation of nature, and you can observe sediments in its rocks, unique within the Azores. If you love palaeontological diversity, Santa Maria is the place to go.
The island also tops the podium of discoveries, since, thanks to its location at the far south and far east of the archipelago, it was the first island the navigators spotted from mainland Europe, where they landed in 1427, and the first they settled a few years later.
Through this twist of history, Santa Maria managed to make the most of it by attracting an ever more varied economy: the cultivation of woad, a flower from which a bluish dye is extracted to colour fabrics, clay extraction, the growing of wheat, vines and other produce of the land… These various productions were sustained by visiting sailors, one of the most famous being Christopher Columbus, but also endangered by the unwelcome arrival of privateers.
Today, the island continues some food and livestock production but has added tourism to its bow. Santa Maria notably hosts a famous festival every year on one of its beaches, Praia Formosa. People come from all over the world to spend a few days there, listen to music, and sleep in tents or on a boat anchored near the beach. Pretty cool, right? That festival is the Festival Maré de Agosto. And in 2024, there’s an anniversary to celebrate: the festival’s 40th edition!
2 – The treasures of Santa Maria
With an area of 97 km², the island of Santa Maria is easily explored in a few days. It mainly catches travellers’ attention for its remarkably well-preserved local culture, its tiny towns and its breathtaking natural beauty. Most notably, the famous Praia de São Lourenço: a crescent-shaped sandy beach at the foot of an amphitheatre-like coastline, opening onto turquoise water, the Barreiro da Faneca: a red desert, and the Baía dos Cabrestantes, the oldest geological formation on the island and the oldest in the Azores, most of which lies below sea level.
Santa Maria is also home to some magnificent miradouros, waterfalls, a beautiful stretch of coastline, superb hiking trails… and other secret spots we keep for our travellers 🙂 Some of its treasures are also hidden in the food, because Santa Maria has some rather delicious local specialities! We’re thinking, for example, of Caldo de Nabos (a soup), Biscoitos de Orelha (biscuits) and the famous Santa Maria melon, known abroad.
3 – Visiting Santa Maria
Because yes, Travel to the Azores creates for you the perfect discovery programme for Santa Maria, and for your entire stay in the Azores. You tell us how many days you’d like to travel, the number of participants, the traveller profile (couple, friends, family…), your budget and your wishes, and we take care of everything else: apart from flights, we negotiate and book the key services of your stay (car rental, accommodation, activities, restaurants…) and plan all your days so you can discover the island or islands like a local and in an eco-responsible way.
To receive your free quote, don’t hesitate to get in touch at: contact@voyage-aux-acores.com or by filling in the contact form.
