Part of the southern island group, Santa Maria, as well as being the oldest, is also the southernmost and third smallest island within the Azorean archipelago (6.5km long and 4km wide, surface area of 97km2).

As with all these small remote and unique islands, (Graciosa and Corvo included) Santa Maria contains a wealth of beauty and memorable experiences for those few that make the effort to visit.

Santa Maria is an island of contrasts, especially in its typography. The west is quite flat, dry and soaked in sunshine and used in the majority for farming. Moving east and central on the island you come to the mountain peak of Pico Alto (587m/1925ft), which falls on a totally different hilly landscape, which often being shrowded in cloud, is rich in vegetation, and offers some quite spectacular scenery, where cliffs rise 100m from the oceans below.

Our 2 day Santa Maria walking and camping trip provided us with some of the most adventurous hours of our time in the Azores.... read more..

For more information on Santa Maria see the Santa Maria facts and Stats

What Others have said...

"..some of the Azores' most dramatic beaches and spectacular coastline."
"azoreschoice"

 

 

 

 

 

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