SANTA MARIA
The Yellow Island
Since it is located further to south and to east, the island of Santa Maria has a warmer, drier climate with lower levels of rain, which contributes to the higher dryness of the land and vegetation, which is yellowish. Santa Maria is also known as the Island of the Sun.
The island features two areas with completely different characteristics: a flatter area at a lower altitude to the west, where the airport and the town of Vila do Porto are located, and a hilly area on the eastern half of the island, featuring more luxuriant vegetation and comprising the Pico Alto, which offers a good panoramic view.
The first island discovered and the first to be settled, Santa Maria was also the first island to be formed, emerging about 10 million years ago from the surrounding seafloor. Its age and diversified geological past are the basis of the unique geological and landscape features that the island has to offer.
Interactive Trail Map
Areia Branca
Trail Information
Category - Linear
Difficulty - Medium
Extension - 11.5 km
Time average - 4h30
This linear route connects Praia Formosa (south coast) to Baía of São Lourenço (northeast coast), making the connection between the two white sand beaches (limestone sand), unique in the Azores.
Along this trail, you will cross-classified areas such as the Natural Monument of Pedreira do Campo, Figueiral and Prainha, the protected area for management of species or habitats of Pico Alto and the protected landscape area of Baía of São Lourenço.
Great Route of Santa Maria
Trail Information
Category - Circular
Difficulty - Medium
Extension - 78 km
Time average - 28h30
The Great Route of Santa Maria takes in the whole island and over 78 circular km of lanscapes incluing areas of great geomorphological interest.
On the trail, you will see evidence of several types of erosion and sea water levels changing, which conveys the island’s particularities to places of incredible scenic beauty, as well as areas of educational and scientific interest.
Discover beautiful fauna, and considering the location of the Azores in the Northeast Atlantic, several species of migrant birds which use the Azores as a resting place.
Costa Sul
Trail Information
Category - Linear
Difficulty - Medium
Extension - 7 km
Time average - 3h00
This small linear route of 9 km connects the village of Bananeiras to Anjos, in a small walk along the North Coast of the island.
Leave Bananeiras towards Baía do Raposo. This trail, often used by people that go fishing to the bay, classified as Geosite, allows you to visit two watermills, the stream that feeds them and a mill belonging to the local vineyards, presently in ruins.
Leaving the bay, go up the hill where you can see some species of natural flora such as White Wood (Picconia azorica), Fayatree (Morella Faya), or the Cabaceira (Pericallis malvifollia) and introduced species such as the Australian Cheesewood (Pittosporum undulatum), Giant Reed (Arundo donax) and the Maguey (Agave Americana). Along the trail you can observe and hear some birds like the Buzzard (Buteo buteo rothscildi), Blackbird (Turdus merula), Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs moreletti), Santa Maria Goldcrest (Regulus regulus sanctae mariae), Atlantic Canary (Serinus canaria) or European Robin (erithacus rubecula).
Continuing West, the trail follows a thick forest area that will lead you to another Geosite – Barreiro da Faneca, place of the last eruptive phase of the island where the red clay is abundant. At this stage of the trail, along the dry land, there are several detours accessing viewpoints over the North Coast, especially the viewpoint of Ponta do Pinheiro and of Baía da Cré.
Arriving to the end of this dry land, the trail takes you up Monte Gordo, place with a whale tower. From here, go to Ponta dos Frades, continuing alongside Ribeira dos Lemos towards Anjos, where the history of the settlement of Santa Maria is highlighted by the presence of a small chapel, probably the first Christian temple of the Azores, and the statue of the seaman Cristovão Colombo, at the center of the village.
Santo Espírito - Maia
Trail Information
Category - Linear
Difficulty - Easy
Extension - 4.1 km
Time average - 2h00
This small route connects the village of Santo Espírito to the place of Maia, Southeast part of the island. Begin the trail near the church of Santo Espírito, passing by the Ethnographic Museum of Santa Maria, heading East, towards the sea. Follow the marks along the road until you reach an old windmill. From here, the dirt road winds along a wood of Australian Cheesewood (Pittosporum undulatum), passing by an old fountain and afterwards, pastures.
Entre a Serra e o Mar
Trail Information
Category - Circular
Difficulty - Medium
Extension - 9.8 km
Time average - 2h30
This circular route begins near the church of Santa Bárbara parish, northeast part of the island.
Go west, along the road that fives place to an alley accessing pastures. Go up until the place of Covão da Mula from where you can see the center of Santa Bárbara and also the place where the population used to extract clay for domestic use.
Pico Alto
Trail Information
Category - Circular
Difficulty - Medium
Extension - 6.2 km
Time average - 2h
This small circular route covers a forest area inserted in a protected area, passing through several natural viewpoints from where it’s possible to see different landscapes of the island.
Start the trail in the Pico Alto car park and climb a stairway near a military building to reach the highest point of the island, which boasts views over Santa Maria
Costa Norte
Trail Information
Category - Linear
Difficulty - Medium
Extension - 8.4 km
Time average - 4h00
This small linear route of 9 km connects the village of Bananeiras to Anjos, in a small walk along the North Coast of the island.
Leave Bananeiras towards Baía do Raposo. This trail, often used by people that go fishing to the bay, classified as Geosite, allows you to visit two watermills, the stream that feeds them and a mill belonging to the local vineyards, presently in ruins.