The sunniest island, with white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters.
It is the oldest island in the Azores and offers unique landscapes and the impressive Barreiro da Faneca.
Santa Maria was the first island in the Azores archipelago to be discovered and populated. Its climate is the hottest and driest in the region, which gives it unique landscapes, contrasting the green of the vegetation with the yellow of the arid land in some areas.
It is the only Azorean island that boasts extensive white sand beaches, with Praia Formosa being the Azores’ most iconic beach destination. Besides its paradisiacal beaches, Santa Maria dazzles with its geological richness, visible in the red desert of Barreiro da Faneca and its unique waterfalls.
Discover the very best these island have to offer.
