Holiday on Santa Maria

Spare time

Healthy air and an original nature invite to have long walks onto the Pico Alto or in one of the gorges. Sport enthusiastics are able to rent mountain bikes, or for more convenience, explore the island by rental car.

Several natural swimming pools (Anjos, Sao Lourenco, Maia) and amazing sights (lighthouse, museum, fort, red earth) provide good opportunities to combine scuba diving with a family holiday. There is plenty of fun for kids playing with cats, chicken, ducks, goats and a horse, while their parents go diving. Please ask for children care in the diving center.

Friends of watersports can go windsurfing, waterskiing, wakeboarding or rent a kajak and explore the bay.

Our favourite reef "Sao Lourenco" is a nursery for many specimen of fish and offers great snorkeling. Several little rivers envite for canyon tours.

Restaurants

There are pubs, bars and restaurants in different price levels in the capital Vila Do Porto and spreat over the island. Traditional and international dishes are offered. In Sao Lourenco, the home of Wahoo-Diving, you will find a hamburger bar and a recommendable fish restaurant.

Shopping

For fresh fruit and vegetables there is a native market in Vila Do Porto and also some supermarkets and little shops.

Accomodation

Mar e Sol: located in the lovely bay of Praia Formosa it offers appartments from 2 – 4 persons on 2 floors. Ocean view and beautiful sand beaches near by.

Hotel Praia de Lobos***: located in a calm crossroad in Vila do Porto. Bed/breakfast, restaurant, bar and cosy lounge. Rooms with shower, toilet, tv and phone, aircondition.

Hotel Colombo****: At the entrance of Vila do Porto with a beautiful view. Modern rooms with shower, toilet, phone, tv, minibar, safe and aircondition. Furthermore restaurant, bar, coffee shop, swimming pool, fitness, squash, turkish sauna and child care.

Casa São Pedro: Old azorean guesthouse with 4 rooms. Bed/breakfast, shower/toilet, aircondition. Dining room and lounge with tv, garden, horses for rent. Close to the restaurant "Rosa Alta".

Casa Gorda: The cottage is located very calm and idyllic in the Northeast of Santa Maria. The house is rebuilt quite typically, it offers space for a max. of 6 persons in 3 sleeping rooms, living room, complete kitchen and a big terrace with a barbecue made of stone and seaview. The distance to the next super market is 3,5km, to the diving center 5km.

Casa Margarida: Very idyllic located cottage in the east part of the island, completly restaured and modern equiped for relaxed holidays.
Distance to the next foodstore about 3 km, to the divingcenter 10 km.

For individual travellers, families or travel groups we organize private rural houses on request.

(to enlarge click the picture)