Right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean a tiny paradise is waiting for you
with light coloured sandy beaches, pure blue-green water, tree-covered mountains, 6,000 friendly inhabitants and dotted with absolutely delightful country cottages. Situated at 25° 06' west, 36° 58'
north, Santa Maria is southernmost of the widely scattered Azores group, and it differs markedly from the rest of the islands in many respects. Its maritime, subtropical climate is sunnier and warmer, pineapples ripen outdoors, it rains less and is seldom sultry. Temperatures vary very little from season to season or from day to night. The average summer temperature is 74° F (23° C), the average winter temperature is 61° F (16° C), as compared to 64° F and 32° F in Central Europe, for instance. The climate is beneficial for certain illnesses, such as bone and joint problems, allergies and asthma.
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Unlike that of the other islands, the vegetation is Mediterranean and considerably more diverse. There are many palms and flowering trees such as camellias, hibiscus, oleander and bougainvillea. Every month, one or two species outshine the others in turn, as if they have the island to themselves. Also, Santa Maria is millions of years older than the other islands in the Azores, lying on a separate stratum. This is why there is neither volcanic activity nor any earthquakes.
Owing to the many hours of sunshine, quite a number of people from the other Azores islands, and even from Madeira, maintain holiday homes on Santa
Maria, the »Ilha do Sol« - Island of the Sun. Although extending to only 37.6 square miles (97.5 square kilometres), Santa Maria offers many different landscapes. The extensive range of mountains in the interior is forested and jungle-like in contrast to areas of pasture land featuring stone walls and jagged rock formations. There are bizarre rock-scapes, terraced vineyards, steep cliffs with waterfalls and secluded river valleys, some of which shelter under enormous deciduous canopies.
Santa Maria has the best, most beautiful beaches of the whole archipelago. Two are large beaches (São Lourenço and Praia Formosa), some are small and secluded, all with light coloured sand.
Nevertheless, the island does not suffer mass tourism and we are confident this will remain so.
But Santa Maria is also an ideal island for walkers. The paths once serving the island's commercial purposes now waiting to be rediscovered and walked once more. For the ones who like to go out, the island offers an interesting night life, music festivals, and other events. Other holiday pastimes include bird and whale watching, swimming with dolphins, sailing, surfing, diving, paragliding, riding, tennis, and - in the near future - golf. But the most important attraction is perhaps the opportunity to enjoy the kind of peacefullness hardly no longer found anywhere, the chance to breathe clean air and be close to nature, of which we are also part, finding our own identity again.
