About Sao Miguel

Sao Miguel is the largest island in the Portuguese Azorean archipelago, situated in the North Atlantic Ocean. Known locally as ‘the green island’, Sao Miguel’s landscape is characterised by rolling hills, vast green plains and towering mountains. It also boasts beautiful crater lakes, sandy beaches, blue ocean waters and an award-winning national park. The bustling capital of Ponta Delgada offers both a cosmopolitan and historical atmosphere, with a great number of fascinating monuments and century-old buildings found alongside upmarket restaurants and a variety of shops. As the most populated island in the Azores, Sao Miguel offers numerous ferry connections to many locations in the archipelago. The routes are operated by a popular local ferry company, but, given the sparseness of the islands, the journey times can vary greatly.

About Santa Maria

Santa Maria is the oldest and southernmost island of the Portuguese Azores archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean. Known locally as ‘the island of the sun’ and ‘the yellow island’, Santa Maria boasts the sunniest climate of the Azores and a landscape characterised by dry vegetation and sandy shorelines. The island has a rich cultural heritage, too, which is evident in the town of Anjos, the first landfall of Christopher Columbus on his return voyage from the Americas. Also, each traditional home in Santa Maria’s villages has a distinctively coloured chimney in order to contrast with the whitewashed masonry. Santa Maria also claims the best swimming spots in the archipelago, with a wide choice of stunning beaches and refreshing tidal pools. The most popular beach is Praia Formosa on the south coast which also offers excellent surfing, water skiing and sailing conditions. Santa Maria is well connected to the other Azorean islands by ferry, with numerous routes provided from its port on the southwest coast to almost every island.