Hostels in Santa Maria Island, Portugal

Santa Maria Island, Portugal, belongs to the eastern group of the Azores, an autonymous region of Portugal, which is around one thousand three hundred kilometres west of continental Portugal. The small island is around sixteen kilometres long and ten kilometres wide at its maximum; due to this compact size, the island is quite easy to explore. Only about five thousand five hundred inhabitants permanently live there. The main reason for most tourists to visit Santa Maria Island is the authentic nature, the white sandy beaches, and the mild climate all year round.

Officially, the Portuguese sailor and explorer Diogo de Silves discovered the island in the fifteenth century. Geologically, it is the oldest island of the Azores, with a dry clay plain as well as a hilly region full of unspoilt thick vegetation and river valleys. The easiest way to get to Santa Maria Island is by plane from Sao Miguel, the largest island in the archipelago of the Azores. The trip takes around thirty minutes.

The Azores have the nickname “The Land of the Everlasting Spring.” Santa Maria Island has a mild climate all year round. In summer, the average maximum temperatures range from twenty-one to twenty-five degrees Celsius. Even in winter, maximum temperatures of less than sixteen degrees Celsius are rare. The climatic conditions make the island very interesting for outdoor sport lovers who enjoy hiking.

There are a couple of hotels, guesthouses, and hostels in Santa Maria Island, Portugal, for tourists. Most accommodations are of good quality and have reasonable rates for guests. The Santa Maria Island, Portugal hostels are located at the south coast of the island. If you want to stay in one of the hostels in Santa Maria Island, Portugal, go to Vila do Porto first. The places are nearby the centre of the village and therefore easy to reach.

For outdoor sport lovers there are hiking trails all over the island. The so called Great Route of Santa Maria is a circular route around the island. This trail covers just under eighty kilometres of very diverse and unspoilt landscapes. It is an excellent opportunity to relax, to discover the hidden treasures of the island, and to experience the real character of the island. The island also boasts the “clearest beach of the Azores” -- at Farmosa Beach, you get white sand and whitish sedimentary rocks. The long and narrow beach is overlooked by the ruins of the small São João Baptista Fort, which was built in the Middle Ages. The basalt columns on the south coast of the islands are a unique geologic formation. The “Ribeira de Maloás” at Malbusca are the result of the contact of the lava flow with cold seawater. The waterfall at the basalt columns is particularly beautiful.