Great Sandy beach with good waves. Like everywhere on Azores there are free showers and changing room. Also lifeguards. Parking free and there is a beach bar-restaurant. Amazing views and this is considered by many the best beach on the island.

One of best beaches on the island. Arrive around lunch to ensure you can get a parking space. Great place for family beach day. Restaurant on site is quite good too.

A magical beach and the wonder of Santa Maria Island! You will never guess whether there will be a beach with pure white sand or water will come up to the stone embankment and you won’t be able to sunbathe on the sand) I don’t even know how to explain this phenomenon, but the locals call it a miracle and say that it all depends on the weather) But in any case, to visit this place is worth 100%!! I especially recommend choosing a walking route from Vila do Porto to the beach, a distance of about 7.5 kilometers. You will enjoy picturesque views of the ocean, caves and the opportunity to eat wild blackberries that grow along the entire trail)

Very nice beach….easy access, great parking, shallow waters for a while….great for everyone.

Nice!!!

A peaceful beach. Perhaps my favourite one in Azores.

This place is beautiful no doubt but the European tourist infestation is absolutely out of control.

You can see all the island from here

(Translated by Google) Location conveys peace and quiet. Clean air. Beautiful views over the island. The weather is dynamic and in a matter of seconds we can no longer see the island due to the clouds. We did a 6km circular trail. It's beautiful, but somewhat bumpy and for those who don't know much about trails, it raises some doubts about the path to follow at the forks/junctions. On the way there is a viewpoint. (Original) Local transmite paz e sossego. Ar puro. Vistas lindas sobre a ilha. A meteorologia é dinâmica e numa questão de segundos podemos deixar de ver a ilha, devido às nuvens. Fizemos trilho circular de 6km. É bonito, mas algo acidentado e para quem não percebe muito de trilhos, suscita algumas dívidas sobre o caminho a seguir nas bifurcações/entroncamentos. No caminho tem um miradouro.

(Translated by Google) Pico Alto is the highest mountain in Santa Maria. From here, in good weather, you can enjoy a view of the entire island. This is the historic site where, on February 8, 1989, the pilots of a Boeing 707-331B flew into the fog-shrouded Pico Alto mountain. The accident killed all 144 people on board; it is the worst aviation accident in Portugal. From here, you can also start the PRC 02 SMA hiking trail, which is 6.2 km of hilly terrain. It's very strenuous, as the last two kilometers involve a 220-meter climb. (Original) Pico Alto ist der höchste Berg von Santa Maria. Von hier aus hat man bei gutem Wetter einen Blick über die gesammte Insel. Historischer Ort wo am 8. Februar 1989 eine Boeing 707-331B von den Piloten in den nebelverhüllten Berg Pico Alto geflogen wurde. Bei dem Unfall kamen alle 144 Menschen an Bord der Maschine ums Leben; es handelt sich damit um den schwersten Flugunfall in Portugal. Von hier aus kann man ebenfalls die Wanderoute PRC 02 SMA starten welche über 6,2 km hügelige Strecke führt. Sehr anstregend da es die letzen zwei km eine Steigung von 220 meter zu erklimmen gilt.

(Translated by Google) Highest place on the island where we can see the entire island. We can see a plateau, which is the part of the island that was submerged, and the volcanic part of the island, which is much more mountainous. Very easy access. I recommend it. (Original) Local mais elevado da ilha onde podemos ver toda a ilha. Podemos verificar um planalto, que é a parte da ilha que esteve submersa, e a parte vulcânica da ilha, muito mais montanhosa. Acesso muito facil.Aconselho.

(Translated by Google) Excellent viewpoint with views of all parts of the island. Easy circular trail with views of various parts of the island. (Original) Excelente Miradouro com vista para todas as partes da ilha. Trilho circular, fácil e com vista para as várias partes da ilha.

(Translated by Google) I don't know why the point is noted here. You have to go to the parking lot, a few steps from the highest point, to begin the hike. In fact, I recommend going in the opposite direction to the one indicated if you don't want to be demoralized during the last few kilometers. The trail is difficult to navigate in wet weather because it's very, very, very muddy. (Original) Je ne sais pas pourquoi le point est noté ici. Il faut aller au parking, à quelques marches du point culminant pour commencer la randonnée. D'ailleurs je conseille de faire dans l'autre sens que celui indiqué si vous ne voulez pas être démoralisés les derniers km. Sentier difficilement praticable par temps humide car chemin très très très très boueux

(Translated by Google) An enchanting natural location offering a complete panoramic view of Santa Maria Island! (Original) Luogo naturale incantevole da dove si ha una panoramica completa dell'isola di Santa Maria!

If you visit Santa Maria, without visiting this museum, and without watching the video (which should have english subtitles) about how this island was formed, you just lost an amazing opportunity to understand the geological richness of the amazinh island you visited.. Enjoy it!!!

I truly recommend any visitor to the island to spend some time there preferably at the start of your stay to learn very interesting points about the island. I got to learn that Santa Maria has a different geological history than all the other islands which makes it so special. Go and visit!

Fascinating insights into how the island was formed. Really good film in Portuguese but with English subtitles. Interesting fossils too.

Great guide! Lots of knowledge and enthusiasm :)

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(Translated by Google) I enjoyed visiting; it's a very interesting life's work by Dalberto Pombo, which also involved the participation of others. (Original) Gostei de visitar, muito interessante, obra de vida de Dallberto Pombo que teve a participação de outros também

(Translated by Google) Small but clear and varied in the material displayed. (Original) Pequeno mas claro e variado no material exposto

If you follow the nearby hiking trail, you come by this place. It's not too special and not worth visiting, unless you're doing the hike anyways.

(Translated by Google) Really an interesting place, not to mention the fossilized shells which number in the thousands on one of the walls. Plus, not hard to find at all. Simply use the walking path starting from Villa do Porto or drive to the Pedro do Campos geological site located 500 m before the cave. (Original) Vraiment un lieu intéressant, sans compter les coquillages fossilisés qui se comptent par milliers sur l'une des parois. De plus, pas du tout difficile à trouver. Il suffit d'utiliser le sentier pédestre partant de Villa do Porto ou de vous rendre en voiture au site géologique Pedro do campos situé 500 m avant la grotte.

(Translated by Google) Very beautiful place, with a spectacular view, a beautiful path to follow, lack of signage for the more distracted. (Original) Sitio muito bonito, com uma vista espetacular, um caminho bonito para se fazer, falta sinalização para os mais distraídos.

(Translated by Google) Nice walk from the Porto Volá marina to Praia Formosa. These groups are huge. It's a shame I didn't see the fossils. (Original) Boas caminhada desde a marina do vola do Porto ate à praia formosa. Estas grupas enormes. Pena nao ter visto os fosseis

(Translated by Google) Very interesting. Sheltered and peculiar place. Could have more information and benches or picnic tables. I recommend doing the trail. Fantastic views and path. (Original) Muito interessante. Local abrigado e peculiar. Poderia ter mais informação e bancos ou mesas para piquenique. Recomendo fazer o trilho. Vistas e caminho fantástico.

(Translated by Google) The photos speak for themselves (Original) Aa fotos falam por si

(Translated by Google) I've been walking back and forth for 20 minutes trying to figure out where the hell the path is that takes me there! I can't see a single sign! Mr Mayor...what amateurism!!! (Original) Estou há 20min a andar para a frente e para trás a ver se consigo perceber onde raio é o caminho que me leva lá! Não vejo uma única sinalização! Sr Presidente da Câmara…que amadorismo!!!

It's VERY brightly lit almost too bright (clinically bright) - not cosy. I just ordered shredded lamb with couscous- and got what I consider to be a child's portion - certainly not enough for €16. Dont like being served "fashionable & chic" tiny portions - just because you press the food into tiny metal rings and pots to serve it doesn't make it better! Good that I wasn't that hungry or I would have had to order something else... I found the food was average from the taste - almost too salty. Sorry, thumbs down from me I won't make the mistake of eating here again.

Great local restaurant (underrated imo). I had vegetable lasagna and it was absolutely delicious. Trying the local melon (dessert) is a must if you go when it is in season - it’s amazingly good. Very attentive service. Vegetarian options are very much appreciated as they are hard to find in the islands. Recommended 100%

In 2018 and 2019, the tuna steaks I got here were a once in a lifetime experience. 2023, I was here twice for the beefsteak(which was quite okay) and the codfish(which was rather poor for a 4*restaurant) . Service is still en par, prices stayed high, but unluckily the food doesn't match the standards anymore. I assume the restaurant is in a difficult phase somehow. I wish you all the best, friends, may you find back to your pre covid levels which were unbelievably good.

Had a very tasty meal upon arrival on the island in this very nice restaurant located in the charming blue hotel where we were given loads of advice for our trip on the island regardless of not staying there. The food was really nice. Had the Santa Maria sausage three ways and the lamb. Service was impeccable also. Would recommend.

Great food, poor service. A nice change from typical Santa Maria cuisine. I had the chicken and mushrooms. It arrived quickly and was delicious. Unfortunately, our waiter was not very good. He had an attitude, rolling his eyes when one of us accidentally spilled water. Our group was half English/Portuguese speaking. At one point, he started asking me something in Portuguese and those in our group who were fluent explained that I and others didn’t speak the language. Shortly after, he brought us dessert menus all in Portuguese. We had to flag him down to ask for a couple English menus. One of our party also ordered a cafe that just never arrived. The kitchen clear is doing great things but the wait staff could improve.

Excelente tomato soup. A bit pricy but the food and room make up for it. I ate a simple veggies pasta and loved it. You have a large menu to choose from and can have wine by the glass. I will for sure be back.

Terrible service. Took almost half an hour to just order our dishes. Almost hour and a half to serve them. It looked like they didn't have enough staff or trained properly.

I hiked across the island and stumbled across this place while waiting for my friends to pick me up! I loooooved the vibe, the view and ambience inside this little place. The drinks are very reasonably priced and I just really enjoyed watching people taking a swim in the beautiful ocean and play on the beach! I did not eat anything, just had some drinks which were good!

I stopped by this snack bar for a late morning brunch mostly because it was the only place open around noon. Unfortunately, their full kitchen and menu weren’t available yet, which was a bit disappointing. Still, for a snack bar, they offered some surprisingly impressive options. We kicked things off with a coconut pastry that was a real standout. The exterior was flaky and crisp, giving way to a smooth, buttery inside. The toasted coconut flakes and a sprinkle of sugar added a delightful crunchy contrast that made each bite interesting. Next, we ordered the chicken tenders, chicken wings, and a side of their circular French fries. The chicken portions were generous and felt like excellent quality for the price. They came with a variety of sauces to try—my favorite was the vibrant green spice sauce. Definitely ask for that one if you go. The chicken’s breading was perfectly crunchy, while the meat inside stayed juicy and tender. The French fries were a step above the typical island fare—they had a homemade look and taste that made them stand out. The staff was very friendly and helpful, especially toward us Americans. The food did take a while to arrive, but that’s pretty standard around here. Overall, the food was tasty and well-prepared, and the atmosphere was pleasant. I’d definitely come back for another round when hanging out at the beach.

The food is just the usual from frozen deep fried etc. Despite having one of those buzzer things our order was forgotten on a counter somewhere, so it was a bit luke warm. For a beach snack OK - no more no less. For a cold beer, fantastic!

Best restaurant on the Island! We have been here for 3 weeks and have gone to many restaurants but wanted to try this one near the end of our trip and it did not disappoint. My husband ordered the octopus and I had the steak. I don’t like octopus but he wanted me to try and it wow it was amazing! My steak was cooked to perfection. Our server was knowledgeable and friendly. Amazing food, service, wine and all with a gorgeous view of the ocean. What more could you ask for?

Been here few times just for a drink, we decided to have dinner one day with no expectations.. the service is slow and not so good in general but surprisingly the day we went to eat the food was good! Really out of out expectations! That day there was not the cook so the owner prepare the dinner for us.

Pleasant beach bar/eatery. The food was good but the service, meh. Ordered marinated olives, prawns, fresh cheese, and a portion of bread. However, had I been advised the cheese already comes with bread, I’d’ve skipped the latter. Then I had to go and ask for cutlery and napkins. And I’d’ve had a second beer if I didn’t have to interrupt my meal to go for it at the counter. Shame really as it is quite a nice place.

Perfect spot to grab a beer, escape the sun and watch the waves! After we left we found the excellent public showers and won't be so sandy next time, sorry!

I'll recommend their Kebab and french fries. It's delicious!

Great variety of food and of really good quality! Locals and tourists are coming for a meal and the ladies at the counter have always a smile!!!

Don’t pass this restaurant by! Good food, pleasant service and good prices!

Great place to eat. Pizza here was good.

Best pizza nearby. Didn't dare to taste anything different, becouse the photos were not very compelling. Next building also has a nice mural to look at while stuffin' da pizza in ya' mouth. Pro tip: buy big pizza instead of 2 medium.

Great price and good kebabs! Great value for the money!

The food is fine for the prices they ask: you don't pay a lot. They live up to their name, the food comes in quite fast. Great place to get a quick bite.