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 Azores Accommodation
Santa Maria Guest & Manor Houses
Santa Maria Holiday Apartments
Santa Maria Hotels
Santa Maria Inns
Azores Golf Courses
Golf Courses in Azores
Island of Santa Maria Guest Book
Santa Maria Forum
Azores Wines
Azores Wines
Islands of Azores - Ilha de Santa Maria
Lying some 55 kilometres south of the main island is Ilha de Santa Maria
which is 18 kilometres in length and 9.5 kilometres wide. The main town is
Vila do Porto lying on the south coast and consists of one principal
long street. Ilha de Santa Maria lies to the south of the group Azores
and enjoys the warmest annual climate of all the islands. The population of
about 6.000 are mainly descendants from the south of Portugal, especially
from the Algarve. The inhabitants originally enjoyed an economic boom by
growing "woad" which was then exported to Europe for use in the
dying of cloth. One of the features of this island is that many houses have
an outside bread oven attached to their houses (which used to be also common
to the Algarve). The inhabitants produced a quality of bread that gave rise
to a profitable trade with passing ships.
There are sandy beaches on the south coast and a peaceful countryside, both
providing a general relaxing atmosphere. On the west coast of the island is
a large airport (previously military), and constructed as a staging base by
the USA for use during the 2nd World War. On the north coast can be found a
small statue commemorating the brief visit of Christopher Columbus in
1493 on his return journey after discovering the "New World". Close by this
statue is a chapel believed to be the oldest in the Azores.
There is a schedule of regular flights to Ilha de São Miguel and
boats also connect these two islands.
Island
of Santa Maria Photos
Santa Maria Coastline
· Santa Maria Countryside
· Santa Maria Oxen Transport
· Santa Maria Drying Maize
· Santa Maria Church
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Island
of Santa Maria Events |
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| Festa da Senhora da Assunção (Vila do Porto) |
15th August |
| Festival de Musica International (Praia Formosa) |
August
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Azores Islands
Corvo
· Faial
· Flores
· Graciosa
· Pico
· São Jorge
· São Miguel
· Terceira
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Useful Stª Maria Telephone Numbers
