About Graciosa

Graciosa is the northernmost island of the Central Group in the Azores archipelago, an autonomous region of Portugal in the North Atlantic. With a landscape dominated by clay and whitewashed houses, Graciosa is known locally as ‘the white island’. Offering the perfect scenery for a relaxing getaway, it’s dotted with historic buildings, traditional windmills and picturesque vineyards. It also has the most rural feel of the Azorean islands. As well as being a great location for hiking, diving and fishing, Graciosa boasts natural hot springs in Carapacho to the south, where you can soak in 40°C water renowned for its healing properties. From the town of Praia on the east coast, you can choose from a wide range of sailings to most islands in the Azores, making Graciosa a good departure point for exploring this idyllic archipelago.

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.