Costa Norte

Linear route along the north coast of Santa Maria, connecting Bananeiras to Anjos. Starting from Bananeiras, it descends to Baía do Raposo, a Geossite much sought after by fishing enthusiasts. In this first section, you pass two watermills and the irrigation channel that supplied them with water, as well as the remains of a wine press linked to the area’s ancient winemaking tradition, now in ruins.

Leaving the bay behind, the path gains elevation along the slope. This is where the vegetation becomes more noticeable: among the native flora are pau-branco (Picconia azorica), faia-da-terra (Morella faya) and cabaçeira (Pericallis malvifolia), alongside introduced species such as incense tree (Pittosporum undulatum), giant reed (Arundo donax) and agave (Agave americana). It’s worth keeping an eye out for birds, including the buzzard (Buteo buteo rothschildi), blackbird (Turdus merula), chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs moreletti), Santa Maria wren (Regulus regulus sanctae mariae), canary (Serinus canaria) and robin (Erithacus rubecula).

Heading westward, you cross a dense forest patch until reaching another Geossite, Barreiro da Faneca, where the island’s final eruptive phase occurred and reddish clays dominate. In this dry terrain, several detours open up leading to viewpoints overlooking the north coast, notably those at Ponta do Pinheiro and Baía da Cré.

At the end of this arid zone, the trail climbs Monte Gordo, where you’ll find a whale-watching post, and continues to Ponta dos Frades. From there it follows Ribeira dos Lemos towards Anjos. It is in this locality that you feel the weight of Santa Maria’s settlement: a small chapel, considered the first Christian temple in the Açores, and a statue of navigator Christopher Columbus, in the centre of povoação. From Anjos you can connect to GR 01 SMA – Grande Rota de Santa Maria, heading towards Vila do Porto.