Walking & Hiking Trails-Vila do Porto, Santa Maria

One of the best ways to see the islands is in an SUV.  Seriously, the hills are very intense and so is the sun.  If you have only a few hours or a few days, get your bearings by taking a guided tour by jeep around the island.  All the islands are bigger than you realize. (This is partly a joke and partly not.  If the trails are your only experience of the islands, you might come away with the idea that the land is rough and unforgiving.  It is, but it also has lots of glorious aspects as well!)

However, if you have the strength and true fortitude to explore the trails, go for it! On Santa Maria alone, they have just finished up an 80km path which takes you in a circle around the island. Broken up into 4 sections of roughly 20km. Let people know where you are going, some of the areas are rarely traveled and have rough terrain, so bring a cellphone if possible or ask people to check in with you at various points on the routes.  And make sure to stop at the beaches for a cafe!! ;)

The trails are magnifIcent, but I haven't found any other online maps yet.  The signs contain valuable info, so take pictures of them before you leave.  The trails are very well marked, and even an inexperienced hiker can do well just by searching for the regular trail markers.

They are well marked and the map is key to understanding what villages you are walking to & from.

The trailhead at Vila do Porto is at En Cima do Roche (The Top of the Rock)