São Pedro: Landscape, Routes and Architectural History

In São Pedro on Santa Maria, you can plan your trip around different interests: trails through the coastal landscape, nature watching, or church architecture and festival traditions. The route distances, their respective destinations and the historic buildings provide concrete points of reference.

Landscape and Nature in São Pedro

A distinctive natural area is Baía do Raposo. It lies within the Área de Paisagem Protegida do Barreiro da Faneca and is classified as a geosite of the UNESCO Global Geopark Azores. The Bananeiras–Vila do Porto section reaches the bay. Features there include the ruins of two watermills, the Levada that supplies them, and a wine press from the local wine-growing culture.

Barreiro da Faneca is known as the Azores’ “Red Desert.” The area can be reached by car via the Paúl or Piquinhos roads in the parish of São Pedro. As local conditions can change, it is advisable to check them before setting out.

Hiking Trails and Cycling Route

The linear Costa Norte PR01SMA trail runs along the north coast of Santa Maria and connects Bananeiras with the historic village of Anjos. It starts at Feteiras de São Pedro. From Vila do Porto, take the regional road towards São Pedro to reach the trail access point. Native and endemic plants grow in the Ribeira do Engenho section, including Picconia azorica, Morella faya and Pericallis malvifolia. Several bird species are often seen or heard along this section; sightings are seasonal and not guaranteed.

Grande Rota details also vary by section and destination: the Norte–Bananeiras section is 16.5 kilometres long and leads to the village of Bananeiras in the parish of São Pedro. Stage 4 runs from Bananeiras to Vila do Porto and covers 22.5 kilometres. Another way to experience São Pedro is the third stage of the Grande Rota Santa Maria, which passes through a wooded area with a viewpoint overlooking the village.

As an alternative to walking trails, the circular Percurso 51 is a cycling route across the western side of Santa Maria. It has a low difficulty level and a relatively flat course. The route passes through São Pedro, where you can see white houses with yellow-painted window and door grilles—yellow is the parish’s traditional colour.

Churches, Buildings and Festival Traditions

The recurring Festas de São Pedro include masses and processions held between June and August in honour of the parish’s patron saint. The exact dates follow the religious calendar. If you are travelling specifically for the festival, check the event dates.

The Igreja Paroquial de São Pedro, also called Igreja de São Pedro e Treatro, was rebuilt in the second half of the 18th century over a 16th-century church, which had originated as a 15th-century chapel. It stands on a raised platform. The churchyard, enclosed by a wall, is accessed from the front by a broad staircase. Next to the church is the Treatro, where the traditional Império is held.

The Ermida de Nossa Senhora de Fátima is a 20th-century chapel on a hill at an elevation of 245 metres, offering open views. It is reached by a staircase with 150 steps and ten landings, symbolising the beads of the rosary and its mysteries. According to tradition, after the Capelinha das Aparições in Cova da Iria, this was the first chapel built outside Leiria in honour of Nossa Senhora de Fátima.

The Ermida de Nossa Senhora do Pilar was built in the 18th century and rebuilt in the 19th century. Beside it are an Império, or Treatro, and its associated copeira. The copeira, which stands at a higher level, has its own churchyard, connected to the chapel’s churchyard by several steps.

The foundations of the Ermida de Nossa Senhora de Monserrate are thought to date from the 16th century. Its present structure was built in the 18th century following a Mannerist design and rebuilt in the late 20th or early 21st century. The chapel is in Paúl de Cima, in a picturesque spot hidden among trees, and offers panoramic views across the parish of Vila do Porto.

Fonte São José is a fountain built in the 18th century, with formal features of naïve Baroque. Beneath the central arch is a cartouche bearing the dates “1722” and “1915.” The Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Saúde was rebuilt in 1858 at a different site from the original chapel. It stands on a raised platform beside a crossroads.

Discover more destinations: Vila do Porto, Almagreira, Santo Espírito.

Go to the main travel overview: Santa Maria.