Maia and Ponta do Castelo on Santa Maria: the Aveiro waterfall, the lighthouse and the old whaling station

The south-east corner of Santa Maria fits into half a day, and the main choice is whether you walk in or drive. Walk the short trail down from Santo Espírito and you get the Aveiro waterfall, the vineyard terraces and a swim at Maia, and you need a lift back up. Drive and you can add the Gonçalo Velho lighthouse on Ponta do Castelo, but you see the waterfall only from below. A full day takes in both.

Maia is a hamlet at the end of the road on the island's eastern corner, in the parish of Santo Espírito. Above it, the cliff is cut into small vineyard plots behind dry-stone walls. South of it, the headland of Ponta do Castelo carries the lighthouse, and below the lighthouse, at sea level, are the ruins of the island's whaling station.

No bus goes down to Maia. In 2026 the nearest stop was in Santo Espírito, on route 1, which ran twice a day each way on weekdays outside the school term. In practice you need a car, a taxi or your feet.

The official short route PR04SMA runs 3.9 km from the church in Santo Espírito down to the bathing area at Maia. It is graded easy, is mostly downhill and takes about two hours. Because it is linear, arrange a taxi, or leave one car at each end.

The trail starts by the church and the Museu de Santa Maria and follows the road east to an old windmill. From there a dirt track runs through a wood of incenso (Pittosporum undulatum), past an old fountain and the springs where women once did the washing, and down a stone lane to the Ribeira Grande stream.

The trail then follows the stream to the edge of the cliff, where you ford it. The trail notes ask you to cross with care, and this is the only awkward spot. On the far side, turn round. The Aveiro waterfall drops down the cliff behind you, about 80 m by the measure of the official trail texts, which call it one of the tallest in Portugal. You may see higher figures online; the official one is the safer number.

The descent to Maia runs between the vineyard terraces. These are private plots, and the trail asks walkers not to pick the farmers' fruit. At the bottom, a short signed detour to the left takes you to a second view of the waterfall and to two stone wine presses built in 1579. The trail ends on the road by the bathing area, where the Grande Rota continues south towards Vila do Porto.

The official description, map and GPS track are on Azores Trails. Check it the day before for closures.

The bathing area at Maia is a tidal pool at the foot of the terraced cliff. It is an official bathing water with a 2026 Blue Flag, and in 2026 lifeguards were on duty from 15 June to 14 September. There are showers, toilets and a café in season.

The road ends at the bathing area and there is no car park as such: cars line the road. In August, come early or walk the last stretch. An easterly swell can make the pool rough; on those days Praia Formosa on the south coast is the better swim.

Drivers who skip the trail can still see the waterfall. From the picnic area by the Ribeira do Aveiro in Maia you look up at the fall from below.

Near the end of the road east, a branch leaves for Ponta do Castelo. The lighthouse stands on the headland about 114 m above the sea, a 14 m square stone tower with its lantern. It was first lit in November 1927 as the Ponta do Castelo light and renamed in 1930 after Gonçalo Velho, the navigator credited with finding the island. It flashes white three times every 13.5 seconds and has been automatic since 1988.

The grounds and tower are not open at all hours. The official Grande Rota leaflet says visits need booking. Manned Portuguese lighthouses have traditionally opened to visitors on Wednesday afternoons, so ask the tourist office (pt.sma@azores.gov.pt) what applies when you are there. Even without going in, the headland is worth the stop: from the lighthouse you look down over the Maia shore and its terraces.

Ponta do Castelo is a protected area of 137 ha. The regional parks service describes it as the largest set of habitats with a Mediterranean character in the Azores.

At sea level below the lighthouse are the remains of the Ponta do Castelo whaling station. Whales were processed here in three periods: 1896 to 1906, 1937 to 1949 and 1957 to 1966. The summer of 1966 was the last season. What survives is a warehouse, boat houses, water tanks, a landing with a cutting platform and the slipway the carcasses were hauled up.

The only way down is a steep zigzag footpath known locally as "as voltas do Castelo". The Azores government's cultural routes site calls it the most isolated whaling complex in the archipelago and lists guided visits from Tuesday to Sunday by appointment, recommended for visitors over 12. Ask the tourist office how to arrange one. The old lookout above, where a watchman once scanned for whales, was restored in 2001 as a whale-watching viewpoint.

• Half day on foot: taxi to Santo Espírito, the PR04SMA down to Maia, a swim, and a taxi back. Allow three to four hours with the swim.
• Half day by car: Ponta do Castelo and the lighthouse first, then Maia for the pool and the waterfall from the picnic area.
• Full day: walk the PR04SMA in the morning, swim at Maia, then a pre-booked visit to the lighthouse or the whaling station in the afternoon.
• Long-distance walkers: stage 2 of the Grande Rota (Cardal to Norte, 21 km) passes Ponta do Castelo, Maia and the waterfall before climbing to Santo Espírito.

Bring water and sun protection: Santa Maria is the sunniest island of the nine.

How high is the Aveiro waterfall? About 80 m, according to the official trail texts, which call it one of the tallest in Portugal. Some websites give higher figures.

Can you reach Maia by bus? No. In 2026 no bus route went down to Maia; route 1 stops in Santo Espírito, about 4 km away by the trail.

Can you visit the Gonçalo Velho lighthouse? Yes, but not at any time. The official trail leaflet says visits need booking; ask the tourist office in Vila do Porto at pt.sma@azores.gov.pt.

When was the last whale processed at Ponta do Castelo? The station's last season was the summer of 1966. Its ruins are reached by a steep footpath, and guided visits are by appointment.