Travel and transport agencies Vila Do Porto Porto

Correspondent of Avis and Europcar, Ilha Verde is a serious company established on all the islands except Corvo and Graciosa. Renting with this agency is an extremely rare practice and will facilitate the process if you plan to travel to several islands in the Azores and move around by car. The A category generally corresponds to a Renault Twingo. As for the other categories, you will have the choice between Nissan Qashqai, Ford Focus, Renault Capture... Minibuses or 4x4 vehicles can also be rented. All with unlimited mileage.

Ilha do Sol is a small company offering car rentals only on the island of Santa Maria. Their fleet is relatively small, so you will need to do it in advance if you want to rent a vehicle from this agency (especially if you plan to go to the Azores during the summer period, i.e. in July and August). The company also offers scooters and motorcycles, other pleasant solutions to discover the island if you are a little adventurous and if you like two-wheel escapades.

Small airport on the island of Santa Maria. You'll land in the main town, at Vila do Porto. So it's easy to get to the city center. Likewise, on the day of departure, there's no need to leave hours in advance, as the airport is only a few minutes from town. There are a number of amenities in the concourse, including car rental. The airport is bustling with arrivals and departures. Once you've disembarked, you'll be immediately immersed in the atmosphere of Santa Maria, where everything is small and simple.

From France, SATA Azores Airlines only flies to Ponta Delgada (direct or via Lisbon or Porto): you'll then need to take another inter-island flight to Santa Maria. From Ponta Delgada, it's just a 30-minute flight to the island. The route operates one to four times a day depending on the season, but you can't make the round trip in the same day in winter. Finally, flights can be disrupted by the Azores' sometimes capricious weather conditions.

This is the only bus company operating on the island. Its 9 routes cover the main localities. A dozen round trips are scheduled per day on weekdays, half as many on Saturdays and none on Sundays. For the other lines, count on one to four round trips per day, weekdays only. The Mobilidade application provides real-time information on routes, timetables and fares. A good alternative if you don't want to rent a car.

Autatlantis is a solid car rental agency present on seven islands: São Miguel, Santa Maria, Pico, Terceira, São Jorge, Faial and Flores. So if you're planning an itinerant holiday on these islands, you can ask for a global quote. The fleet is renewed every year to offer you the latest car models and a high level of safety and comfort. Two types of insurance packages are available. You can also rent a minibus or 4x4 vehicle.

From May to September, Atlanticoline (the main shipping company in the Azores) operates direct flights between Ponta Delgada and Santa Maria. You can also reach the other islands with Atlanticoline, but one (or more) connections will then be inevitable. Taking the boat to travel from island to island is a slower alternative than flying, but the scenery you can see from your boat cannot be seen from anywhere else and is simply beautiful. An option to consider....