To learn about the history of transportation in Santa Maria, we begin our visit at the Vila do Porto Museum Wing of the Santa Maria Museum, where we will discover the Azores’ primary maritime role since the Age of Discovery: supporting communications, transportation, and maritime knowledge. This role continues to this day—from maritime navigation (the Age of Discovery) to air navigation (World War II) to aerospace navigation (the present day).
Next, to explore the enduring legacy of transportation and communication in Santa Maria, we visit the Santa Maria Airport Site, designated as a property of public interest since 2017. There, we gain an appreciation for the renewed importance Santa Maria has acquired in the field of transportation, thanks to the invention of the airplane. At the Airport Site, we will also learn about new space technology projects on the island.
At Lugar do Aeroporto, we’ll head to INCUBA+ to visit the brewery of A Nossa – Cervejeira Artesanal de Santa Maria – the island’s first official brewery. Led by Marc Oliver, who was born in Munich, we’ll take a guided tour of this craft brewery, enjoy a tasting, and learn the basic steps of beer production.
To wrap up the tour, there’s nothing better than visiting Marc’s shop—Beach-Parque—at Praia Formosa, where we can sample A Nossa Cerveja Artesanal de Santa Maria.
