Practical essentials on Santa Maria: health centre, pharmacies, fuel and post office

On Santa Maria, almost every service a visitor might need is in Vila do Porto, the island's only town. The health centre, both pharmacies and the post office are in town, and Repsol lists both of the island's fuel stations under Vila do Porto. The villages, from Anjos in the north to Santo Espírito and Maia in the east, are small, and for anything on this page you drive back to town.

If you are staying in a rural house in São Lourenço or Santa Bárbara, plan your errands around a trip into town. Fuel, shopping and the pharmacy fit into one run.

In an emergency, call 112, the European emergency number. It works in the Azores as it does anywhere in the EU.

For anything less urgent, go to the island health centre, the Unidade de Saúde de Ilha de Santa Maria, on Avenida de Santa Maria in Vila do Porto. The regional government's health register lists general practice, nursing and some specialist consultations there, and gives the phone number as +351 296 820 100. It also lists four smaller nursing posts in the villages: Almagreira (+351 296 884 460), Santa Bárbara (+351 296 886 201), Santo Espírito (+351 296 884 500) and São Pedro (+351 296 884 388). For these the register lists nursing only, with no doctor.

We could not find published opening hours, or confirm whether the health centre runs a round-the-clock emergency service. If it is not an emergency, phone before you go. Your hosts will usually know how the doctor's hours work.

Santa Maria has no hospital. Its hospital is the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo in Ponta Delgada, on São Miguel, which describes itself as the hospital for patients from São Miguel and Santa Maria. A patient who needs hospital care is taken there by air. Buy travel insurance that covers medical evacuation, and if you are an EU resident, bring your European Health Insurance Card.

The regional register lists two pharmacies, both in Vila do Porto:

• Farmácia Abílio Botelho, Rua Teófilo Braga 129, +351 296 882 236.
• Farmácia Avenida Santa Maria, on Avenida de Santa Maria, the same avenue as the health centre, +351 296 883 174.

Neither publishes its opening hours, so ask your hosts or phone ahead. Painkillers, plasters and other medicines that need no prescription are also sold at Farcórdia, Rua Teófilo Braga 77.

If you take a regular prescription, bring the full supply for the trip and a copy of the prescription. A small island pharmacy may not stock the brand you use.

Santa Maria has two Repsol stations, both listed in Vila do Porto. In October 2026 Repsol gave these hours, the same every day of the week:

• E.S. Santa Maria II, on regional road 1-1 at Flor da Rosa: 07:00 to 23:00, with a café, a shop and a hand car wash. Phone +351 296 302 900.
• E.S. S. Maria, at Pedras de São Pedro: 08:00 to 22:00, with a shop. Phone +351 296 882 727.

Both sell 95 unleaded and diesel. The island is small, so a day's driving uses little fuel. Still, fill up before a late drive out to Maia or São Lourenço, because neither station is open after 23:00. If you hire an electric car, ask the rental firm where its cars are charged; we could not confirm a public charger at either station.

The CTT post office is at Rua Teófilo Braga 38 in Vila do Porto (+351 296 820 120). A directory lists its hours as Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 18:00, but it gives no date, so treat that as a guide. Send postcards from here, or a packet of Santa Maria biscuits home.

We could not confirm from an official source where every cash machine on the island is. Take out cash in Vila do Porto before heading to the villages. Small cafés and taxis are where you are most likely to need it.

Plan Sundays ahead. The bus timetables that the operator, TSM, served in September 2026 show no Sunday service on the Malbusca route through Santo Espírito, Santa Bárbara and São Pedro. The summer beach bus between Praia Formosa and Anjos is the exception: it ran every day from 1 July to 15 September. Do not count on village shops being open either, and buy what you need for Sunday on Saturday. Our guide to getting around Santa Maria has the bus routes, car hire and taxis.

• Travel insurance with medical evacuation cover, and the European Health Insurance Card if you have one.
• Your full supply of any regular medicine, with the prescription.
• Cash, taken out in Vila do Porto.
• A full tank before an evening drive to the east of the island.
• Food for Sunday, bought on Saturday.

Is there a hospital on Santa Maria?

No. The island has a health centre in Vila do Porto with general practice and nursing, and four nursing posts in the villages. Patients who need hospital care go to the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo in Ponta Delgada, on São Miguel.

Where are the pharmacies on Santa Maria?

Both are in Vila do Porto: Farmácia Abílio Botelho at Rua Teófilo Braga 129 (+351 296 882 236) and Farmácia Avenida Santa Maria on Avenida de Santa Maria (+351 296 883 174).

Where can I get fuel on Santa Maria?

At the two Repsol stations in Vila do Porto. In October 2026 the one at Flor da Rosa listed 07:00 to 23:00 and the one at Pedras de São Pedro 08:00 to 22:00, every day.

What number do I call in an emergency?

112, the European emergency number. For non-urgent medical help, call the health centre on +351 296 820 100.