Santa Maria

Sal, Cabo Verde, Cabo Verde

---

Santa Maria is a lively coastal city on the southern tip of Sal Island in Cabo Verde (Cape Verde), serving as the island's main tourist hub where about 90% of all accommodation is located. Founded in 1830 for salt production and once shipping up to 30,000 tons annually to Brazil, the town declined after 1887 but recovered in 1920 and transformed into a major resort destination after Cape Verde's first hotel, Morabeza, opened there in 1967. The town is famous for its stunning 8-kilometer stretch of pearly white sandy beach with turquoise water, a long wooden pier called Pontão de Santa Maria where local fishermen in brightly colored boats sell their fresh catch each morning around 10am, and pastel-colored buildings lining a vibrant beachfront promenade. Santa Maria offers an arid climate with warm temperatures year-round (22–27°C), minimal rainfall averaging only 76mm annually, and water temperatures ranging from 23°C in winter to 26°C in summer, making it ideal for beach activities and water sports. The main attractions include Praia de Santa Maria beach, the Ponta de Vera Cruz lighthouse, Plaza Marcelo Leitão (the main square), the protected Santa Maria salt pans, two churches just 30 meters apart, and numerous five-star resorts like RIU Palace Santa Maria, Hilton Cabo Verde Sal Resort, and Melia properties.