The famous discoverer of America spent some time on Santo Island. Long enough to fall in love and to merry the daughter of the local governer… In the center of Vila Baleira, next to the church you can visit stone house called Casa de Colon. There is small museum and they charge 2 euro entry fee…
After great sunrise – just in front of my window – I had a sunny day to visit the pier, the beach (there are black stones on the white sand – not shown on the promotional pictures!) and to walk up to the Mirador Portela (180 m) giving the best view of the town and 9-kms white beach. From this view point I took the walk to the beautiful valley Serra de Fora and down to the easterm coast of the island. Gravel road goes from there to the sheer south-east cape of the island. Yes, it is possible to walk around this cape – they dug 50-m tunnel under the high rock so you can go to the southern side and follow poor path heading to the port. I was happy to see this area, facing little Cima Island with its lighthouse. But how to come back home? No buses, car drivers here do not know what is hitchhiking – their cars are not bougth to help the others… 🙂 As a result I walked another 8 kms from the port to my pension on paved road. It was 5,5- hours walk in total… But sun is shining and I expect another interesting day tomorrow!
