Santa Bárbara is a parish on the north coast of São Miguel, in the municipality of Ribeira Grande, whose beach is the most celebrated surf spot on the entire island — the Atlantic swells arriving unimpeded at the north coast create consistent conditions year-round, drawing surfers from across Europe. The long black-sand beach, framed by the lush green hillsides typical of São Miguel, is one of the most dramatic and beautiful coastal landscapes on the island.