Florianopolis is a flourishing city ion Brazil that is prominent for its ideal shorelines, great waves for surfing, exquisite seafood based cuisine, and it stands side by side as a highly developed city with 16th century old Fortaleza’s , landmark gazebos or observation decks (Mirantes), old markets, and parks.
Florianopolis or Floripa is a unique blend of modern condominiums, plain 90’s style structures, and colonial edifices, with scents, vibe, and colors that can only be found in most beachside towns of Brazil.
Best time to Visit Florianopolis?
Florianopolis profits from a perfect subtropical atmosphere with no extreme climate condition. The hottest time of the year (January-March) have normal high temperatures up to 80s.
Amid this time, normal low temperatures usually register around 70 °, but temperatures don’t fluctuate much from season to season.
During winter (May – August) high temperatures are still in the seventies, and lows are in the 50s.
This guarantees that conditions are perfect for sunbathing all year-round and represents Florianopolis’ notoriety for being a famous beach holiday destination.
Precipitation is spread out generally as the year progressed.
The wettest period is amid the mid year, with January, February and March each one getting around seven inches of downpour.
June sees around three inches of downpour for every month, and the remaining months of the year gets from four to five inches of downpour by and large for every month.
The measure of precipitation keeps the encompassing mountains loaded with rich vegetation all year-round.
The icy fronts moving in from Antarctica bring solid, southern winds now and again, clearing the skies of mists however leaving icy temperatures afterward and bring a substantial amount of downpour.
Best things to do in Florianopolis
These are a variety of my favorite things to do in the city of Florianopolis. Hope you’ll have the chance to visit a few of those amazing places.
Lagoinha do Leste
The Lagoinha do Leste is nice for a hiking adventure, wild, long and uncrowded. The path to get there, however, is complicated if it’s a bit rainy.
But it could be more organized without affecting the nature of the park. Bring at least tennis shoes, flip-flops in you but you must be very careful.
The place is great but it is good to stock up food and water, on the beach there’s a guy who sells soft drinks and water, but of course, its price is exorbitant and when you arrive you will understand why!
The fact remains that, once you are on the beach (and it will be liberation) you already know that you’ll have to do it backwards so ready your legs again and adrenaline.
On the beach there is a kiosk that sells food and water and you will pass by some stream that comes down from the forest where you can cool off.
It is one of the wildest and most isolated beaches of Floripa but you need to pass through the very challenging 3 km trail to get there.
Then come to the beach so you can enjoy where the river meets the sea and if there are good conditions, it is really a pleasure to surf with waves that are fast and fun to do.
What else to do in Florianopolis?
Campeche Island
Read a lot about the Campeche Island before you go so you can prepare ahead on what you need to bring and have an idea what its physical features are.
There are parking lots around and is not difficult to park. The island is beautiful, it is worth spending the day there, and it is always pretty empty.
There are two restaurants on the island, one is closed and the other sells soda, water, affordable (coca cola £ 3.50) but had no food.
You can take cookies and curl up with that. There is plenty of shade areas, but it is appropriate to rent or take an umbrella from the nearby resort.
There is no pier on arrival to the island and the water was very cold. The downside of this site is the lack of beach infrastructure.
If you plan to visit, bring your own food, umbrella, and plenty of sunscreen to have an unforgettable beach holiday in Florianopolis.
You can make snorkeling or scuba dive to see its rich ocean floor. It is a great environment for those who are adventurous or want tranquility and enjoy the holidays with their family.
In addition, the island is home to part of the archaeological heritage of Santa Catarina, with various inscriptions and the native Atlantic Forest.
At the site, visitors can choose between the two restaurants specializing in seafood and homemade food.
Fun things to do in Florianopolis
Santo Antonio de Lisboa
You will love this little corner of Florianopolis!
The Santo Antonio de Lisboa has a small strip of sand with many restaurants and bars.
The architecture is Baroque and very beautiful.
You can have lunch there in a restaurant that had tables overlooking the beach. The little church that is in the square is beautiful and very well worth spending a visit.
It is an excellent option to go in the late afternoon.
It has craft fairs and restaurants that line the edge and where you can order a beer and eat delicious snacks. It has shops of local crafts as well.
Peace, tranquility and good food sets makes it one of the best reasons why you must explore the Florianopolis.
It is a romantic and great place to share the oceanfront, very intimate and wonderful to walk on its streets.
If you’re a couple or a group of friends it is definitely a place to share. On the coast there are many places to eat delicious dishes, especially based on oysters, shrimp, etc.
In general the prices are quite high, but the place is worth it.
At night you can visit the old church and watch from the bars of the coast the lighting the city and the nearby Hercilio Luz Bridge.
My favorite Florianopolis attractions
Jurere Internacional Beach
The Jurere Internacional Beach is very quiet although a bit young. The neighborhood is very luxurious and there are stunning and picturesque mansions.
It is highly recommended if you go several days to Florianopolis. There are good beaches and it has a small pedestrian area of no more than 3 picturesque blocks.
The streets are paved and full of people walking, hordes of workers and of rowdy kids.
The Jurere represents all contradictions; you can see villas of Hollywood celebrities and local shacks with houses facing the se.
You can eat fish caught sitting on a bench under a palm tree, everything here is priceless!
Humility and poverty are the basis of the wealth of this country that has learned to love and preserve the environment, history, and culture.
Don’t’ fail to check out the Jurere Internacional when you’re in Florianopolis.
My adventures in Florianopolis
Joaquina Beach
The Joaquina Beach is the closest ocean beach to the Song of Lagoa, the neighborhood where most hotels and chalets are located.
It’s a beautiful beach which stretches as far as the eyes can see and is crowned by towering dunes of fine white sand, where it is also possible to experience the thrill of sand boarding and surfing on the sandy dunes.
If you are eager to learn about surfing you can do it in the real one, along the ocean waves and right here in Joaquina there are also schools where they teach the basics of surfing.
The region has shops, restaurants kiosks to spend a quiet day, it also has ample parking space (comes with a fee) to leave the car, not to mention the possibility of swimming in the ocean.
It is a beautiful beach with large rocks and rough sea, with big waves and hundreds of surfers.
However, the water is cold and is not suitable for children.
Popular activities in Florianopolis
Praia da Guarda
The Praia da Guarda is super warm and cozy.
It is a quiet beach with trails in good condition, the location of this charming place is the crossing of the Rio Madre, in low tide it is possible to cross it on your own but when it is high tide one of the coolest things to do is to take a canoe to cross the river and reach the sea.
Also worth it are the trails that lead to the other more quiet beaches. There are lots of nice restaurants and hippie climate.
It is one of the beautiful beaches along Florianopolis that deserves a visit. It is a beach w that is well taken, however in the high season time it is very crowded.
It is nice to take the family but also to enjoy with friends. It has great and cozy inns to take and spend a relaxing an unforgettable weekend in a paradise like atmosphere.
Everything in the Guard is beautiful, houses, bars, all with a twist.
The beach is accessible by a river and you must already take a bath before arriving at the beach because there are not enough facilities there to accommodate your needs.
It is a wonderful visual location with excellent waves for surfing, kite-surfing, etc. but with own areas for snorkeling and diving fun.
There are many hotels and houses for rent, in the medium and standard range.
Top Florianopolis tourist attractions
Matadeiro Beach
The Matadeiro Beach is the last beautiful southern beach of the island of Florianopolis.
It is located in Armacao and has the peculiarity that is accessed only through a path behind a rustic rise among rocks (10 minute walk) The award a stunning and impressive beach that is very cool and filled with small bars that has live music.
Explore the surrounding and the waters to enjoy with family and arrive at the feeling of being in a special place.
It is one of he highly recommended sites in Florianopolis.
The fishing village is small but it has everything you need, it also has a channel where boats depart from this very cute place.
Matadeiro is a beautiful beach surrounded by vegetation that is not accessible by car.
It is a very picturesque beach with nose right at the Lagoinha bordering the East (you can get up the nose via 2 hours and half walk) to the rocks at the left which leads to the beach.
It is also here where you can find the Armacao Beach a rural area and a small Playa with surfing waves and bars with good food like the one at Bar Do Alesio.
My favorite stuff to do in Florianopolis
Mirante Ponto de Vista
The Mirante Ponto de Vista is an ideal viewpoint to observe the lagoon and take panoramic photos. The place is beautiful, well kept, and souvenirs are also sold on site.
It is worth a stop to enjoy the view of Lagoa da Conceição and the Costa da Lagoa; it looks breathtaking from this observation deck.
If you are going through there, be sure to stop and enjoy the view.
It is wonderful! It has easy access and great parking. Take a quick stop and spend enough time to take pictures.
You will have more freedom to stay as long as you want, eat, buy souvenirs and meet the nearby beaches and also the Lagoon.
It is also one of the places where you can enjoy the sunset. Perhaps the most beautiful part of the island.
Never lose the opportunity to visit this place, besides the wonderful landscape; there are great cakes and coffee on this site.
What else to see in Florianopolis?
Morro da Lagoa
At the Morro da Lagoa, the view of the Lagoa da Conceição is wonderful; you can view from the stunning blue lagoon and the dunes in the background.
Also noteworthy is the amount of green that you can see in all directions. On site, there are several parking spaces.
The contrast of the water when it is deeper and when it reaches the highest sand banks, gives it a unique look! At any time the view of the city from this lookout point is impressive.
You will love the nearby mountain and sea, making it an ideal place to stay and contemplate how beautiful nature is in Florianopolis.
Things to do in florianopolis with Kids
Costa da Lagoa
The Costa da Lagoa is a must see site in Florianopolis that is accessible for both going / returning by boat or by trail from the corner of Araçás.
Through this track you can see historic mansions.
Taking a boat and lunch at Costa da Lagoa is a different program, even for the locals who live in the Florianopolis region.
Do not expect luxury, but the restaurants serve super tasty and affordable food.
The Costa da Lagoa is a bucolic place amidst a beautiful nature. You can reach the site through trails very well signposted or through a beautiful boat ride.
The hike despite flat in most of its course are long and require some effort.
But the view is rewarding. The region where the Costa da Lagoa is located is declared a cultural preservation area and is a place where one can find the strong influence of the Azorean culture.
The strength of the Costa da Lagoa and the striking scenery is worth a picture, besides the beautiful view, there are excellent restaurants located on the site.
And the food-grade is affordable. It is an interesting tourist attraction for anyone visiting Florianopolis.
Santo Antonio de Ratones Fort
The Santo Antonio de Ratones Fort is located on the island Ratones Grande on the northern bay of Sta.Catarina, Florianopolis.
The RATONES name is applied to rocks that gnawed the chains of the anchors of vessels, where the fleet of Don Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca made a stopover before reaching the island of Sta. Catarina, where this Spanish explorer landed and giving that name to the islands.
Its construction began in 1740 and was completed four years later; garnished with 13 artillery pieces.
Disarmed and disabled, throughout the nineteenth century, had its premises being used as ward for isolation of patients with infectious diseases working later as coal deposit of the Navy of Brazil.
In 1938, it was listed as a Historic and Artistic Heritage. The fortress is now completely abandoned and in ruins.
From 1982, the government set a large public campaign and brought together dozens of people to help in the conservation services.
This campaign resulted, between 1990 and 1991, with the beginning of a new restoration project in cooperation with the Federal University of Santa Catarina.
The image of the old building and the sea in the background, form a beautiful whole.
The trip to the site is made possible by the help of a tour boat, leaving the Av. Beira Mar Norte, near the Hercílio Luz Bridge.
The tour guide also goes by another Fortaleza in the island, with a stop for lunch and picnic on a beach.
It’s a great ride. It feels very good that is still preserved with its original architecture and many important items, even in the outside area.
Besides knowing part of the history of this place, you will be enchanted with the sea view and the historical construction.
Most of the attractions in Florianopolis is historic and interesting. The idyllic view is unforgettable from every part of the city.
The wealth of the Praias and shorelines with blue waters crowded or secluded makes it seem like paradise is situated here in this part of Brazil.
Florianopolis is a must visit with its saltwater lagoons, Praia dos Ingleses, etc.
A destination for curious travelers who are curious to know its still hidden natural wonders, good service, nice people, striking landscapes and rich history.