Campeche Beach (Praia do Campeche)
Florianópolis, commonly called Floripa, is the capital of the state of Santa Catarina in Southern Brazil. The city, second largest of the state, makes up the entire island of Santa Catarina as well as a small area on the mainland; the island links to the mainland by the Hercílio Luz Bridge which is one of the longest suspension bridges in Brazil whose bright lights dazzle the night sky. With dozens of beautiful beaches and excellent waves, Floripa is considered the surfing capital of Brazil.
The entire island of Santa Catarina is extremely clean and well-kept with clear waters and one of the lowest crime rates compared to other cities in Brazil (and cities in South America in general), making it an ideal vacation destination for tourists. There is an overall good quality of life in Floripa; along with the benefit of how safe and clean it is, there are so many outdoor and family friendly activities. In fact, Brazilian weekly Veja referred to Florianópolis as "the best place to live in Brazil" and it is not uncommon to hear it called "Magic Island". When visiting Floripa you'll go to beautiful beaches to hang out in the sun, surf/kitesurf, go hiking through lush jungles with magical views, visit nearby smaller islands, hang out by lakes, do some sand-boarding and go to festivals.
The panoramic view of Santa Catarina Island from the overlook on the Trilha Do Dolmén Da Oração (Dolmén of Prayer Trail).
For full hiking guide visit my Floripa Hiking Guide post!
How We Found Floripa
Florianópolis is what you can call an up-and-coming city and island, as it is very popular for Brazilians and other South Americans as a vacation destination but is lesser known to other international tourists. We wanted a place that was really safe and clean and beautiful with lots to do - perfect for a long-term stay as we typically live in a given destination for 1-3 months at a time. We looked into many places in Brazil and came across Floripa, and were sold on the destination as soon as we saw photos of the island!
Getting Around Floripa
To travel around Floripa, Ubers (which in my experience are always readily available no matter the time of day) or renting a car are definitely the easiest methods of transportation. It takes around 1.5 hours to get from the northernmost part of Santa Catarina island (at 'Praia da Lagoinha da Ponta das Canas') to the southernmost drivable part (near 'Praia de Naufragados'). I say drivable because some of Floripas most pristine and untouched beaches, including Praia de Naufragados, are only accessible by hikes of varying length and difficulty.
Where to Stay
Though all of Florpia is beautiful, stay on either the eastern or northern coast of the island. We stayed for two months in Campeche, located on the east coast of the island. We found it to be a convenient location within perfect distances from the most popular beaches and hikes. Campeche is also very close to Lagoa da Conceição (another great and relatively cheap area to lodge in) which is a large vibrant lagoon that we frequented throughout our stay. The lagoon is surrounded by delicious dining, fun activities and laidback nightlife.
Compilation video of Campeche (not Floripa in general - just videos I took in the Campeche area!)
In general, the east coast has longer beaches with more nature preserves and has significantly better waves for surfing and kitesurfing - on the other hand, this makes the eastern side slightly less ideal for swimming. Just as beautiful in its own way, the north coast has more resort hotels and is more developed. It's surrounded by smaller and more intimate beaches with less waves; where you choose to stay really depends on what kind of experience you're looking for. I don't recommend staying in the downtown city center (called Central or Centro) - it is definitely worth a trip to see and explore, but there is significantly less to do there in regards to outdoor activities and, in my opinion, Floripa is too beautiful not to have beaches or jungle steps away from your accommodation.
Weather in Floripa
The best times to visit Florianópolis are either during the Brazilian summer or during shoulder seasons. Summer in Floripa is from December-February, and the shoulder seasons are March-May and September-November. We visited during the months of September and November and it was perfect - the weather was beautiful. Though we had the occasional chilly days it was mostly warm and sunny - ideal for sunbathing and avoiding any crowds, however the water was pretty cold for swimming. It can get very cold during off-season averaging at about 18C so if it's the outdoors you're looking to enjoy I wouldn't recommend visiting during the Brazilian winter.
Things to do in Floripa Visit the Beaches
Florianópolis has some incredible beaches from those that are long with white sand to those that are smaller gems with more seclusion. Some of the most beautiful beaches in Floripa require a hike to get there as they are located in nature reserves, which means they are peacefully surrounded by untouched wildlife. Activities at the beaches include going for long walks, sunbathing, swimming, surfing/kitesurfing, kayaking, and playing beach sports. Each activity is accessible depending on which beach you choose to visit. One of the beaches, Praia da Joaquina, has expansive sand dunes behind it where you can go sand-boarding. They're called the Dunes of Joaquina and are located in an ecological park with scenic ocean views. You can rent a board for around R$30 (around $5.75 USD) per hour or feel free to bring your own - there are smaller and larger dunes for you to ride depending on age and skills.
Left-Right, Top-Bottom; Gravatá Beach, Canajurê Beach, Campeche Beach, Joaquina Beach
The top beaches on the island are Praia do Campeche (Campeche Beach), Praia da Joaquina (Joaquina Beach), Praia de Canajurê (Canajurê Beach) and Praia do Gravatá (Gravatá Beach, which is also a hike!) For more information on the top beaches in Floripa, visit my blog post Top 4 Beaches in Florianópolis, Brazil!
Go Hiking
One of the top things to do in Florianópolis is to go hiking. Some of the most memorable hikes I've done around the world have been in Floripa. The diversity Brazil has to offer is enchanting; during one hike you may start out trekking deep in a rainforest before you find yourself cliffside with ocean views and finish off on a gorgeous sandy beach, taking off your sneakers and jumping in the water to cool off (yes- all in one single hike! The diversity and beauty of the nature in Floripa is truly unreal). Varying in difficulty and length, each with breathtaking views, my favorite hikes in Florianópolis were Trilha Praia do Gravatá (Gravatá Trail), Trilha Do Dolmén Da Oração (Dolmén of Prayer Trail) and Trilha Lagoinha do Leste (Lagoinha do Leste Trail). For a detailed guide to each hike, visit my blog post A Guide to the Best Hikes in Florianópolis (Santa Catarina Island)!
Top: Lagoinha do Leste Trail. Bottom, Left-Right: Dolmén of Prayer Trail, Gravatá Trail
Go to a Festival or Concert
Florianópolis has more to do than hikes, water activities and beaches. Every year the island has multiple festivals, most of which occur during the busy summer season. From jazz & rock to beer & art festivals, as well as an array of concerts of varying genres, there are a lot of opportunities to catch a fun celebration while you're visiting. Floripa, along with the rest of Brazil, also celebrates carnival. While it's not on as much of a large scale such as in places like Rio de Janeiro, it's still huge - they know how to party! The grand parade takes place in the city center (Centro) in the Florianópolis Sambadrome, and there are tons of street and beach parties throughout the island all week long.
While we were in Floripa we were able to go to the Floripa Eco Festival - an ecological-friendly festival full of food trucks, bars, small business shopping and hip-hop & reggae concerts. Part of what makes it eco-friendly is that you get a single reusable cup that you have to keep and refill throughout the day-long festival to eliminate a lot of the waste that usually comes with such things! I had never seen this before and all festivals should definitely take note. We saw popular international performers such as Matuê from Brazil, Rich the Kid from the US and Ziggy Alberts from Australia; the latter we actually accidentally also saw the night before the festival, performing in a small local bar in Campeche a few blocks from where we were staying. We saw a small crowd forming around a really good singer while we were having some drinks, went to go watch him perform and found out the next day at the festival who he was!
The Floripa Eco Festival main stage
Visit Centro
Despite not being recommended to lodge in Centro during your visit to Floripa, it is certainly recommended to make some time in your itinerary to visit! It's the perfect day or half day trip and since much of the attractions are within walking distance it's do-able on foot. The city center is located on the island just across the picturesque bridge that leads to the mainland. It is a business district full of cultural attractions, shopping and plenty of gastronomic delights.
The 'beach walk' promenade in Centro
Some of the top things to do in Centro:
Walk along the 'beach walk' promenade
Palacio Cruz e Sousa - an 18th century palace-turned-museum
Mercado Municipal - a large public market with cheap souvenirs and food
Catedral Metropolitana de Florianópolis - a beautiful Catholic Church whose construction began in 1753
Shopping at Beiramar Mall
See a panoramic view of the city form Morro da Cruz
A Little Extra Advice
When in Brazil, you have to eat açai. Açai from Brazil is the most delicious in the world (and yes I know that's a bold statement but trust me it is!). Pretty much any açai spot in Florianópolis is delicious, but my go-to while living in Campeche was Açailand - just thinking about it makes my mouth water!
Definitely rent a bike and ride around!! My favorite spot to bike was around Lagoa da Conceição as there's a nice biking path, as well as along Campeche beach (though if you're going on the beach be sure to rent one with the right tires).
I hope this inspires you to visit the magical city of Florianópolis because it really deserves all the love! Don't forget that for more in-depth information on the top beaches and best hikes in Florpia, you can visit my other blog posts linked below!
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