For most visitors, Florianópolis encapsulates the perfect beach destination, and satisfaction comes in the simplest of ways: a beach recliner [sun-lounger] a sunshade and a beach. But even the most sedentary of tourists will at one stage or another want to leave the comfort of the beach where they are staying to visit other parts of the island. This entry is part of a trilogy (that also includes entries on the North and the Centre-Lagoa and the South) with tips and basic guidance on the most interesting points on the island.

The centre of the island of Florianópolis is divided in two well defined areas. To the west, the urban sprawl of the city of Florianópolis. To the east, the region around the Lagoa da Conceição. There is a road linking both locations, usually collapsed with traffic during the high season.

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The capital is on the westernmost point of the island. Two bridges are its link to the continent. The Hercílio Luz bridge, part of the historical heritage and now closed to traffic, is one of the best-known images of the island.

The two main points of interest on the capital – as well as the Rodoviária (bus station), are the Mercado Municipal (Municipal Market) and the Casa da Alfândega (Custom House), sitting one next to the other. There is a parking lot next to the Market, but finding an empty space is not always easy. Ideally, you would reach the centre by bus. Both the Rodoviária (for buses coming from the continent) and the local bus terminal are near the market.

The Mercado Municipal is divided in two different wings. On one of them you will find footwear and accesories shops. On the other, a few fishmonger’s and bars. This wing makes for a very interesting walk, contemplating the different catches freshly arrived from the sea. You will see plenty of oysters around, they are one of Florianópolis most succesful exports.

The famous Box 32 bar is found on this wing of the market. A classic place for a quick pit-stop.

The Custom House is next to the market. It is a neoclassic building from the XIX century, these days home to the gallery of the Asociación de Artistas Plásticos de Santa Catarina (craftsmen association). Worth popping in to see the wide selection of crafts for sale.

The eastern part of the centre of Florianópolis is dominated by the Lagoa da Conceição. If you are arriving from the capital, there is a viewpoint just before the descent to the lake. If you are arriving from the north, there is another viewpoint right after the Barra da Lagoa. It’s worth stopping at both places as they allow for two completely different panoramas of the region. Organized trips around the island tend to stop at both viewpoints.

The Lagoon is separated in two by the Avenida das Rendeiras. Rendeiras are craftswomen specializing in amazing bobbin lace work. Along the avenue you will find a few huts where the rendeiras work and sell their crafts.

The Avenida das Rendeiras is a very pleasant place for a walk around the Lagoa. You will find quite a few restaurants along the waterfront. There are even more restaurants along the rua Laurindo Januário da Silveira, the street that borders the southern half of the Lagoa. A car is a must if you want to reach this part of Florianópolis.

On the eastern side of the middle of Florianópolis there are five beaches. North to south, they are:

Right before the Joaquina beach you will find the Joaquina dunes, famous for being the birthplace of sandboarding. The dunes are quite a lot of fun and an excellent place to spend the afternoon.

Leave your general queries on Florianópolis at the entry Destination: Florianópolis.

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I have put together five photo albums from our recent trip to Florianópolis. They can be seen at my Flickr page.

The first album is dedicated to the north of the island, with photos of Santo Antônio de Lisboa, the Projeto Tamar in Barra da Lagoa, and the beaches of Jurerê, Canasvieiras, Ingleses, Brava and Santinho.

The second album is dedicated to the centre and the Lagoa da Conceição, with photos of the Mercado Municipal, of the Lagoa and of the Mole beach.

The third album is dedicated to the south of the island, with photos of Armação, Ribeirão da Ilha and Pântano do Sul.

The fourth álbum is dedicated to the Campeche beach and the idyllic Campeche island.

An the fifth and final album is dedicated to the Joaquina dunes and its sandboard artists.

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The island of Florianópolis, object of desire of Argentinians, Uruguayans, Paraguayans as well as thousands of Brazilians (mainly from Rio Grande do Sul and São Paulo), is a well-rounded holiday destination that touches on the heavenly in some places. The combination of an excellent quality of life with beautiful beaches and hills make of Floripa, as it is known familiarly, the guarantee of a succesful holiday.

The island is roughly divided in three main regions: the north, where the beaches popular among Argentinians are; the centre, where the capital of the state is found as well as the Lagoa da Conceição; and the south, with beautiful beaches that attract less visitors than their northern counterparts.

WE LIKE THE MOST: the beaches, the gentle nature of the natives, food, landscapes, affordable prices, safety.

WE LIKE THE LEAST: poor infrastructures; it seems hard to believe that a tourist destination that generates so much revenue should have a road network in such a precarious state. Going places during the high season is torture. Getting to some of the beaches, hell. We also profoundly disliked all the building work completed and in progress in environmentally protected areas.

HOW TO GET THERE: by car, bus or plane. The first option is chosen by many Argentinians, Uruguayans and Paraguayans. There are regular bus services from Porto Alegre, Curitiba and São Paulo. GOL, TAM and Varig airlines all fly to Florianópolis airport. As well as numerous charter flights from Argentina and Chile.

CAREFUL WITH: the high season: a sizeable part of the island becomes a gigantic traffic jam; water supply to the northern part of the island becomes a problem too.

FAVORITE PLACES: Campeche island, Campeche beach, the Joaquina dunes, the Lagoa da Conceição

PIECE OF ADVICE:

• around the Lagoa da Conceição, and especially in the part known as Canto da Lagoa, there are numerous restaurants popular among Brazilians where few foreign tourists venture.
• one of the traditional dishes of the island is the seqüência de camarâo, several servings of prawns [shrimps] cooked in different ways, accompanied by fish and crab. It is found all throughout the island, but the most traditional place to eat the seqüência is the Lagoa da Conceição.
• although it is not impossible to travel by public bus throughout the island, it is an exercise that demands quite a lot of patience. If you are in Florianópolis for a short stay, our advice is for you to rent a car. For longer stays, when you will only be visiting one beach per day, you can use the public transportation system.
• crime rates in Florianópolis are lower than in other big Brazilian cities; it doesn’t mean crime doesn’t exist but, in this regard, Florianópolis is much safer than São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro or Recife.
• during the coming weeks we will publish detailed information on the blog on the beaches and places of interest of Florianópolis. Links to the new material will appear here as the entries are published.

ACCOMMODATION: We have full listings of accommodation for Campeche, Canasvieiras and Praia dos Ingleses.

LINKS: Guia Floripa, Visite Floripa.

WEATHER FORECAST: The weather in Florianópolis for the next 10 days

WEATHER: Average temperatures and rainfall in Florianópolis across the year

GOOGLE MAPS: Florianópolis

PHOTO ALBUMS: North (Santo Antônio de Lisboa, Jurerê, Canasvieiras, Brava, Ingleses, Santinho, Barra da Lagoa), Center (Mercado Municipal, Lagoa da Conceição, Praia Mole), South (Armação, Ribeirão da Ilha, Pântano do Sul), Campeche and Campeche island and sandboard in the Joaquina dunes.

OTHER BLOG ENTRIES ON FLORIANÓPOLIS:
- Map of Florianópolis
- Brazil in pictures: Florianópolis
- Florianópolis North: what to do and where to go
- Florianópolis Centre-Lagoa: what to do and where to go
- Florianópolis South: what to do and where to go
- Ilha do Campeche
- bar do Arante, Florianópolis

[Don’t forget to check out the list of other destinations already covered in this blog, here]

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