Florianópolis Things to Do

Florianopolis in an island that is about 25 miles long with many different beaches strewn every 3 miles or so. each beach has its own distinction...some are deserted with untouched land and lush vegetation, some are a total surf and kite surfing culture, some are local farm and fishing communities, some are hoity toity snobby clubs, some are absolutely family fun time.

if you google earth the florianopolis map, you will see on the right side of the island, there is a beach that is long and slopes to a small fingerlike projection. if you zoom in, you will see a canal that extends from the ocean into the island, connecting with a lagoon. the canal would come in and move like a river, so you could jump in around the mouth of the canal and the current would carry you to the end of this waterway where there was deep green water and rocks to dive off......absolutely stunning.

This is an very good place to visit. Around the lagoon there are one of better night life at the city, with restaurants, bars and pubs. To get there you should take these scenic road, from where I took this picture.

We rented a car and drove around the island of Santa Catarina, which I highly recommend. It was so easy to get around and it was very cheap to rent the car... We called around and the agent dropped the car off at our hotel and then picked it up after three days.

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This little beach, nested between two beautiful green hills at the northeast most of the Island of Santa Catarina, deserves at least a good seven resting days in April. The tourists, mostly Argentineans and Paulistas (people from the state of São Paulo, in Brazil), are all gone. The condos are pretty empty and the 1,550 meters of beach are all yours. The water is still cristal blue, the sky the view and the weather are even greater than in the Summer when it may get super hot. The other big plus is silence, since the sound systems of the big beach bars such as Pirata, Canto da Brava and the others are all quiet. The other good thing about Praia Brava in April is that the prices of rentals fall at least 30%. So, besides the calm and the quiet and all other bonuses, you also get more for your money. However, if you do not want to depend on the sporadic yellow mini-buses or the big green buses to get downtown (or to the other beaches on the island) you better rent a small car and fill your fridge with food and drinks, since the main supermarket at Brava will be closed (surely you can call by phone and have all you need delivered to your door, from pizza to aspirine).
About buses:There are buses (and mini-buses) leaving to Praia Brava from downtown Florianópolis. The mini-buses (with air conditioned) leave from a stop across the main Road Station and cost about R$4,50 (US$2,25) one way. It is approx. 35 kms trip.

The car rental business was in Canasvieiras on the main drag (Rua Madre Maria Villac) and it was quite reasonable...I think $50 for the day (??) It's actually just a little corner stand with a lot of about 5-10 cars...Check it out- you can get a map from your pousada or hotel and just drive. The roads are pretty well maintained and you can see local culture and isolated parts of Floripa that you couldn't see otherwise.
Go down the east coast of the island, stop at beaches along the way and end your journey on the south tip, where tourists and locals gather for a flat open tide, good for wading.

Once you're in Florianopolis dont miss visiting Campeche's island!!! This a close-to-paradise place, with a great beach, with precolombian art, full of flora and "koaties" wich are some kind of mapaches!! Tip: if you can, take food with you, the prices inside the island are quite expensive.

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Recently done up because of a fire that damaged it very much, the Mercado Municipal, in the Historic Centre is a very nice place to visit, as it is a sample of late colonial architecture. Although most shops will sell ordinary products, and there won't be much of a picturesque scene, this place is good for buying shrimps freshly fished and Havaianas. there is also an excellent place to eat shrimp or pastel de camarão and drink beer. The quantity of people tells you how good it is...

The building consists of two rows of shops and two walls with two towers each at the ends of the rows.

It's closed on Sundays, as well as everything in the centre, so be careful with schedules.

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This is a fantastic trip. YOu horse back ride through the mountains and rivers and arrive at the loviest farm with the loviest people who feed you fresh and delicious cooked meat and sausages and get you kind of buzzed on cashaza and dance up a storm. The scenery and the laughs were unmeasurable.