Best Things to Do in Florianopolis | Brazil

Florianopolis, in my opinion, is one of the best places in Brazil to visit!

Florianopolis is a wonderful place for those looking for a perfect beach holiday in Brazil and also for digital nomads who are looking for great long-term stays in South America.

So let's dive into all the best places and things to do in Florianopolis!

***Technically the island is called Santa Catarina and the main city on it is called Florianopolis but everyone including locals are refering to the whole island as Floripa, so that's how I will refer to it in the article.

Florianopolis City

The Florianopilis city, which includes the Old Town, aka the Downtown, is a must-visit!

The great part is that the actual historic center is quite small and walkable, and you can explore it all in a few hours.

The center of it all is the Praça XV Square, which is the main city square where usually all the main festivities happen. By the square, you will find the island's main cathedral - Catedral Metropolitana de Florianópolis. The main pedestrian walking street with loads of shops and restaurants is the R. Felipe Schmidt Street. While walking on it, you will also see the Church of São Francisco. If you turn left before the church, you will find Florianopolis' main local market, which I think is truly the heart of the city. It is not just a market where you can get fresh fish and fruit, but also a social spot with many restaurants and bars.

Here is the plan of the above-mentioned places, and as I said, everything is quite near, so you can easily walk everywhere:

Now, a bit further away from downtown is the iconic Hercílio Luz Bridge. A must-do would be to cross it, which I did, and it was a lovely walk. You can cross the bridge one way in 10 minutes, it is not that long. But the area around the bridge is also lovely. You will find a park there and a few cafes with great views.

My personal recommendation is Noma Sushi. They are based just by the Hercílio Luz Bridge and is a wonderful place to have dinner. Their menu is quite vast, so it is not just sushi. They also have vegetarian-friendly options. But really, the most important part is their outside terrace, offering amazing views.

To see a bit more modern side of Florianopolis City, I recommend walking the Avenida Beira Mar. Firstly, the Avenida has a great vibe itself. People are walking with their dogs there, running, just relaxing by the shore, and some outdoor gyms are there. It is a great way to get your steps in and see more of the local life. Also, there you will see the more modern side of the city with high-rise buildings featuring hotels and apartment blocks.

If you want to see the whole of Florianopolis City from above, I highly recommend the viewpoint Mirante do Morro da Cruz. You will need to get a taxi up there. I used Uber all over Brazil and had no issues. I wouldn't recommend hiking up there on your own, firstly because it is quite humid and a difficult hike, but also, a part of the path goes via a favela, which is not too safe. Once you are up at the top, you have nothing to worry about. There are always quite a few people, tourists and locals, enjoying the views.

Like in many cities, you can explore Florianopolis with a bike tour or a walking tour.

Santo Antônio de Lisboa

A must-visit when in Florianopolis is Santo Antônio de Lisboa, which is one of the oldest towns in Floripa. It will truly take you back in time. It features cobblestone streets and colonial-style houses, and also some Azorean influence, as many people from the Azores settled there back in the day.

Santo Antônio de Lisboa is well known for its oyster farming. You literally sit at the restaurant by the bay and can see the oyster farms in the distance. I have to say, I had the best oysters there. So so fresh! Definitely a dinner in any of the restaurants by the Santo Antônio de Lisboa Beach is a must. Many people reserve tables for the sunset, so make sure you have your reservation or you arrive early. I had my oysters at Freguesia Oyster Bar e Restaurante and really enjoyed it, because they offer a variety of options, and you can also get a dish that offers a mix of oysters in different sauces, cheese, cooked, fresh...all sorts!

Talking about history, I believe the most historic and iconic site to visit in Florianópolis is the São José da Ponta Grossa Fortress. It is a short taxi ride away from Santo Antônio de Lisboa, so you can combine it as a day travel plan. It was part of a strategic triangular defense system, alongside the fortresses of Santa Cruz de Anhatomirim and Santo Antônio de Ratones, designed to protect the island's northern bay from potential invasions. The fortress was abandoned for a long time, but recently it was restored and now offers insights into Brazil's colonial military history and panoramic views of the surrounding area.

The Lake District

I believe one of the most iconic things about Floripa is its lakes and how you can have a fabulous day by one of the lakes, and at the same time, the beaches are just a short drive away.

The main lake of the island is the Lagoa da Conceição. It is the biggest lake, and there are several towns around it where you can stay. Some parts are busier and some are more secluded, but you can find several wonderful restaurants around the lake and also kayak, paddle, and kitesurfing rentals. You can also simply take a boat ride around the lake. The boat ride stops, and most rentals and restaurants you will find are where the pink pin is ➡️

A wonderful viewpoint by the lake. is Mirante Praia Mole. You will need to take a taxi. You will find a cafe at the viewpoint, so you can take a nice break there. Another one that I personally didn't visit but was recommended to me is Mirante do Morro da Lagoa da Conceição.

Another cool place you could visit while in the Lake District is the dunes (Dunas da Lagoa). It is simply a dreamy place, and you can try sandboarding there. Again, all the sandboarding rentals are near the pink pin, on that street, a bit more left.

The 2 best beaches near the Lagoa da Conceição are Joaquina and Mole Beaches!

Peri Lake

Now, while on the lake theme, I want to mention a lake that isn't that popular but was my favorite - Peri Lake!

The best part of it is the secret waterfall. If you feel confident, you can do it by yourself but I did it with a tour and it was so much fun. Firstly, you can choose if you want to go with a kayak or a paddleboard, and you get a nice time on the lake. Then the second part is to go through this narrow jungle path to the waterfall. You will need to get off the kayak or paddle at some point to do a short 3-minute walk to get to the actual waterfall. There you can chill, swim, and have a dip by the waterfall. Amazing little trip to do in Florianopolis.

Also, Peri Lake is next to my favorite beach, Matadeiro Beach. It is a lovely secluded beach with a few beach bars and beautiful surroundings. So after the kayak trip to the waterfall, we went there for a late lunch.

While in the area, you can always stop at the Morro das Pedras viewpoint to get some beautiful views of that part of the island.

If you are looking for the best places to stay, check out my 'Areas Explained in Florianopolis' Guide!

Beaches in Florianopolis

Of course, one of the best parts of the island is the beaches. Florianopolis has some of the best beaches in the whole of Brazil. And there are so many!

Joaquina Beach

As I mentioned above, my favorite is the Matadeiro Beach, and then I also really enjoyed Joaquina Beach. Both beaches are quite secluded. To Joaquina Beach, you will need to take a taxi because there is not much around, just a few hotels and restaurants. And to get to Matadeiro Beach, you will actually need to walk a bit from the Armação town. You can't get to the beach by taxi. They will drop you off at Armação, and from there you take the path by crossing the bridge to Matadeiro Beach.

My second favorite is the Campeche Beach purely because it is so long and you can go on long, amazing walks there. Officially, the Campeche Beach is divided into several smaller beaches, so technically there are several names for it, but really it is just one long Campeche Beach. Some parts get busier and you can get drinks and snacks there, but what I really like about this beach is that it is very wide and has loads of space, so you can also play different beach sports.

Another interesting thing you can do when in Floripa is to go to the Campeche Island. You can get there by boat in 20 minutes. The boat stops are on the Campeche Beach in front of the island. You can see it from the shore. Or there are actually tours that offer to get there by a paddleboard. Not sure how difficult it is, but if you are a confident paddler, I think that could be quite a cool trip to do!

Another beautiful beach you can add to your list is Praia do Santinho in the northern part of the island.

Florianopolis beaches are amazing for surfing and kitesurfing. Some beaches are better for surfing and some for kitesurfing. Campeche tends to have the best winds for kitesurfing most of the year, while almost all the beaches on the ocean side have the waves to surf all year round. Joaquina Beach is a safe shout if you want to travel to Florianopolis for surfing - consistent waves and hosts surf competitions. Campeche will be a great challenge for those who want to advance themselves, as it offers powerful beach breaks.

Hiking in Florianopolis

Floripa truly has it all! It also offers several amazing hiking routes with different difficulty levels, around the lakes, by the beaches, and up in the hills. The island definitely is not short on hiking routes. The best and most iconic one is the Lagoinha do Leste hike with Morro da Coroa viewpoint. You can do the full route or just half until the Lagoinha do Leste Beach. I did the full route, and it was quite challenging, but I absolutely loved it. You get such beautiful views from there and also a bit of an adrenaline kick. If you do the whole route, some parts are a bit challenging. I go into detail about the route and different obstacles, and tips in my 'Lagoinha do Leste Hike Guide'!

Whale Watching

Up in the northern part of the island, you can also do whale watching. The best season for that is from July to November, with peak time between August and September when whales migrate to the warmer coastal waters of Santa Catarina for breeding and calving. There are several tour operators organizing these tours.

If you are there during the peak season (August and September), you might even be able to see the whales from the shores of Praia do Rosa Beach completely for free, without going on a boat ride.

World-class DJs in Jurere

Jurere is one of the fanciest parts of Florianopolis. Many Brazilian celebrities have summer houses there. In Jurere, you will find more luxurious options. But that is not why I want to mention it. I want to highlight the beach clubs that get some of the best DJs in the world. I am too old now for partying, but I do appreciate a good quality DJ set, and I was lucky enough to see my favorite DJ, Francis Mercier, live at the Safari Beach Club. If you check the big club listings, they get some really good DJs performing mostly during festive seasons like Carnival, Easter, and Christmas time. So it might be worth checking if some big names are in Floripa while you are visiting.

Florianopolis truly has it all - beaches, lakes, hiking, surfing, kitesurfing, city, historic towns, and great entertainment. Which is why I think this is one of the best locations in South America for digital nomads to base themselves. And also a great holiday spot!

If you are short on time and you only have a day on this beautiful island, you can get a bus that will take you all over the island and will stop at some of the main parts to give you a bit of time to explore.