Barra da Lagoa, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina

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Santa Catarina

Life’s a beach – at least in sunny Santa Catarina, which has 348 miles (560km) of spectacular coastline. If you like your beach deserted, there is a spot of sand for you in the south of Ilha de Santa Catarina. If you prefer a party scene, head further north on that same island. If you’re all about big surf, it's up in Guarda do Embaú and Praia do Rosa, two absolutely stunning surf villages south of Florianópolis.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Parque Unipraias

    Parque Unipraias

    Santa Catarina

    Camboriú's pride and joy is this six-hectare urban reserve. In addition to 500m of walking trails, the real coup is the amusements, which are sold…

  • Mirante de Joinville

    Mirante de Joinville

    Santa Catarina

    To get a stupendous 360-degree panorama of Joinville and the Baía da Babitonga, head to the city's 250m-high viewpoint. The lookout, at the top of Morro…

  • Praia do Campeche

    Praia do Campeche

    Santa Catarina

    The 3.5km Praia do Campeche is one of Floripa's five-star beaches, an absolute stunner of sun-kissed perfection with wind conditions lending themselves to…

  • Museu Histórico de Santa Catarina

    Museu Histórico de Santa Catarina

    Centro & the Mainland

    Formerly the colonial governor’s palace, this gorgeous must-see building has ornate parquet floors and extravagant 19th-century ceilings.

  • Mirante da Lagoa da Conceição

    Mirante da Lagoa da Conceição

    Santa Catarina

    The postcard view of Lagoa da Conceição awaits at this must-stop lookout, which frames both sides of the lagoon, the dunes of Joaquina and beyond.

  • Instituto Juarez Machado

    Instituto Juarez Machado

    Santa Catarina

    Joinville's own Juarez Machado gets his due in this new museum dedicated to his fantastic realism and figuratism paintings. Machado, who divides his time…

  • Parque Municipal Lagoa da Peri

    Parque Municipal Lagoa da Peri

    Santa Catarina

    Lesser known and less visited than Lagoa da Conceição, Parque Municipal Lagoa da Peri has wonderful opportunities for swimming and hiking (as well as…

  • Praia Mole

    Praia Mole

    Santa Catarina

    This is one of the East Island's best and most secluded beaches. It's hidden from SC-406 and accessed by a small trail. The northern end is very popular…

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Plan with a local

Articles

Latest stories from Santa Catarina

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View of a tour boat and a woman free diving at 'Sancho' beach in the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha; the bottom half of the shot shows the diver under water, while the top half shows the boat floating by a rocky shore.

Beaches

Brazil: your guide to adventure activities

Oct 23, 2019 • 6 min read

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Go Beyond

Santa Catarina and beyond

Beyond Santa Catarina
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