Ilha de Santa Catarina, the island that belongs to the Municipality of Florianópolis, and normally referred to as Florianópolis, is one of the largest tourist attractions in Santa Catarina. There are more than 40 beaches, 40 smaller islands, and 2 lakes on this magic island that stretches about 40 miles/ 65 km in north-south direction and just about 8 miles / 12 km in east-west direction.

It is possible to spend a lifetime on this island. It offers everything from sun, bath and downtown city life to culture, history and nature. The island is a mixture of tradition and new waves, of old architecture and modern buildings, of preserved nature and metropolitan areas. Old and new goes hand in hand and it is still possible to trace the heritage of the Indians and the Azores who were the people that occupied the island the last centuries.

The Northern Coast, which stretches from Praia Daniela in the west to Praia do Santinho in the east, is characterized by 10 beaches of extraordinary quality. The white sand and the warm calm and clear ocean water is the trademark of the region, and has made this part of the island the most popular tourist destination in Florianópolis. The tourist infrastructure is well developed with a large commerce, numerous restaurants and various services.  This region has a strong seasonal character, even though the off-season movement increases for each year that goes.

o      Praia Canasvieiras has been visited by tourists for more than 100 years and is today the largest resort area in Florianópolis. This beach area has a nice city center that provides everything tourists need. The architecture is dominated by residential apartment buildings, and the short-term rental market is strong.

o      Praia Jureré has become one of the most exclusive beach areas in Brazil and luxury houses and better apartment buildings are lining up along the blocks closest to the beach. It offers the best infrastructure of all beach areas in Florianópolis, almost in line with the western world. The area is dominated by high-end houses, for which there exists a high-end rental market.

Lagoa de Conceiçao, or the Lake Area, is a large lake in the mid north of the island that has become popular for its variety, including cultural historical places, vast nature, popular surf beaches, a modern center with many boutiques, cafes and restaurants, and beautiful residential areas between the hillsides and the lake.  The Lake area is a place with year-around movement with many permanent inhabitants, but it is also a popular place for tourists.

o      Praia Mole and Praia Joaquina are the two best surf beaches in Florianópolis. They faces the ocean at the east and the water is crystal clear. These famous beaches are full of daily as well as nightly activities.

o      Barra da Lagoa is an old fishing village of cultural historical values, with many older buildings, located along the charming canal between Lagoa de Conceição and the ocean. The beach is nice and offers many activities during the summer season.

o      The center of the Lake Area is located in between the beaches at the east coast and the main city center of Florianópolis. It is a most modern village with new apartment buildings and residential areas, mainly inhabited by people who work in the center.

o      Canto da Lagoa is situated along the southwestern shore of the lake, in between the lake and the green hillsides. It is mainly a residential area, located in a most beautiful environment.

The Southern Part of the island is not explored to the same extent as the other parts of the island, depending on the large area of national parks that cannot be explored or constructed on. The region offers a combination of cultural historical villages, a vast nature, untouched beaches, surf beaches, and beaches that are good for swimming. It is a simpler environment and it lacks the extensive commerce that exists in the north, but it is a mistake to say that it is an undeveloped region. 

o      Most to the north in this region is Praia Campeche that is located on a large flat area dominated by single family homes that mainly are occupied by local people who live here the year around. 

o      More to the southeast is Praia Armação, a very popular place that mixes all the characters of the region. It has a still active fishing colony, the ocean is relatively calm, it is neighbor to the unique beach Praia Matadeiro, and the nature is just around the corner.

o      Praia Azores and its extension into Praia Solidão is similar in character to Praia Armação and Matadeiro.

o      Ribeirão da Ilha is located in the southwestern part of the island, squeezed in between the hillsides and the ocean shore, facing the bay between the island and the continent. The heritage from the fishermen of the Azores is strong in this region, where the economy is dominated by oyster cultivation. The beaches are not so good for a swim. It is a place to visit rather than to live in, and the oyster restaurants in the area are famous.

The Northwest Coastline reminds about Ribeirão da Ilha in the southwest of the island, but with the difference that it is much closer to the center of Florianópolis. Part of this region has therefore developed into a suburb to the center of Florianopolis, where the traces from the old fishing colony is disappearing. But the northern area of this region still has a more genuine character. As for Ribeirão da Ilha, the beaches in this region do not offer a greater swim.

o      Cacupé is closest to the center and has developed into a very exclusive area the last decade, many times with property prices in excess of pricing seen at Jureré Beach. The beautiful coastal road and the fantastic ocean view are the main contributors to the popularity of this area.

o      Santo Antônio de Lisboa and Sambaqui are small and old villages with a genuine environment that attracts people of various kinds. Fishermen are still active and provide fish and oysters to all the restaurants in the region. These areas are less developed in regards to new residential areas, lacking land to build on. The areas draw however the attention of tourists, who pay a visit due to the beauty, genuine environment, and the many restaurants.

Central Florianópolis is not considered as a place for tourists and foreign visitors, but the city offers many interesting places. Some of the neighborhoods are actually good places to live in as well, close to everything and with several beaches within 15-20 minutes drive.

o      Beira Mar is the noble area of the center, with many taller apartment buildings that face the bay between the island and the continent. The city center itself offers a large supply, with shops, stores and restaurants in almost every corner, and a large shopping mall. This area is also a business center of Florianópolis.

o      The old center of Florianópolis is a beautiful place with old historical buildings, a large walkway full of shops, the large square with the old fig tree, and the public marketplace with all its movement. But it is not a place to live in and there is no evening or night life since everything closes early.

o      A good residential area with many single family homes is located in the northern part of the city center, from where it is close to the Lake area, the northwestern region, and to the northern region. It is actually a good place to live in, for people who want to be close to the business in the center, only 20 minutes drive from the beaches.