FLORIANOPOLIS
Florianópolis (nicknamed Floripa) is the capital city of Santa Catarina State in southern Brazil. It is composed of one main island, the Island of Santa Catarina (Ilha de Santa Catarina), a continental part and the surrounding small islands.
The island is connected to the Continent by three bridges. The Hercílio Luz Bridge was built over 70 years ago and is now closed to traffic; it is a symbol of the island and often appears on postcard images. The Colombo Sales Bridge and Pedro Ivo Bridge are the ones open to traffic.
The center of Florianópolis, with its alleys, rows of typical houses, churches and museums, contains many examples of colonial architecture. Amongst these are the former government palace, nowadays the Cruz e Souza Museum and the Public Market built in 1898 which sells food and local handicrafts under the shade of a one hundred year old fig tree.
Florianopolis offer tourists a fantastic mix of beaches, pristine weather, a raging nightlife and welcoming locals, all set in unmatched natural beauty. The city has 42 beaches and is a center of surfing activity.
Attractions:
Hercílio Luz Bridge – Inaugurated in 1926, it is the first bridge constructed for the purpose of linking Florianopolis with mainland Brazil. With a central span stretching 340 meters, the Florianopolis Bridge Hercilio Luz was at the time of its opening and still is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world.
Fort of Sant’ Ana - Tall and majestic, the Fort sits at the union of the North and South Bays. It was crafted to protect the Town of Our Lady of Desterro, current Florianopolis, and the vessels entering the bays. In its hay day, the fort served as great strategic position in many battles. The fort turned into the military weapon and artifact museum.
Santo Antonio de Lisboa - One of the mains features of Santo Antonio de Lisboa beach are the buildings along the beach with beautiful architecture. Some of the castles of 19th century are still preserved in the area. The construction is distinguished by its baroque style an example is the Church of Our Lady of the Necessities. Santo Antonio de Lisboa beach is calm and recommended for strolls with family or friends mainly due to the presence of many restaurants and bars.
Lagoa da Conceição, is a district located within a beautiful lagoon offering first class cuisine, entertainment and sports. Being shallow with high winds, it is one of the finest locations for windsurfing.
Ribeirao da Ilha, 36 kilometers from the center, this old district of Florianopolis is a testament to Azorean immigration. Its historic center has a plaza which contains the Igreja Nossa Senhora da Lapa do Ribeirão (church) from 1763, and the Ethnological Museum which houses documents and relics from the region's history. The local people live mainly by fishing and making a pillow lace.
