Florianópolis, the Magic Island
Posted by PanTV in Santa Catarina (SC), tags: beach, Florianópolis, island, sport, summerLocated in southern Brazil, the capital of the State of Santa Catarina attracts thousands of visitors each year. In the summer months in particular, Brazilian and South American tourists – Argentineans, Uruguayans and Chileans – are attracted by the diversity of its coastline. On the island itself, there are many different kinds of beaches, side by side – long, wide beaches; small ones in sheltered coves; beaches with strong waves; and others with calmer waters, more like lakes; there are crowded, urban beaches, and others which are deserted, accessible only by trails. It is a paradise for surfing, windsurfing, sailing and fishing enthusiasts. ‘
The North and Central regions of Florianópolis are the most popular with tourists, and offer a complete infrastructure of services, resorts, hotels and guesthouses. To the South, some villages have managed to maintain their traditional rural charm, which can be seen in the way the inhabitants speak, their traditional handcrafts and their folkloric festivals – a heritage left by their forefathers from the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores, who arrived here in the 18th century. But the city also has cosmopolitan atmosphere, with the arrival of Brazilians from other States, and foreigners who have chosen the city as their home.
The island, which was originally a colony, was once an important center for whale hunting. Today it is a technological center in the field of information technology.
A true tourism capital, Florianópolis now has around 300 thousand inhabitants, which swells to three times that number in the summer months.
- Florianópolis, by Werner Zotz / Embratur
Praia de Jurerê, Florianópolis, by Werner Zotz / Embratur
source: Embratur