Brazil My Adventures South America

Backpacking in Brazil: 2 days in Florianópolis

After a week in the hustle and bustle of São Paulo, we were excited to move on to our next stop: Florianópolis (short Floripa) which is located in the south region of Brazil and is known for beautiful beaches and great nightlife. Luckily, we found a cheap flight which saved us taking the long 11 hour bus ride. Only 1 hour after we took off in São Paulo, we arrived at the idyllic domestic airport. Olá Florianópolis!

Floripa promenade

Where did we stay?

We’ve booked a room through Airbnb back in London and I’m glad we decided to go with this place because it was one of the best experiences we had so far. The room was nicely decorated, spacious and extremely quiet but this stay was extra special thanks to our hosts. They were super nice and made us feel welcome at their home from the first moment. They invited us to have breakfast in their coffee shop every morning and offered to help us if we had any questions. Plus, their home was located in the centre of Florianópolis just across the street of the sea. I wish we could have stayed longer…

Floripa promenade

What did we do?

We’ve had amazing weather, so we spent most of the time outside. On our first day, we walked along the promenade towards the centre, admired the historic buildings and enjoyed a few ice-creams along the way. The streets and trees were beautifully decorated for Christmas but it’s hard to imagine it’s that time of the year when you’re roasting in the sun at 30C.

Floripa downtown

On our second day, we took the local bus to Barra da Lagoa – a small fishing village with a beautiful sandy beach that stretches over 15km. The turquoise-coloured water looked amazing and the beach wasn’t busy at all, so we sat down to make the most of the sun and the views. If only I had put on more sunscreen but that’s a different story 😉 Besides the beach, you also have the opportunity to walk a trail to an observation point and the village is also home to a turtle preservation centre, so there’s plenty to do for a day out.

Barra da Lagoa in Floripa

Barra da Lagoa in Floripa

What did we eat?

We were really spoilt for choice – whether it’s burritos, sushi, pizza or burgers – all this was literally minutes away from our place. On our first night, we opted for a Burger restaurant called San Francisco, followed by a Mexican feast at Guacamole and a traditional Blumenau sandwich at our local Sanduicheria da Ilha. We’ve also tried a few Brazilian specialities including pasteis and we couldn’t resist getting squids at the beach.

Florianopolis Guacamole restaurant

Floripa turned out to be one of my favourite places in Brazil. The city offers culture, shopping and diverse food but also has amazing nature right at the doorstep which makes it a great place to visit.

Have you been to Florianópolis? What did you think?

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28 Comments

  • Reply
    Emma
    30. November 2017 at 12:20 pm

    After reading this we are actually staying in that air bnb and you’re right- the hosts are wonderful! Thanks for the tip!
    Emma

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      7. December 2017 at 9:55 pm

      Hi Emma – Oh, that’s great to hear and I’m glad you enjoyed your stay with them as much as we did. One of my favourite Airbnb hosts 🙂 Hope you’re having a great time in South America!

  • Reply
    Ana Ojha
    28. April 2017 at 4:58 am

    Florianópolis looks splendid and looks like you had so much fun on your trip! Also, the architecture of those historic buildings is quite fascinating!

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      28. April 2017 at 11:30 am

      Yes, Florianópolis is a beautiful place and we loved our time there. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

  • Reply
    ThriftyTrails
    16. January 2017 at 5:09 am

    We’ve never been but it looks gorgeous! That beach especially! Great tips for a 2 day visit

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      25. January 2017 at 6:15 pm

      It’s a beautiful part of Brazil. Glad you liked the post!

  • Reply
    Raymond Carroll
    15. January 2017 at 9:37 pm

    I’d love to go to Brazil. And Florianópolis looks lovely. Your pictures are great. Thanks for sharing.

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      25. January 2017 at 6:16 pm

      Thanks Raymond! Hope you get a chance to go to Brazil – it’s an amazing country!

  • Reply
    Rob+Ann @TravelLatte(.net)
    12. January 2017 at 9:47 pm

    OMG – And we don’t say that often – We’ve heard of Florianopolis but never really investigated. Now we really want to go. REALLY want to go! This is exactly how our To Do list keeps getting longer… 😉 Awesome pictures…can’t wait to see for ourselves!

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      25. January 2017 at 6:22 pm

      Haha, I know what you mean 🙂 My To Do list keeps on getting longer every time I read new posts or see images on IG. Hope you get a chance to go – it’s a beautiful place with lots to do and see!

  • Reply
    James Smith
    11. January 2017 at 12:50 pm

    It’s good to see someone else enjoys burgers whilst traveling! I love burgers and almost always prefer them over the local food. Having said that, in Brazil they have great steaks! Day 2 looked fun on the beach, I do love the local drink, Caipirinha! Also the soft drink called Antarctica is delicious.

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      11. January 2017 at 11:36 pm

      Glad I’m not the only one ? I love trying local food but there’s nothing wrong eating your favourite food once in a while too. Yes, the beaches in Florianopolis are amazing, highly recommend it! Thanks for the tip, haven’t heard about the drink Antarctica, have to try it 🙂

  • Reply
    Travel Lexx
    10. January 2017 at 11:16 pm

    I have never heard of Florianopolis but it sounds like there is plenty to see and do around the area. Great photos and will be somewhere I have to consider when I go to Brazil

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      11. January 2017 at 11:28 pm

      Thanks for checking out my post 🙂 Yes, you can easily stay in Florianopolis for a couple of days (if the weather plays along) as there are so many amazing beaches and it’s also great for outdoor sports. Hope you get a chance to see it yourself soon!

  • Reply
    Barry
    10. January 2017 at 2:19 pm

    Looks relaxed and sunny. I still haven’t got around to visiting Brazil yet even thought I told my Brazilian friend I would visit. Hopefully one day I will get around to it.

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      10. January 2017 at 10:36 pm

      Yes, it’s the perfect place to relax or surf if you’re into that. Hope you get a chance to go one day, it’s a beautiful place 🙂

  • Reply
    Lisa
    8. January 2017 at 5:56 pm

    Thanks for the great breakdown and tips on this post. I was not familiar with this area. Hope to visit one day. Looks like a very relaxed place.

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      10. January 2017 at 10:39 pm

      Thanks Lisa! Yes, Florianopolis has some beautiful beaches to relax and it’s also great for outdoor sports. Hope you get a chance to go ❤️️

  • Reply
    Garth
    7. January 2017 at 3:27 pm

    We want to visit Brazil one day, Florianópolis looks like and interesting place to visit, thanks for the comprehensive info and tips, will pin it for future reference 🙂

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      10. January 2017 at 10:42 pm

      Thanks Gareth! Yes, if you’re travelling in Brazil you should definitely check out Florianópolis. The beaches are amazing and it’s also great for hiking and other outdoor sports. Hope you get a chance to visit one day 🙂

  • Reply
    Angie (FeetDoTravel)
    7. January 2017 at 2:10 am

    I love the way you have broken this down into your 2 days, it’s just so easy to follow so thank you! We want to visit Brazil so have pinned this for future reference – thank you for sharing this information with us #feetdotravel

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      10. January 2017 at 10:44 pm

      Thanks a lot Angie, glad you like the post! Florianópolis is a beautiful part of Brazil – hope you get a chance to visit when you are there ❤️️

  • Reply
    Laura
    6. January 2017 at 10:29 pm

    Beautiful pictures, and great tips! Thanks for sharing your experience, I hadn’t heard much about Florianopolis before 🙂

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      10. January 2017 at 10:48 pm

      Thanks Laura! I’ve only heard about Florianópolis when I did research for my trip too 😀 It’s beautiful place definitely worth a visit!

  • Reply
    Midori
    6. January 2017 at 5:55 pm

    Super useful information! thanks

  • Reply
    Klaus Hohmann
    26. December 2016 at 6:04 pm

    Liebe Sina, ganz herzliche Grüße zu Weihnachten an Dich und Charlie in Buenos Aires.
    Es ist ganz toll, was ihr alles bisher unternommen habt und was ihr noch plant.
    Wir wünschen Euch weiterhin eine schöne und erlebnisreiche Zeit sowie einen guten Jahresübergang 2016/2017.
    Liebe Grüße aus Eiserfeld/Germany
    Alle Hohmann`s und Oma

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      28. December 2016 at 7:00 pm

      Hallo Klaus, schön von euch zu hören und danke für die lieben Weihnachtsgrüße! Buenos Aires ist toll und wir freuen uns schon mehr von Südamerika zu sehen. Updates gibt es dann hier auf meinem Blog 🙂 Hoffe, euch allen geht es gut. Wir wünschen euch auch einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr! Liebe Grüße, Sina & Charlie

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