Best of Balneário Camboriú & Florianópolis: From City Pulse to Island Tranquility
- Samantha Preis
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
There are places you visit once, and places that slowly become tradition. For us, one of those places has been a stretch of coastline between Balneário Camboriú and Florianópolis—neighboring regions in southern Brazil's state of Santa Catarina, where we’ve spent months at a time, returning each year. What follows is a collection of places we’ve come to rely on and return to, and we recommend them wholeheartedly.
Balneário Camboriú: Where the City Meets the Sea
Balneário Camboriú, frequently referred to as the “Dubai” of Brazil, has a strange vertical energy—glass towers rising from the sand, the Atlantic stretching endlessly before you... It feels both cosmopolitan and coastal, polished but still Brazilian in its warmth. Fortunately, some of our favorite people live here, so we find ourselves returning almost every year. Here are some of our favorite spots:
Parque Unipraias features lines of cable cars ready to carry you up intimidating heights to the scenic hill of Morro da Aguada, an environmental park set on a high peak, complete with shops, nature trails, and a theme park. The ascent up the slope is exhilarating, with just enough edge to send your adrenaline surging. Once at the top, the view from Morro da Aguada is the best and most stunning in Balneario Camboriu, and the paved nature trails are a beautiful, easy way to get your daily steps in. (Don’t forget to bring bug spray!) When you arrive at Morro da Aguada, make a beeline for Casa do Chocolate and order their decadent hot chocolate—so luxuriously thick that it might be closer to a warm pudding than a drink. (And don’t skip the whipped cream—which takes an already indulgent experience completely over the top!)
Madero Steak House A staple for us after long walks on the beach. Strangely, we have never eaten here, but were initially drawn in by their attractive 2-for-1 happy-hour drink specials (make sure to double-check times before you go!). It has become one of our favorite beachfront spots to relax with a beer in a chilled glass!
Want to dine at a floating restaurant on the ocean? Head to Porto Cabral Floating Restaurant via a relaxing stroll down Molhe da Barra Sul pier. What’s better than fresh ceviche and cold beer just feet above the water?
Amazing cake and great memories! We got married right down the street and took our families here for cake and coffee to celebrate afterward! Their Red Velvet is OUT OF THIS WORLD!
A simple local bakery in a neighborhood we find ourselves in frequently, offering fresh breads, pastries, and great coffee! Consistently fantastic. Their banoffee pie is possibly the BEST we've ever had.
This past year, we happened to be visiting Balneario Camboriú during Oktoberfest, which was taking place in the neighboring city of Blumenau: Blumenau hosts the largest Oktoberfest outside Munich, where they assemble an entire traditional German village and amusement park. (I was so impressed and excited by all the amazing costumes of festival goers that I ended up heading to dirndl.com to pick out my very own traditional Oktoberfest dress, and intend to wear it for all our future Oktoberfests.)
Florianópolis & Lagoa da Conceição: A Slower Pace
Compared to the energy of vibrant Balneário Camboriú, Florianópolis—especially our favorite area of Lagoa da Conceição—is a welcome exhale. Here, the coastal lagoon reflects the sky in long, beautiful stretches, and days peacefully unfold. Our standing favorites for stays in Lagoa are:
A PERFECT morning begins here—coffee, fresh bread, and the warmth of friendly locals. There was never a more perfect padaria. Try their mortadella and cheese on pão francês!
The restaurant at Hotel Boutique Quinta das Videiras is open to the public and SO worth seeking out. A bit above the area's average price range, but a fantastic choice for a higher-end meal or a date night. We were blown away by the stunning Art Deco interiors, carefully curated and imported from overseas. The building itself is a work of art and enchanted us before we even tried the cuisine. The restaurant also has its own wine label, produced at Garibaldi Winery, one of Brazil's largest wineries, in Rio Grande do Sul. This place totally delivers and is our favorite restaurant in Florianópolis for a classy, romantic night out.
Casual, creative, and always satisfying—simple coffee and pastries, a frequent stop of ours, and a great place to chat with locals!
One of our favorite rituals: taking the local ferry across the lagoon to a quieter part of the island that cars cannot access—Costa da Lagoa. The journey, as memorable as the destination, is a beautiful 40-50-minute boat ride across the lake. Upon arrival, wade through charming cafes and little handmade craft stores and head over to Restaurante Paraíso da Néia, where the delicious local seafood and stunning waterfront make you want to stay all afternoon.
We also love a day trip to the neighborhood of Santo Antônio de Lisboa, a short drive from Lagoa da Conceição, for its beautiful colonial architecture and for browsing local artisan shops.
For another cultural side of Florianópolis, head to Teatro Ademir Rosa. We recently attended one of their special Halloween performances by the Orquestra Sinfônica de Santa Catarina, where the symphony delivered creative orchestral arrangements of iconic film scores from classic spooky films. (Our favorites were Beetlejuice and Stranger Things—so fun!)
Balbúrdia Cervejeira Florianópolis is an incredible brewery we also visited for a Halloween party, where they served craft beer and played amazing live music featuring Halloween classics like “Thriller” and old movie themes from timeless flicks like Ghostbusters and Grease. Being a HUGE fan of sour beer, I can honestly say I was blown away by their sour beer selection! They are serious connoisseurs!
Nothing beats an ice cream with a hard chocolate shell! Hit Mané Gelado in Lagoa da Conceição for their extensive ice cream bar, complete with all the toppings your little heart could desire, or head over to Acailand for a build-your-own açaí and ice cream bar that’s just as indulgent.
Beach day? Make your way to Praia da Joaquina, where you can swim in the open Atlantic and wander along the impressive stretch of coastline dotted with massive boulders—perfect for a scenic walk right at the water’s edge.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our collection of favorite spots in Balneário Camboriú and Florianópolis. These are the places we return to again and again, and the experiences that have shaped our time along this stretch of coast in Santa Catarina. We love seeking out new experiences and will surely keep adding to this list as time goes on, in the hope that it becomes not just a guide but a small window into the places that have kept calling us back.
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