SANTA CATARINA

Most travelers visiting the south of Brazil find Santa Catarina the most interesting of the southern states. The area from Joinville to capital city Florianópolis is one of the country’s most diverse regions, both geographically—the emerald waters of the coastline make a striking contrast to the inland mountain towns—and culturally.

The area around Joinville is mostly rural, with many small farms and the relaxed atmosphere of the countryside. The hillsides here are covered in banana trees, the area’s main agricultural product. The early settlers of the Joinville area were Portuguese from the archipelago of Azores and you’ll hear a lot about the area’s Azorian roots—particularly in the old, coastal towns, which are among the earliest colonial towns in the country.

Inland, in the mountainous areas, the main influence is German, from the relatively recent immigration in the first half of the 20th century. You’ll see German culture in the architecture, food, and crafts. The small rural villages along the Caminho dos Principes (Road of the Princes) mix German culture and tropical landscapes. In the communities of Brusque and Pomerode, you’ll often hear German spoken in the streets. Another highlight here are the mountains of Corupá, loaded with rivers and waterfalls, which makes for some of the best hiking and camping in the region.

As you work your way down the BR-101 highway, you can stop at the many vacation spots favored by South American tourists. Along the coast, the climate is quite different, especially as you enter the tourist beach of Balneario Camboriú, known as the Copacabana of the South. The similarity to Copacabana in Rio is made complete with a Cristo monument and a spectacular gondola ride to the peak of a coastal mountain. The beaches are crowded and the nightlife is high-volume. If you prefer a more quiet and quaint beach, you can set yourself up in Porto Belo. For many travelers, a visit to this part of the country is based on one primary goal: to dive in the emerald waters of the National Marine Preserve off the coast of Bombinhas. This is one of the few official marine preserves in the country, and one of Brazil’s great diving locations.

Further south, Ilha de Santa Catarina is like a small country. It’s big and diverse, each of the many smaller territories, towns, and neighborhoods within it offering its own unique personality. In addition to Florianópolis, the island offers 100 beaches (from urbanized to completely virgin), several lakes, and a variety of ecosystems. There are national parks, trails, major highways, and small villages. (It’s worth noting that the entire island of Santa Catarina is often referred to simply as “Florianópolis” to avoid confusion with the larger state of Santa Catarina.)