Florianopolis

A vast brackish lagoon ringed by sand dunes and kite-surfers, best crossed by the old drawbridge at sunset when the water turns copper.

A wide south-facing beach famous for its dramatic sand dunes that bodyboarders and sandboarders carve down year-round.

An 18th-century Portuguese coastal fort sitting on a rocky islet in the bay, reached by a short boat ride from the municipal market pier.

A neo-classical 1898 market hall where you can eat raw oysters with lemon at a crowded counter while fishmongers argue prices on the other side of the aisle.

A preserved 18th-century Azorean fishing village on the island's southern tip where oyster farms crowd the mangroves and lunch means a bucket of mollusks and cold chopp.

The forested hill at the centre of the island offers a panoramic view of both bays and the city's colonial core, reached by a steep path locals hike at dawn.

A small, vehicle-free beach south of Armação accessible only on foot along a clifftop trail, rewarded with turquoise water and almost no tourists in shoulder season.

Pre-Columbian petroglyphs carved directly into the granite boulders at the north end of Praia do Santinho, largely overlooked by the resort crowds nearby.

A respected seafood restaurant in Ribeirão da Ilha specialising in locally farmed oysters served gratin, with passion fruit, or simply raw with a vinaigrette.

A long-standing favourite near Lagoa da Conceição known for generous plates of moqueca catarinense made with locally sourced snapper and dendê-free broth.

A refined coastal kitchen in the south of the island that elevates traditional Azorean-influenced recipes using produce from small island farms.

A beloved institution in the Lagoa neighbourhood where the açaí bowls and fresh-pressed sugarcane juice have drawn a devoted local following for decades.

A legendary fishermen's bar in Pântano do Sul whose walls are plastered floor-to-ceiling with handwritten notes left by visitors over five decades.

An open-air beer garden near the centro with a rotating selection of Santa Catarina craft ales and a laid-back crowd that stays until the early hours.

A local microbrewery and taproom on the mainland side of the bay pouring IPAs and wheat beers brewed on-site, with views across the water to the island.

A neighbourhood bottle shop and bar in the university district of Trindade where students and professors share communal tables over natural wines and craft beers.

A long-running electronic music venue near the centre that hosts Brazilian and international DJs playing deep house and techno through to sunrise on weekends.

A fixture in the Lagoa da Conceição nightlife strip with live samba and MPB sets several nights a week drawing a mix of locals and visiting Brazilians from São Paulo.

The island's largest club, situated near Jurerê Internacional, hosting international DJs during the southern hemisphere summer season from December through February.