It is now the muse of thousands of tourists attracted not only by history, but also by the natural attributes of Santa Catarina Island, where the largest portion of the city is located.

Florianopólis, the capital of the State of Santa Catarina, is located on the west coast of the island of Santa Catarina and is linked to the mainland by the longest suspension bridge in Brazil, the Hercílio Luz Bridge.

Florianopólis is a busy commercial center with some of the best seafood restaurants that you have ever seen. The city ofers many recreational activities including visits to fishing villages and local historic sites, walks along the lagoons, or on ecological trails, sports and boat trips.

The visitor who arrives at Florianópolis at any season of the year faces an intriguing problem: the excess of diversity. For this reason, a smart tourist should set some priorities. In addition to the plentiful supply of beaches, there is also history, with various forts that surround Santa Catarina Island. No one passes without noticing them. Some are restored, others are in ruins, they are unique spectacles which represent the most significant heritage of the Brazilian Navy on the entire Atlantic Coast. Nearby Alfândega is the most traditional commercial center of the city - the Public Market, with 140 stands housing establishments that sell typical local products (fish, meat, seafood, bamboo furniture and clay dishes). Ten thousand people pass through the Market each day. The building was inaugurated in 1898. There are also various monuments of historic and architectural importance at the interior of the island, especially at Ribeirão da Ilha and Lagoa da Conceição. It is especially in the summer that the visitor to Florianópolis can see some of the most significant folkloric displays of the city, all with a strong Azorean and Spanish influence, such as the boi-de-mamão dramatic dance.

The fortress of the 17th century, the Cathedral and the "Cruz e Souza" Museum are the main historical monuments of Florianópolis, after the internationally known "Hercílio Luz" bridge. Hercílio Luz bridge, inaugurated in 1926, is one of biggest bridges of its kind of the world. It's almost 820 meters lenght and has more than 5 thousand tons of steel.

To defend Florianópolis from invasions, Portugal built various forts in strategic locations to control access to the village of Desterro from the north and south. From 1738 to 1761, five forts were built. That of São José de Ponta Grossa was the first. The most imposing is Anhatomirim, in which US$ 1 million was invested for restoration. Various other monuments are incorporated to the history of Florianópolis. Another place that deserves a visit is the Metropolitan Cathedral, located at the most central portion of the city and in the same location where in 1675 Francisco Dias Velho built a chapel in homage of Nossa Senhora do Desterro. He was killed there in a pirate attack. It was later substituted by a small church that was transformed into the cathedral. A few meters away is the Cruz e Souza Palace, built in the eighteenth century and initially used as a residence and workplace of the Provincial President, it was home to the governors of Santa Catarina until the first half of this century. Today it houses the Santa Catarina Historic Museum. The Alfândega or Customs House building is another fine example of Florianópolis history. It was built between 1875 and 1876, with neo-classical architecture, and is rich in details.