Five days is the sweet spot for Florianópolis. Long enough to hit both coasts, the lagoon, and a boat trip; short enough that you don't need to rent a beach house. The trick is sequencing — the island's best beaches sit far apart, so you want to cluster each day by geography and avoid backtracking across the SC-401. Base yourself in Lagoa da Conceição, dead centre, and this plan flows.
Here's the day-by-day.
First, the Ground Rules
Two things make or break a Floripa trip. One: get wheels — a rental car or Uber/99 — because the beaches sit 12-35 km apart and the buses are slow with transfers. Two: base in Lagoa da Conceição, the island's central lakeside hub, so the surf coast, the north villages, and the boat departures all sit within a short drive. Everything below assumes both. Sort your visa early too — since April 2025, US, Canadian, and Australian visitors need Brazil's e-Visa (VIVIS, about US$81) before they fly.
Day 1: Land, Downtown, and the Bridge at Dusk
Fly into Hercílio Luz International (FLN) and grab an Uber or 99 to Lagoa da Conceição — about R$45-60 (US$8-11). Skip the public bus on arrival day; it means a transfer at TICEN and it's slow with luggage.
Drop your bags, then head downtown for a late lunch at the Mercado Público, the 1899 public market. Grab a stool at Box 32 for a sequência de camarão or a bowl of caldinho — it's been a Floripa institution since the 1980s.
Time the afternoon so you reach the Hercílio Luz Bridge around 5PM. Walk the restored deck of Brazil's longest suspension bridge (free), then stay as it lights up at dusk. Cap the night with caipirinhas along Avenida Beira-Mar Norte — about R$25-35 (US$5-6) each — with the bay in front of you.
Day 2: The North — Azorean Villages and Warm Water
Point the car north up the SC-401. First stop: Santo Antônio de Lisboa, a colonial fishing village of pastel houses and a whitewashed church, about 12 km from downtown. This is oyster country — the island grows around 90% of Brazil's farmed oysters, and lunch at Ostradamus puts a fresh dozen in front of you for roughly R$45-55 (US$8-10). Book ahead in summer.
Spend the afternoon on the calm, warm water at Jurerê Internacional. Grab a lounger at Parador 12 (P12) or just walk the wide sand — the beach is free, the club minimums aren't. Then double back to Santo Antônio for sunset; the village faces west across the bay and it's one of the island's best free shows.
Day 3: The Lagoon and the Best Night Out
No long drives today — you're based right here. Start on the water: rent a stand-up paddleboard on Lagoa da Conceição for about R$80/hour (US$15), or take a beginner kitesurf lesson when the morning wind is gentle. Lunch on a lakeside terrace at Ponta das Caranhas, right over the water.
In the afternoon, hit the dunes that rim the lagoon on the Joaquina side — sandboard rental is about R$20 (US$4), and late afternoon is cooler for the climb back up. Then stay put for the night. The Centrinho da Lagoa packs the island's liveliest bar scene; start with a drink at Rita and bar-hop along Rua Manoel Severino de Oliveira. This is the night you'll remember.
Day 4: The Surf Coast — Mole, Joaquina, Barra
String together the east-coast surf beaches, all a short drive from Lagoa. Morning at Praia Mole: golden sand, green hills, a young crowd, and kiosks selling açaí and cold coconuts. The rips are strong here — swim between the flags.
Roll down to Joaquina, the island's famous competition beach, for the best morning waves and more dune sandboarding. Lunch feet-in-the-sand at a beach kiosk, then finish the day at Barra da Lagoa, a laid-back fishing-village beach where the lagoon meets the sea. Walk the wooden footbridge over the canal and watch the boats come in.
Day 5: Ilha do Campeche — The Turquoise Payoff
Save the island's most beautiful escape for last. Ilha do Campeche is a protected reserve of clear water, snorkelling, and prehistoric rock carvings — and a daily visitor cap means you go early. Catch the first boat around 9-10AM from Armação or Campeche beach (R$70-100 round trip, US$13-18) before the quota fills.
Snorkel the calm, clear water (bring or rent gear — there are no shops), then take the short ranger-led walk to the island's rock carvings. Numbers are limited, so ask on arrival. Back on the main island by late afternoon, close the trip with a casual dinner at a Campeche beach spot like Rendez-Vous.
Want to Stretch It to a Week?
Two extra days slot in without breaking the rhythm. Give the deep south its own day: drive to Ribeirão da Ilha, the island's oldest Azorean village, for an oyster feast at Ostravagante (a dozen grilled with garlic, about R$50/US$9) on an overwater deck, then Pântano do Sul's working fishing beach and a drink at Bar do Arante, a legendary bar papered with decades of guests' handwritten notes — leave your own on a napkin.
Use the other extra day for the far north: Praia dos Ingleses and Jurerê, where the water turns calm and warm and the pace slows right down. It's a gentle bookend before you fly out, and a chance to swim somewhere the kids (or nervous swimmers) can actually relax.
Making It Work
A few things that keep this plan smooth:
Rent a car or lean on Uber/99. The beaches are 12-35 km apart and buses eat your day.
Carry some cash. Kiosks and villages can be cash-only; Pix needs a local account.
Book Campeche and summer restaurants ahead. The visitor cap and high-season crowds are real.
Sort your visa early. Since April 2025, US, Canadian, and Australian visitors need Brazil's e-Visa (VIVIS), about US$81, valid for 90 days — apply well before you fly.
Five days sequenced this way gives you both coasts, the lagoon, the surf, the oysters, and the island's showpiece boat trip without a single wasted hour on the SC-401. It's the plan that turns 42 scattered beaches into one clean, unforgettable week — and if you're folding Floripa into a wider South America trip, it pairs naturally with a few days in Buenos Aires before or after, leaving you a very good reason to come back for the ones you didn't reach.
