Florianopolis is unquestionably beautiful. It is on the island of Santa Catarina, which extends 53 km from North to South and between 5 and 15 from East to West. Lagoa da Conceição is one of the features of the island, competing with the Hercílio Luz Bridge - an engineering work-of-art which was the first link between Florianópoils and the mainland - for the position as the city's major symbol and postcard.

         Fife in Lagoa da Conceição changes constantly, in tune with the seasons. It is a universe which follows nature's cycles, but has a special characteristic: being geographically located in the center of the island, surrounded by some of the most famous beaches of the state of Santa Catarina, Lagoa da Conceição is a meeting point, where paths and spirits cross. A world on the fringe of many worlds...

Multiple Facets

    Te diversity of Lagoa can be perceived in the surrounding nature, in the different people and in the activities performed there.

            Blessed by nature: a water surface of approximately 15 square km surrounded by mountains and with a link to the sea through a channel. Many places along its banks are accessible only by boat and the majority of its margins are still largely untouched.

            This universe offers many perspectives. On the South side, we find Canto da Lagoa. Ten years ago, land there was very cheap. Today the place is highly valued. University teachers, public servants, the nouveaux rich, retirees and those seeking an alternative style of living compete for square footage with the existing locals. . Expensive modern houses share the largely rural territory with islanders' houses that have stood for generations. Here we can find people that haven't visited the Florianopolis city center in years!

The Urban Face

              Another perspective is of Centrinho. This is where we find the shopping mall, newsagent, supermarkets, video stores, gas station, surf shops, pubs, the Casarão da Lagoa - a cultural center offering workshops on music, photography, arts, etc. - restaurants, marinas, and the stone bridge splitting the lakes' east and west sides. . Centrinho is the urban face of Lagoa and the front door for people coming from Florianópolis' city center, after descending a hill with sharp curves from which another perspective of Lagoa is unveiled: the Tourist Viewpoint.

              On the left immediately prior to crossing the stone bridge we find the way to Costa da Lagoa. It is possible to drive part of the way by car and then it is either by foot or boat to reach the village. Many houses, bars and local restaurants have a boat pier. There are boats providing public transport and it is also possible to rent them. Life there is completely rural. The boat trip is worthwhile and may end in one of the many restaurants of the Costa, which offer very fresh seafood at affordable prices.

             After crossing the stone bridge, we come to Avenida das Rendeiras. It bears this name because of the traditional elderly ladies who make lace work that can be found by the road in small wooden huts. They make bobbin lace, but the activity is under threat of extinction, as the new generation of lace workers are not continuing the tradition largely due to contact with 'outsiders'.

From the Lagoon to the Ocean

          At the end of Avenida das Rendeiras the road divides. If we continue straight ahead for 5km we arrive at Joaquina Beach, the host of national and international surfing competitions. If we choose the left fork, we head to Barra da Lagoa. On the way we pass the fashionable Mole Beach. The road also passes Galheta, a nudist beach which has recently been declared a protected area and can only be reached on foot from Mole. On the left, on top of the hill, one can enjoy a view of the lake even more panoramic than from the Tourist Viewpoint.

                After a steep descent, pay attention to a small bridge. A bit before, and also to the left there is a place called Ponta das Caranhas where a good restaurant of the same name is located. To the right, a narrow road leads to Fortaleza da Barra, where restaurants offer tables with big, colourful umbrellas on top of piers over the channel used by speedboats, wave runners and fishing boats traversing from the lake to the sea.

               After the bridge we enter Barra da Lagoa. The road continues North, leading to Ingleses. It is a sealed road that crosses Rio Vermelho Forest Park through eucalyptus trees and pine forests. The lake is to the left of the road for a further 8 kilometees up to São João do Rio Vermelho - a small native village. There is a good viewpoint located at the Environmental Police barracks. Further ahead, at Rio Vermelho, it is possible for one to see the opposite coast of the lake, by the foot of the hills Morro do Saquinho and Morro do Tijuco.

             Along the road's right side while still inside the Park there is a beach called Moçambique, which is the longest on the island, measuring 12 km from Barra da Lagoa up to Ponta das Aranhas, almost at Santinho. The distance from the Tourist Viewpoint on Morro da Lagoa up to this point is roughly 20 km, along which there are five beaches, one lake and an infinite number of worlds.

Lagoa 24 Hours

       The day in Lagoa da Conceição starts early and finishes late. At dawn, fisherman go out in their boats and waiters collect bottles, clean tables, and reconcile the pub tills. The early birds observe the action as they jog, ride their bicycles or go after the first fresh bread out of the oven. The first cars carrying surfboards start to pop up. Despite not having waves, Lagoa is a surfer's paradise. The best beaches on the island for the practice of the sport are around it: Joaquina, Mole, and Moçambique. Lagoa is on the way to all of them, and along nearby roads one can get to Santinho in the North, and to Campeche in the South. All roads cross at Lagoa.

              Lagoa is also the stage for other extreme sports. From the surrounding hill tops, one can usually see hang gliders and paragliders dotting the sky with colors. On the dunes, between Avenida das Rendeiras and Joaquina people practice sandboarding, which is a type of surf on the sand. On the water speedboats, small sailboats, jet-skies, diving, and windsurfing dominate the scene. The island of Santa Catarina has no marinas on its oceanic coast. Well, Lagoa has two in operation and two being implemented. That's where the speedboats that crisscross its waters depart from before venturing into the sea through the Barra channel.

               Most of the small sailboats depart from LIC (Lagoa Yatch Club), which organises regattas valid for the state and national championships. The club has a good nautical infrastructure. The only two restrictions to sailing at Lagoa are its two bridges - the one linking Centrinho to Avenida das Rendeiras and another one over the Barra channel. Both of them are too low and prevent the passage of sailboats, unless the mast can be removed and mounted again. Even so it is a lot of work.

              By mid-morning Lagoa starts to fizz, especially on weekends. The sportsmen are already in the water or on the hills when the beachgoers arrive. That's when the first traffic jam of the day occurs at Morro da Lagoa, when the vehicles line up behind the Barra da Lagoa bus going uphill.

The Midday Sun

     Lunch time at Lagoa is democratic and elastic. From 11 AM on you can eat all kinds of food, anywhere, at all prices. There are restaurants specializing in everything: seafood, pasta, pizza, natural food, and even juice and sandwich joints. The bastantões - a set menu serves two or three people and costs next to nothing - concentrate in Canto da Lagoa. Other more sophisticated restaurants are found in Centrinho (Little center) and on Avenida das Rendeiras, next to the marinas. In Costa da Lagoa it is possible to eat well at low cost. In Joaquina and Barra, especially at Fortaleza beach by the channel, there are varied options.

               In the afternoon, as in the morning, the best program is sun, beach, sea, lake, chatting up, and observing the human types which, along with the natural beautiful scenery, create Lagoa's magic. We find the manezinho (island native) taking his bird for a stroll in its birdcage, the fitness instructor jogging with her dog, the girl who always goes topless at Praia Mole's left end, the bearded blond guy with his prominent belly who plays beach racketball watching the topless girl, the showmen, TV hosts and journalists, singers and instrumentalists that create the atmosphere in the pubs and bars and can be seen in the restaurants, bars, piers, and beaches. We also find the Rastafari with his dreadlocks and wearing his eternal beanie bearing the colors of Jamaica. We also find Andrino, a famous "MANÉ" who was once the city mayor, member of the nation's house of representatives and owner of the "Postinho" (gas station). The characters are endless.

At Sunset

    Everybody meets at the end of the day at "Postinho" - a gas station located in Centrinho next to the shopping mall. Next to it there is a concentration of cake shops that share a starving clientele between themselves. From 4 to 7 PM the gathering of people is non-stop and spreads to the neighbourhood: supermarket, cloth shops, video shops, bakeries, newsagents, the local square which from time to time holds a concert or handicraft market, the Casarão, the pubs…

             That's when the second traffic jam occurs - the return home. Depending on the weather it can be quite heavy. If it rains in the middle of the afternoon it's hell: everybody leaves the beach at the same time. People coming from Joaquina compete for space with people coming from Mole and Barra to get to Avenida das Rendeiras. Then at Morro da Lagoa everybody lines up behind buses - public transport and charted ones. As everybody is tired, sweaty, salty, and starving, the level of irritability is huge. Oh, Lord, give us patience!

Busy till Early Morning

        In the early evening there is a slowdown. Time for a break for dinner, shower, and dressing up for the night realm. Soon Lagoa will be filled with people again. The addresses for the action change though. The Via Sacra under the moonlight starts by the Tourist Viewpoint and finishes at Ponto de Vista located after Mole Beach on the road to Barra. Both places are vantage points with breathtaking views of Lagoa. In between them there are dozens of alternatives.

            One of them is Centrinho itself, with its various options for bars and pubs and a pier, which is the perfect place to take your boy or girlfriend. Still at Centrinho we find the marina bars and some restaurants. The night action continues after the bridge in a diversity of pubs and night clubs located at Avenida das Rendeiras. On the way to Rio Tavares there are also some interesting options, from pool halls to specialized restaurants.