Social Volunteer Work in Brazil “Fundação Vidal Ramos”, based in Florianopolis, is a non-profit organization that works to keep children away from the streets.

Brazil Guide

Florianópolis

Capital of the state of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis boasts the title of being one of the best cities to live in Brazil. With 342’000 inhabitants and great quality of life Florianópolis is a modern and cosmopolitan city that offers from calm and remote fisherman villages to rather populated and busy neighborhoods such as Ingleses and Canasvierias in the north portion of the Island. The center of the Island is also very busy and it is where all the big companies, banks, and malls are found. There are lots of bars and restaurants in this part of the city as well.

Another important part of the Island is the Lagoa da Conceição region. Popular because of its exciting night life and home to some of the most beautiful beaches, often used to hold all kinds of sport competitions. Anywhere from Outrigger Canoeing to Surf and Paragliding championships. The South portion is the most remote of all. A great part of it is made up by the Natural Reserve of the Lagoa do Peri and the rest is formed by fisherman villages and beautiful beaches.

Naufragados Beach

Some districts of the island still maintain the aspects and cultural habits brought by the people from the Azores (Portuguese Island), who were responsible for part of the colonization of the region among with Germans, Italians and other minor European nationalities. The most recent groups to migrate to Florianópolis are all the Paulistas (people from São Paulo), Cariocas (people from Rio de Janeiro) and Gaúchos (people from Rio Grande do Sul) that came to the city in the early 90’s in search of better quality of life escaping from the big centers of São Paulo, Rio and Porto Alegre, respectively.

Hercilio Luz Bridge

Influenced by the Portuguese of the Azores' colony, the population of Florianópolis live at a different pace than most of the other state capitals in the country. Being one of the least populated and with one of the highest quality of life standards in the country, the often called “manezinhos” are extremely proud of their land and customs. Some traditional companies still preserve the extended lunch time and close for up to two and a half hours in the middle of the day, a fact that would be unacceptable in São Paulo, Rio or any other capital of the southeast and southern regions of Brazil. In the summertime a considerable number of “manezinhos” temporarily move to a house closer to the beach and stay for the entire season. It is common for the people who live in the city center to have a second house in one of the beaches just 15km away from there. They are very receptive and are always willing to show the best that the city has to offer.

For further information, please access www.guiafloripa.com.br

Tourism and Adventure

Either inside Florianópolis or in the nearby cities you can find good quality activities to do such as, Theme Parks, street festivals, thrilling night life, beaches, mountains, canyons, rivers, lakes, parks, theaters, concerts, paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, white water rafting, boat trips, mountain biking, horse back riding, trekking, outrigger canoeing, sandboarding, abselling, etc. Peabiru Experience has special partnerships with all the best adventure sports providers in the island and mainland.