Santa Catarina - Brasil

Santa Catarina is situated between The States of Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul.

This is a small State that contains 6 million habitants approximately.

Since The XVI Century, Santa Catarina fascinated those immigrants who arrived there in search of new lands.

The State is a territory full of contrasts. The sea, the sierras adorned by snow during winter, the thermal waters and the European type valleys offer a variety of tourist destinies.

Santa Catarina possesses 560 kilometers of beaches and tropical glade. Some beaches: Guarda do Embaú, Garopaba, Praia do Rosa, Imbituba, Bombinhas, Itapema and Balneário Camburiú.

The colonization of these lands began in the littoral with the Portuguese arrival. Then, in The XIX Century, the biggest migratory population, from Italy, arrived; these people occupied, mainly, the south region of The State. Today, Santa Catarina is being occupied by German industries.

The capital of The State is Florianópolis, a city with beautiful beaches, and has: 396.778 inhabitants (2005).

It has a privileged geographic position; it is very easy to arrive there from any other State and from other countries as well (Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay).

Santa Catarina is considered one of the richest Brazilian States; in fact, it presents a huge economic development. The State is also known as "a piece of Europe" in the south of Brazil.

The cities of Joinville, Blumenau, Brusque and Pomerode preserve a strong German heritage, which can be seen in the architecture and the gastronomy.

In winter, sceneries of snow, pine trees and cold are pleasant surprises that add to the rustic natural beauty of the Santa Catarina plateau. Small cities and rural villages complement the peaks, plateaus and canyons, and although it is less than 100 km from the coast, one can breathe the vigorous cold air of the mountain region.

One simply needs to turn off the BR-101 highway and venture along the Serra do Rio do Rastro road, or that of Corvo Branco, to enjoy the scenery revealed at every sinuous curve. Mountains covered by the Atlantic Coastal Forest slowly transform into centuries old araucária pine forests, waterfalls mark rivers of crystalline waters. On the plateau, grassy fields dotted with rustic stone walls, are home to herds of cattle and are occasionally covered by fine layers of snow. Ranch hotels are spread through the region, reviving the simple lifestyle of the interior, the raising of animals and the traditions that come from the south.

Urubici, at 1,820 meters in altitude, is the coldest city in the state. The temperature there reaches 32º Fahrenheit at the heart of winter. But it is São Joaquim - the second largest regional producer of apples - that receives the most snow, and thus the most visitors. Lages, farther to the west, was a passageway for mule herds that linked Rio Grande do Sul to São Paulo, and until today is still dominated by rural culture, pine nuts, traditional local barbecues and mate tea.

How to arrive

By Plane:

International Airport of Florianópolis

Airlines that operate with regular flights: Gol, Tam, Varig, AeroLineas Argentinas, Pluna, Sky Airlines.

Av. Diomício Freitas 3393 – Cariano
PHONE: (48) 3331-4000
Distance from the downtown: 12 km

By road:

Bus Station of Florianópolis – SC

Av. Paulo Fontes, 1101

PHONE: (48) 224-2777