Is Florianópolis safe?
Florianópolis is one of the most magical places in Brazil, the reason why the city (that is located on an Island) is known as Magic Island. The city receives around 7 million international tourists a year. With huge touristic demand, it’s normal that many people question whether the city is safe.
As a general rule, Florianópolis is a safe city for tourists and to live in. In addition to the paradisiacal beaches and good quality of life, Florianópolis still has one of the lowest rates of violence in the country. There are dangerous areas as in any capital, but in general, the city is safe.
In Florianópolis, you’ll see the same problems that any capital in the world. Poverty, crime, robberies. It happens. But don’t lose the chance to travel to an incredible city because of problems that also exist in yours. To understand more about the safety levels of the city and which areas you should avoid, keep reading.
Is Florianópolis Safe?
Florianópolis, the capital of the state of Santa Catarina, is the second most-visited tourist destination by international travelers in Brazil.
Florianópolis is safe and has one of the lowest violence rates in Brazil despite being a capital with a large population. The “Magic Island” is far from perfect, there are crimes and regions of the city that should be avoided, but these problems are present in every big city in the world.
As the economy of “Floripa” depends on tourism to be healthy, government officials are always trying to find ways to improve the security levels on the island. A good example of that is the Security Plan launched in the middle of 2019, in partnership with the federal government, with a focus on the prevention and repression of crimes and illegal activities.
The plan implemented great actions in the city. Increased the troop of security forces and installed technological innovations, bringing tools such as video surveillance totems and facial recognition in places of great circulation of people and locations where the presence of security officers is not so strong.
Are There Streets or Neighborhoods To Avoid?
The capital of Santa Catarina is considered one of the safest in the country, but there are crime and dangerous places over there. That’s why it’s so important to know what precautions must be observed, especially by tourists that are not used to the local reality.
From NYC to Paris, crime is always more common in remote places or areas and streets without too many people. And it’s even worse where there’s no police presence. Therefore, it is better to always follow the main roads, even if they are not the fastest. Advanced hours also demand more care. That’s the first important tip to be safe in Floripa: avoid routes that you don’t know well.
Apps such as Waze and Google Maps are awesome and make our lives easier, but don’t rely on their fastest routes while you’re in a city that you don’t know well. Sometimes, the fastest route will cut dangerous areas, such as slums or hills with more criminal activity and less police presence. Double-checking your routes and staying on the main roads is a better way of moving, even if it means slower traffic.
During your stay in the city, avoid going out alone and visiting places where the criminal activity levels are higher, such as hills (don’t go out hiking without a guide or a person that is used to the local reality), deserted beaches, areas without shops and low volume of tourists, and, especially: don’t go to slums (“favelas”). Also, avoid taking shortcuts and alternative paths, as they can lead through dangerous alleys for those who do not know the city.
11 Safety Tips From Florianópolis Police
There are some universal tips for international travelers that will always make your life easier wherever you’re traveling to, but tips from locals are even better. In 2019, after the launch of the Security Plan, the Police Department of Florianópolis released a list of tips to improve the safety of tourists traveling to the city. So here you can check 11 great simple tips to make your travel to Florianópolis safer:
- Always walk along the main roads.
- Avoid the fastest paths suggested by Waze and Google Maps, as they will lead by parallel routes.
- Check if the indicated map is up to date.
- Check the indicated risk areas on the map.
- Check the recommendations on the region where you will be traveling.
- Make prior consultation on the GPS and make sure that there are no desert locations on the route.
- Share the route with family members and other users.
- Avoid narrower streets, especially within communities, and wilderness locations.
- Follow roads where there are active shops and police stations.
- Divert the hills (for not knowing the geography).
- Avoid walking through unknown places, especially at more advanced times (night/dawn).
Is Florianópolis Worth Visiting?
Just knowing that Florianópolis, the “Magic Island”, is the second most visited tourist destination in Brazil should be enough to know that city definitely worth visiting, but some people want to know more.
Florianópolis is the most worth visiting city in Brazil because of its beauty, safety, and the fact that is cheaper than hot destinations as Rio and Bahia. “Floripa” has the perfect balance between calm and paradisiacal beaches with great entertainment options and the best parties in the country.
One of my favorite destinations in Brazil, Floripa, as it’s called here, has the best cost-benefit ratio among all the tourist cities. With more than 42 beaches and the great infra-structure of a capital city, Florianópolis is safe and also a gift for those that like to party, as the “Magic Island” brings together the best nightclubs, bars, and beach clubs in the country, often frequented by celebrities as actors, soccer players, and socialites.
There are excellent accommodation options at good prices, including 5-star all-inclusive beach resorts. In terms of infrastructure, there is a good airport in the city and the roads to the city are excellent for those who enjoy a good “road trip”. Inside the city, in the part of the island, traffic is a little slow during rush hours, but nothing that will ruin your tour.
Some of the best things to do in Florianópolis are visiting Campeche Island, a paradisiacal island that is part of the archipelago where the city is located. The place is so beautiful that is known as the Brazilian Caribbean. Another great option is to take a swim in Barra da Lagoa, a well-known beach in the region that holds amazing natural pools after a 20-minute walk in a beautiful trail.
Joaquina, which by itself is one of the hottest beaches of the region, has another natural attraction that makes it even more special: the sand dunes. Forming a landscape that is even hard to believe, right in the middle of a city, Joaquina Dunes guarantees the fun of travelers looking for some adrenaline moments. The rent of the board to practice “skibunda“, or some other modality, costs around $5 in low season.
Those are just 3 examples of the amazing places and activities that you can during your stay. The city is really great and probably worth an article talking about what are the best things to do in Florianópolis, right? I’ll work on it 🙂
Where Is The Party in Florianópolis?
Florianópolis is a great city with a lot of options of bars and beach clubs, but there is one specific beach located in the city that is the hotspot of parties not only on the island but for the entire country.
Jurerê Internacional is the best place to party in Florianópolis. The beach brings together the best nightclubs, bars, and beach clubs in Brazil. They receive thousands of tourists every year, who come after good music, beautiful people, incredible environments, and high-standard services/products.
Jurerê Internacional is a well-planned neighborhood, full of trees, luxurious cars, and mansions, all surrounded by one of the most beautiful and clean beaches in Brazil, that receives the same name of the neighborhood. With numerous bars, nightclubs, and fine dining restaurants, the region is well-known for receiving soccer players, socialites, and a lot of celebrities every year.
The Jurerê Internacional beach is located in the Jurerê neighborhood, between the beaches of Canavieiras and “do Forte”, in the North of Florianópolis Island. With approximately 3 km of sand and calm waters, it is perfect for those who like to enjoy the sun, take a dip in the sea, and relax, enjoying an incredible breeze.
Just be careful to don’t be confused with “Standard Jurerê”, a beach with the same name in the region (there’s no better translation, the name is really “Jurerê Tradicional”). The two beaches are located to the north of Florianópolis Island and they are continuous. That is, there is no physical division between the two.
The first beach is in the upscale neighborhood of the same name and is a popular beach, with calm and warm waters. It is a traditional resort in the region, with old residents and lots of typical food.
Jurerê Internacional, in turn, is a real estate enterprise with a structure that unites residential areas and resorts. If you want to party, this is the best choice for you in the city (maybe in entire the country).
Can You Drink the Water in Florianópolis?
Florianópolis is a great city, but what about the quality of water on the island? That’s crucial information because knowing if the water in the city that you’re traveling to is safe to consume is one of the most important things while planning a trip.
As a general rule, drinking tap water in Florianópolis is safe. The company of waters of the city follows the norms of the Ministry of Health that establish procedures related to the quality of water for human consumption. Although, in Brazil, it’s not common to drink tap water in restaurants.
Florianópolis is basically served by three springs, which supply more than 90% of the city’s water supply. The company that manages collection and treatment is Casan.
This is important, as this company follows the rules of Ordinance No. 518, of the Ministry of Health, of March 25, 2004. This is the law that establishes the procedures and responsibilities related to the control and surveillance of the quality of water for human consumption and your potability standard.
Therefore, in general, the quality of tap water in the city is good and safe for human consumption. Even so, 48% of the population still prefer to buy bottled mineral water, as shown in this survey made by Conexão Comunidade, a local portal. As the quality of the water in Florianópolis has not always been good, about half of people don’t drink tap water in their homes.
What Water People Usually Drink in Florianópolis?
This survey was carried out by the Florianópolis region website “Conexão Comunidade”, and asked what water do residents drink in their homes: tap water or bottled mineral water? The results below demonstrate what percentage of the population in Floripa still prefers to buy water even though tap water is reportedly safe.
| Bottled Water | 48% |
| Tap Water | 52% |
That’s a lot of people that still prefer to not drink tap water in their homes. And I mean in their homes because drinking tap water in Brazilian bars and restaurants is not usual. It’s not that restaurants want to force clients to buy bottled water, but as they’re not used to receive orders for “tap water”, you’ll only find bottled water in 99% of the places.
If you want to know more about the quality of the water in Brazil, check this amazing article on our blog: Can You Drink The Water In Brazil? A Safety Guide.
Conclusion
Florianópolis is safe and is a phenomenal city with some of the best beaches and parties in Brazil. You should definetely give it a shot if you’re planning to visit Brazil.
That being said, I hope it gave you all the information that you needed about the question: “Is Florianópolis Safe?”
Also, If you want to read more incredible articles just click here and enjoy. This blog is all about Brazil 🙂
