Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the beach and park on the sand among numerous fishing boats, enjoy the views of
the prettier houses on the cliffs and sample excellent seafood. Tourism has had only a
minimal impact on the inhabitants' lives, and Azorean traditions have remained strong,
most visibly during
Carnaval
when brass bands wend their way through the streets and
along the beach (the rhythms are very different from the familiar beat of samba drums).
9
EATING
PÂNTANO DO SUL
★
Bar do Arante
Rua Abelardo Otácilio Gomes 254
T
48 3237 7022,
W
bardoarante.com.br.
Right at the
end of the road and the best of several restaurants right
on the beach,
Bar do Arante
is lauded for serving some of
the best seafood on the island in a whimsical dining
room smothered in tiny bits of paper scribbled on by
patrons since 1958. Mains cost R$16-25.
Mon-Fri
11.30am-11.30pm, Sat & Sun 11.30am-4pm.
Ribeirão da Ilha
Some 36km south of Florianópolis, with views across the misty mountains of the
mainland,
RIBEIRÃO DA ILHA
is the largest oyster producer in Brazil and vies with Santo
Antônio (see p.580) as the most attractive Azorean village on the island - the locals
here still speak an Azorean dialect, which even if you understand Portuguese can be
di
cult to follow.
The main road passes below the lovely bougainvillaea-lined plaza, topped by the
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Lapa do Ribeirão
, built in 1806, and runs along a picture-
perfect waterfront, replete with top-class restaurants, colourful houses and domino
tables along the water. Intricately fashioned lace tablecloths, mats and other handicrafts
are often displayed for sale outside some of the houses.
ARRIVAL AND EATING
RIBEIRÃO DA ILHA
By bus
The village is acccessibe via route #561.
Muqueca da Ilha
Rodovia Baldicero Filomeno 7487
T
48 3232 7676.
This gorgeous old house and Carvalho
family restaurant offers a slightly more affordable
experience compared to
Ostradamus
(mains are R$30-50),
though the fresh seafood and tasty house dish (
muqueca
- a rich seafood stew) are almost as good.
Tues-Sat
11am-11pm, Sun 11am-6pm.
★
Ostradamus
Rodovia Baldicero Filomeno 7640
T
48 3337 5711,
W
ostradamus.com.br.
Justly popular
spot serving up creative dishes such as a dozen oysters with
martini and lemon, as well as delicious mains. Despite the
high prices and long waits for tables, this is easily one of
the island's best restaurants. Try the seafood risotto,
washed down with local wine (mains R$65-99).
Tues-Sat
noon-11pm, Sun noon-5pm.
Costa Verde e Mar
Heading north on Santa Catarina's coastal highway (the BR-101) from Florianópolis
is a region dubbed the
Costa Verde e Mar
by the tourism authorities. It's the magnificent
beaches
that take centre stage here, though much of the seafront is lined with ugly
development and high-rises. Travelling by bus, the obvious stopover is the free-wheeling
party town of
Balneário Camboriú
, though some of the finest bathing and surfing to be
found lies on the
Porto Belo
peninsula, closer to Floripa. With a car you'll have a lot
more options, though the heavy tra
c on the main highway is not for the faint-hearted.
Porto Belo
Less than two hours from Florianópolis, the town of
PORTO BELO
is a fishing
community that lies at the hub of a series of idyllic beaches clinging to the adjacent
peninsula, and is easily reached by bus. The most enticing stretches of sand and warm,
aquamarine waters are at
Bombas
and
Bombinhas
, 5km and 8km east of Porto Belo
respectively and separated from one another by a rocky promontory. The bay in which
they're found is extremely pretty, with rich vegetation behind the beach, and waves
suitable for inexperienced
surfers
. South of Bombinhas, if you're looking for open sea
and more powerful waves, the east-facing
Praia do Mariscal
is better, but should be
braved by only the most expert of surfers.
