Florianopolis is the Capital of the Southern State of Santa Catarina. With approx. 350.000 inhabitants it is a rather small city by Brazilian standards and due to the low poverty levels and intimate contact with nature Florianopolis is positioned high on the ranking of ‘city with the best quality of life index'. The environment and historic patrimony are conserved and school attendance rates and incomes are high.

The island's first immigrants came from the Azores, a group of Islands in the middle of the Atlantic belonging to Portugal and known for its fishing, agriculture and strong devotion to the catholic church. The population of Floripa (the islands nickname) has also German and Italian traces.

Most of the city is located on the Island of Santa Catarina, a long and slender Island (54 km long and max. 18 km wide) in front of the mainland.

Nature is spectacular on the Island of Santa Catarina. Over 100 magnificent beaches in all shapes, sizes and kinds – heavy seas with large waves to little quiet sheltered coves-, hillocks and hillsides covered with lush rain forest, islands, shallows and sand banks, dunes, mangrove swamps and lakes.

Florianopolis and the Island of Santa Catarina  are a true paradise for eco-tourists and lovers of radical sports. Surfing  the high waves     on the ocean-side beaches, kite- and windsurfing on the calm but windy Lagoon of Conceição, diving and snorkeling in the calm waters at the western shores (facing the continent), trekking and mountain biking and even sand boarding on the high dunes; there are possibilities for every taste.