Hiking Trails in Florianópolis: The Best Hikes, Times and Difficulty

The best hiking trails in Florianópolis are Lagoinha do Leste, the most famous and beautiful; Costa da Lagoa, which ends with a boat ride back; Gravatá, short and with views of the open ocean; and Naufragados, at the southern tip of the island. For something easy, the Barra da Lagoa natural pools, Galheta and Saquinho take under 40 minutes. Almost all of them end at beaches with no road access, reachable only on foot or by boat.

The hiking times below are approximate, one way and at a relaxed pace, not counting stops. Driving times are from Trindade, without traffic.

Table: Florianópolis hiking trails by difficulty and duration

Trail	Trailhead	Difficulty	Hike (one way)	Highlight
Natural Pools	Barra da Lagoa	Easy	15–30 min	Pools among the rocks on calm-sea days
Galheta	North end of Praia Mole	Easy	10–15 min	Wild beach, protected as a conservation area
Saquinho	Praia da Solidão	Easy	20–40 min	Concrete path and a small, secluded beach
Gravatá	SC-406, between Lagoa and Praia Mole	Moderate	40–50 min	Short, steep climb, ocean lookout
Morro das Aranhas	Praia do Santinho	Easy to moderate	~45 min to 1 hr	Rock carvings on the shore and views of the north of the island
Naufragados	Caieira da Barra do Sul	Easy to moderate	~1 hr	Lighthouse, historic cannons and a deserted beach
Lagoinha do Leste (via Pântano do Sul)	Pântano do Sul	Moderate, steep	1–1.5 hr	The most beautiful beach you can reach on foot
Costa da Lagoa	Canto dos Araçás	Moderate	2.5–3 hr	Atlantic Forest, waterfall and a boat ride back
Lagoinha do Leste (via Matadeiro)	Armação / Matadeiro	Hard	2–2.5 hr	Exposed rocky shore, lookouts and Morro da Coroa

Lagoinha do Leste: the most famous hike in Florianópolis

Lagoinha do Leste is a beach in the south of the island protected by the Parque Municipal da Lagoinha do Leste. It has no road and no permanent businesses, and behind the sand there’s a freshwater lagoon. There are two trails:

• From Pântano do Sul (~45 min by car). The shortest route, about 1 to 1.5 hours one way. It climbs steeply through the forest to the top of the hill and then descends to the beach. It has stretches with steps and plenty of shade.
• From Matadeiro (~40 min by car to Armação). Longer and more demanding, 2 to 2.5 hours one way. It crosses rocky shoreline exposed to the sun, with lookouts and the climb up Morro da Coroa, where you can see Lagoinha from above.

A good plan is to go via Matadeiro while your legs are fresh and come back via Pântano do Sul. In high season, local fishermen often run boat transfers between Lagoinha and Pântano do Sul, so you can do just one leg on foot.

Heads-up: this is the trail with the most Fire Department incidents in the Greater Florianópolis area. Bring plenty of water, start early, plan to be back in daylight, and don’t climb loose rocks for a photo.

Costa da Lagoa: a hike with a boat ride back

Costa da Lagoa is a fishing community on the western shore of Lagoa da Conceição, with no car access. The trail starts at Canto dos Araçás, at the end of the road around the lagoon, and follows an old path through the Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlântica), with views of the water and traditional houses along the way.

It’s about 2.5 to 3 hours of walking. At the end there are waterfront seafood restaurants and, about 15 minutes up a short trail, a waterfall. You can return by boat, to the Terminal Lacustre (lagoon boat terminal) or to the small center of Lagoa. Check the time of the last boat before you set off. More details in our Lagoa da Conceição guide.

Short hikes on the east side of the island

Gravatá. The trail starts on the SC-406 highway, between the end of Avenida das Rendeiras and Praia Mole. There’s no shoulder at the trailhead, so park earlier, near Lagoa. It starts with a steep climb of a few hundred meters; after that, the path is easy all the way to the small beach, surrounded by rocky headlands. There’s little shade: go early and wear a cap.

Galheta. Starts at the north end of Praia Mole and takes 10 to 15 minutes. The beach is protected as a municipal conservation area and became known for nudism; according to Floram (the city’s environmental agency), it has no longer been allowed since the area’s protection category changed in 2016. If you want a longer walk, you can do the full traverse between Praia Mole and Barra da Lagoa, via Galheta, in about 3 hours.

Barra da Lagoa natural pools. Cross the footbridge over the Barra channel, walk past Prainha and follow the trail of about 600 meters (roughly a third of a mile) to the pools among the rocks. They’re only worth it when the sea is calm: with a northeast wind, the waves break into the rocks and the spot becomes dangerous. There are no lifeguards.

Hikes in the south and north

Naufragados (~50 min by car). At the far south of the island, the trail starts at Caieira da Barra do Sul and takes about 1 hour through the forest to Praia de Naufragados. From there, a short climb leads to the lighthouse, from 1861, and the cannons of the old Forte Marechal Moura, from the early 20th century. From the lookout next to the lighthouse you can see the ruins of the Fortaleza de Araçatuba, on a small island just offshore. The sea there is cold and rough: be careful going in.

Saquinho (~45 min by car). At the end of Praia da Solidão, past the bridge over the stream, the concrete path to the small Praia do Saquinho begins. Near the start, a short trail leads to the Cachoeira da Solidão (Solidão waterfall). For fit hikers, there’s the long Solidão–Saquinho–Naufragados traverse, which should be done with a guide.

Morro das Aranhas (~45 min by car). Starts at Praia do Santinho, in the north of the island, and passes ancient rock carvings on the shore before climbing through the forest to the lookout, with views of Santinho, Ingleses and Moçambique.

Bonus, no hiking required: the Morro da Cruz lookout, downtown, can be reached by car or bus and has views of both bays and all three bridges. It’s a good option for the late afternoon or if you don’t feel like walking.

Hiking safety tips for Florianópolis

The tips below follow the guidance of the Santa Catarina Fire Department:

• Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.
• Start early and plan the round trip in daylight. In winter, it gets dark before 6 pm.
• Check the forecast and don’t hike in the rain or right after it.
• Wear closed-toe shoes with good grip, and bring water, a light snack, sunscreen and insect repellent.
• Fully charge your phone and, if possible, bring a power bank. Download an offline map, because there’s no signal on several trails.
• Don’t hike alone, and stay on marked trails.
• Be careful on rocky shores: wet rocks and bigger-than-usual waves cause many accidents.
• Don’t cross rivers when the water is above your waist or there’s a current.
• Pack out your trash: the trail-access beaches have no garbage collection.
• Emergency: 193 (Fire Department).

For more on staying safe in the ocean and around the city, see our guide Is Florianópolis safe?.

When to hike in Florianópolis

Fall (March to May) and spring (September to November) are the best seasons: mild temperatures, fewer people and reasonably long days. In summer, the trails get crowded and the heat takes its toll on the exposed climbs: start before 9 am. Winter has cool, clear days that are great for walking, but cold fronts bring rain and wind. See our guide to the best time to visit Florianópolis.

A central base for the island’s trails

Florianópolis’s trails are spread across the whole island, and Trindade is right in the middle: Lagoa da Conceição and the Gravatá trailhead are about 15 to 20 minutes away, Praia Mole about 25, and the south of the island less than an hour. At Floripa Studio Trindade, next to UFSC (Federal University of Santa Catarina), you come back from the trail to a studio with a washer-dryer, a full kitchen and an Angeloni supermarket on the ground floor of the building, which makes it easy to restock water and snacks for the next day.