Beach in Santa Catarina, Brazil

Stretching over 560 kilometers along Brazil’s southern Atlantic, Santa Catarina’s coast is a living archive of encounters and change. Long before European ships appeared on the horizon, the Carijós—skilled fishers and farmers of the Tupi-Guarani group—lived here, shaped by the rhythms of sea and land. By 1529, explorers had charted these waters, and the name “Santa Catarina” appeared on world maps.
In the 18th century, waves of Azorean settlers arrived. The coast became a stage for disputes between Portugal and Spain, and, in the centuries that followed, German and Italian immigrants added new colors to the region’s tapestry, while fishing communities and ports flourished throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Yet, the true magic of this coastline lies in its stunning natural beauty: sweeping sandy beaches, rugged cliffs, peaceful lagoons, and dense Atlantic Forest reaching the shore. Dolphins play in the waves, migratory birds rest in quiet estuaries, and sea turtles return yearly to nest on protected beaches. Here, the footprints of ancestors and the pulse of the wild shape a destination that is both timeless and ever-changing.
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