Florianópolis

Florianópolis needs 4 days: Praia da Joaquina, a surfing mecca with white sand dunes, on one, Lagoa da Conceição, with nightlife and water sports, on another, the Santa Cruz de Anhatomirim Fortress on a third, and touring some of the island's northern beaches on the fourth. December-March is best, with the Brazilian summer in full swing. It's mid-to-high priced for Brazil, with strong demand from Argentines in high season. Its island, with 42 beaches of very different profiles -from the rough surf of the east to the calm waters of the bay-, made it the epicenter of Brazilian surfing and one of the country's favorite beach destinations for the upper-middle class.