Is Florianópolis safe? It is one of the questions we get asked the most by friends who are thinking of traveling to Florianópolis.
We were there. Aug 2023 – Jun 2024 & Jan 2026 — about a year living in Campeche
The Short Answer: Is Florianópolis Safe?
For us, the short answer is yes.
Florianópolis is considered the safest state capital in Brazil, and we could definitely feel it in our day-to-day life there, compared with other places like Salvador, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. In Brazil’s Atlas da Violência 2026, it had the lowest homicide rate of the country’s 27 state capitals: 9.7 per 100,000 people in 2024, against 21.1 in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
We don’t want to say that those other capitals are unsafe, but you do tend to stay more alert there when you’re walking the streets. In Florianópolis, and in Santa Catarina in general, people even leave their things around: you’ll see them saving their table at a restaurant with their phone or their purse.
What Happened to Us in a Year on the Island
In the year we lived there together, plus the six months Artur lived there before, nothing ever happened to us. We never fell for a scam, and we never had anything stolen, and neither did our close friends there.
We do, however, watch the local news, and sometimes we see someone getting mugged, or even more violent crimes: in November 2025, a young woman who lived in Matadeiro was killed while walking alone, early in the morning, on the short trail between Matadeiro and Armação.
The Real Risks (and How to Avoid Them)
Phone and Bag Theft
Not that it ever happened to us, but we think the biggest risk, here as anywhere, is having your phone snatched or your belongings stolen when you’re not watching them. Don’t leave your things unattended on the beach, and in the more crowded places, like the clubs, watch your drink and your phone.
Car Break-ins at Beaches and Trailheads
Sometimes you also hear about car break-ins at some of the more remote surf spots, like Moçambique, mostly to locals rather than tourists. Even cars have been stolen in the past, though never ours. Wherever you park, don’t leave anything valuable in sight in the car.
The Ocean: Rip Currents, Flags and Lifeguards
What does happen here, though, is people falling victim to nature. Please always stay safe when you go to the beach with your loved ones or your little ones: check for lifeguards, and for the flags that mark rip currents and danger spots. Never disregard rip currents, and always look out for the lifeguard signs.
Trails: Going Alone, Daylight and Weather
On trails like the ones we covered in our Lagoinha do Leste hike guide, or any other, try to go at times when there are other hikers around, or go with someone. Always take your phone, appropriate clothing, water and a little food.
Keep to the marked and more walked paths to avoid getting lost, don’t start too late, and head back before sunset. On some trails there is no phone signal at all. And avoid the steeper forest trails after a lot of rain, when they get muddy and harder.
Getting Home at Night
After a night out, we always recommend getting home by Uber or 99, especially if you don’t have a designated driver. As we mentioned in our nightlife guide, the tolerance for drinking and driving in Brazil is very strict, and you don’t want to put yourself and other people at risk.
And avoid walking alone late at night: just the general precautions you would take anywhere.
Safety Area by Area
Overall, safety is quite similar across the whole of Florianópolis. There are some places in the center with more homelessness and people using drugs on the streets, as you see on the bigger streets near the stations of many cities. They are human beings too, but sometimes they may resort to anything to feed their addiction, so stay alert in those areas. There are also some areas around the center better known for crime-related problems, which we would avoid as well.
Is Florianópolis Safe at Night?
Yes, Florianópolis is safe at night. Of course, take the usual precautions: avoid walking alone on deserted, poorly lit streets, and keep to the busier, more popular areas. Don’t take long walks through deserted areas; take an Uber or a taxi instead. And in the more crowded clubs, watch your drink and your phone. For where to go, see our Florianópolis nightlife guide.
Is Florianópolis Safe for Solo Female Travelers?
Yes, Michelle would say so: Florianópolis is a safe place for women traveling on their own. Overall, it is an easy place to meet other travelers, so you don’t have to be truly alone at moments like going out at night.
Money, Pix and Scams
Brazil is very, very digital when it comes to payments: almost everyone takes cards or Pix, the instant bank transfer, so you don’t really need cash. But if your phone runs out of battery, it’s always good to have some cash in your pocket. We do this in Brazil, and in every other part of the world we visit. Where there is no phone signal, like at Lagoinha do Leste, they probably won’t accept cards or Pix either.
One thing to notice: almost everyone in Brazil takes cards, even the beach vendors, and sometimes they use very small card machines with screens that are hard to read, and that don’t print a receipt. So when you pay, check on the screen that the amount is right, and that nobody has added an extra zero. There is a known scam, the “golpe da maquininha”, with machines whose screens are damaged on purpose, so that you approve a much bigger amount than you meant to.
Health and Nature: Sun and Sea Water Quality
The beaches on the east side, facing the open ocean, are usually fit for swimming. Some spots, though, are often unfit: usually in the bay on the west side, near river mouths, and at some points of the Lagoa da Conceição. You can always check the flags on the beach, but you can also check the latest report on which spots are fit or unfit on IMA’s site. To read it: a blue flag is fit, a red flag is unfit, and a grey flag is undetermined. In summer, the report comes out every week.
During the summer the UV index tends to be high, often reaching 11 or more, “extreme”, around midday, so protect yourself and your skin.
What the Official Travel Advisories Say
As of November 2026, the US State Department rates Brazil as a whole at Level 2, “Exercise Increased Caution”, because of crime and kidnapping (its advice was last reissued on 31 August 2026). It tells travelers not to go to the areas near Brazil’s land borders, to informal housing (favelas) or to the satellite cities of Brasília, and warns against municipal buses, especially at night. None of these is Florianópolis: the island is more than 500 km from the nearest land border, and neither the city nor Santa Catarina is named.
The UK’s travel advice (updated 28 October 2026) warns about robberies, especially on buses, phone theft, drink spiking and card cloning, and says to check the amount on the payment terminal before paying and to avoid city beaches after dark. It doesn’t mention Florianópolis or Santa Catarina either.
Our Safety Checklist for Florianópolis
- Keep your phone and bag close, and never leave your belongings unattended, on the beach or anywhere else.
- In the more crowded clubs, watch your drink and your phone.
- At night, keep to the busier, well-lit streets, and avoid deserted ones on your own.
- Get home by Uber, 99 or a taxi, and never drink and drive.
- Don’t leave anything valuable in sight in a parked car, especially at the more remote beaches.
- Hike with someone, or when other hikers are around; take your phone, water, food and the right clothes, and be back before sunset.
- At the beach, look for the lifeguards and their flags, and never disregard rip currents.
- Check whether a beach is fit for swimming on IMA’s site, and wear sun protection in summer.
- Carry some cash in case your phone dies, and check the amount on the card machine before you pay.
- Save the emergency numbers: 190 for the police, 192 for an ambulance and 193 for the fire brigade and rescue.
FAQs About Safety in Florianópolis
Is Florianópolis safe for tourists?
Yes. Florianópolis is considered the safest state capital in Brazil, and in the year we lived there together, plus the six months Artur lived there before, nothing ever happened to us. The biggest risk, as anywhere, is having your phone snatched or your belongings stolen, so stay alert and don’t leave your things unattended.
Is Florianópolis safer than Rio de Janeiro?
Yes. In Brazil’s Atlas da Violência 2026, Florianópolis had the lowest homicide rate of the country’s 27 state capitals: 9.7 per 100,000 people in 2024, against 21.1 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. We felt it too: you tend to stay more alert walking the streets of Rio, Salvador or São Paulo.
Is Florianópolis safe at night?
Yes, with the usual precautions: avoid walking alone on deserted, poorly lit streets and keep to the busier areas, take an Uber, a 99 or a taxi instead of long walks through deserted areas, and in the more crowded clubs, watch your drink and your phone.
Is it safe to walk around Florianópolis?
Yes, in the busier areas, by day and at night. Avoid deserted streets on your own at night, and stay alert in the parts of the center with more homelessness and drug use on the streets.
Is Florianópolis safe for Americans?
Yes, as it is for anyone else. The US State Department rates Brazil as a whole at Level 2, “Exercise Increased Caution”, and the areas it warns against (near the land borders, favelas and Brasília’s satellite cities) don’t include Florianópolis or Santa Catarina.
Is Florianópolis safe to live in?
For us, yes: we lived there together for a year, and Artur for six months before that, and nothing ever happened to us or to our close friends there. Like anywhere, you will see crime in the local news, so the usual precautions still apply.
Is Uber safe in Florianópolis?
Yes. After a night out, we always recommend getting home by Uber or 99, especially if you don’t have a designated driver: the tolerance for drinking and driving in Brazil is very strict.
Are the beaches in Florianópolis safe for swimming?
Usually, yes, with care. Check for lifeguards and their flags, and never disregard rip currents. For water quality, check IMA’s report: the open-ocean beaches on the east side are usually fit for swimming, while some spots in the bay, near river mouths and in the Lagoa da Conceição are often unfit.
Final Thoughts on Safety in Florianópolis
Compared with the rest of Brazil, Florianópolis is truly a breath of fresh air when it comes to safety. Nothing has ever happened to either of us in Brazil, but you can just feel that Florianópolis is different. Artur lived in Brazil for over 20 years, and Michelle for a year, and that already says a lot.
So consider Florianópolis safe, but, as we say in Brazil, don’t give luck to bad luck (“não dê sorte ao azar”): stay alert, don’t leave your belongings unattended, and stay safe.
If you ever need emergency help, dial 190 for the police, 192 for an ambulance and 193 for the fire brigade and rescue.
In our opinion, what will probably make you feel most unsafe in Florianópolis are the typical Brazilian electric showers, heated by electricity right in the shower head (never touch their summer and winter switch while you are wet).
Apart from that, have a safe trip, and enjoy it!
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