Fortaleza de São José da Ponta Grossa, Praia Forte, Jurerê

We arrived in Jurerê in the early afternoon, after winding through the north of Santa Catarina island on our scooter, with stops at Santo Antônio and Daniela already behind us. The clouds hung low but dry, casting a soft light over the coast as we parked near the trail to Fortaleza de São José da Ponta Grossa.

Colonial fort Fortaleza de São José da Ponta Grossa overlooking the bay of Florianópolis in brazil — Colonial fort overlooking the bay of Florianópolis

Affiliation disclosure: By purchasing goods or services via the links contained in this post, I may be earning a small commission from the seller's profit, without you being charged any extra penny. You will be thus greatly helping me to maintain and keep enriching this website. Thanks!

Built between 1740 and 1744 by order of Brigadier José da Silva Pais, the fort was part of a larger military plan to defend the strategic northern bay of the island. Along with the neighboring fortresses of Santa Cruz de Anhatomirim and Santo Antônio de Ratones, it formed a triangular defense system designed to guard against invaders approaching by sea. The structure is terraced across the rocky slope—thick granite walls, a series of defensive platforms, and a small whitewashed chapel perched above the sea. Today, it’s a national heritage site maintained by the Federal University of Santa Catarina. The entrance was 16 reais, but we skipped going inside.

White bartizan at a corner of thick stone wall of fotaleza de sao jose in florianopolis — White bartizan at a corner of the thick stone wall, where those trees must not have existed when that was supposed to be useful

Instead, we walked around the periphery, where the trail edges past gnarled vegetation and offers sweeping views of the open Atlantic. The fort loomed quietly behind us, while ahead, the coastline unfolded in long, blue-gray strokes. It wasn’t hard to picture 18th-century sentinels watching these same waters, scanning for sails on the horizon.

Serene view of florianopolis bay from the fort hill of sao jose — Serene view of the bay from the fort hill

We descended to Praia do Forte, a beach that feels like it’s slipped through the cracks of modern development. Enclosed by lush green hills, it’s small, quiet, and blissfully underbuilt—just a few houses tucked into the foliage and only a handful of people spread out across the sand. The surf was gentle, and the air smelled like salt and forest. We walked the length of it slowly, unhurried by schedule or conversation.

A broad stretch of soft sand at praia forte on santa catarina island — A broad stretch of soft sand

red-yellow ice cream cart at praia forte in floripa — There’s always ice cream

From there, we rode into Jurerê, where everything changes. The mood shifted instantly—luxury apartments and whitewashed villas, manicured sidewalks, high-end cars. The pedestrian boulevard was lined with brand-name boutiques and trendy cafés, all polished and ready for the well-heeled. In the center of town stood an ivy-covered tower, part of the IL Campanario Villaggio Resort, rising like a misplaced Italian belltower among palm trees and designer storefronts.

Skyline of Jurerê town in florianopolis island — Skyline of Jurerê

picturesque ivy-covered tower of IL Campanario Villaggio Resort in downtown jurere, florianopolis — A picturesque tower

Several large stages had been set up throughout the town, and we stumbled across a few live music gigs happening in the middle of the day, though we couldn’t tell if it was for a special occasion or just a typical weekend in high season. Even under a gray sky, Jurerê Beach was busy, its long stretch of sand filled with bathers and sun-seekers. It’s the kind of place that caters to those who like their beach days with a bit of glamour—and a cold cocktail never too far away.

Downtown gig stage in jurere town in floripa — Downtown gig

bathers with colorful parasols at jurere beach in cloudy weather — Busy beach despite the overcast sky

After a bit of people-watching and wandering through the polished streets, we moved on, leaving the glitz behind for quieter corners of the island. But the contrast—between the old stone fort, the forest-shrouded beach, and the modern luxury of Jurerê—was one of the most striking of our trip.

pink bicycle of julie lingerie in jurere, florianopolis, brazil — I don’t know about her lingerie, but Julie’s bicycle looks lovely

Accommodation & Activities in Florianópolis

Stay22 is a handy tool that lets you search for and compare stays and experiences across multiple platforms on the same neat, interactive map. Hover over the listings to see the details. Click on the top-right settings icon to adjust your preferences; switch between hotels, experiences, or restaurants; and activate clever map overlays displaying information like transit lines or concentrations of sights. Click on the Show List button for the listings to appear in a list format. Booking via this map, I will be earning a small cut of the platform's profit without you being charged any extra penny. You will be thus greatly helping me to maintain and keep enriching this website. Thanks!

View more tours on GetYourGuide