Colonial houses
Along the shore.
MTur Destinos — Public domain · MTur Destinos — Public domain · Otávio Nogueira from Fortaleza, BR — CC BY 2.0 · Lionel Baur — CC BY-SA 3.0
Ribeirão da Ilha, in the south of Santa Catarina Island, is one of Florianópolis's oldest districts, created in 1809, and its historic centre, the Freguesia, is among the oldest Azorean settlements in the region, founded in the mid-18th century. Terraced colonial houses line the shore road and the Praça Hermínio Silva, home to the Church of Nossa Senhora da Lapa, opened in 1806 and built of stone, lime and whale oil; the ensemble has been protected by municipal law since 1975. Old Azorean traditions survive here, such as bobbin lacemaking and boatbuilding. The district is the largest oyster producer in Brazil. Above it rises the Morro do Ribeirão, at 532 metres the island's highest point, with views over the South Bay to the mountains of the mainland.
Along the shore.
An Azorean craft.
The island's top.
South of Santa Catarina Island, Florianópolis
Oysters, as Brazil's largest producer, and its old Azorean village on the shore.