Florianopolis, Brazil Is The Friendliest City In The World

Image via Flickr/ Rodrigo Soldon

In a recent survey by Conde Nast Traveler magazine (with more than 46,000 people submitting votes), Florianopolis, Brazil was listed as the number one most friendliest city in the world.

This area was stunningly beautiful,” reported one visitor to the Conde Nast Traveler. “I climbed some of the hills that overlooked the ocean and the scenery was fabulous.”

Florianopolis, dubbed “The Island of Magic,” is composed of many islands and is located north of Argentina, in southern Brazil. The city is known for its high quality of life, beautiful residents, authentic food and amazing beach parties.

From the clear-blue waters and sporadic jutting rocks (tourists love to take pictures on) to the sprawling greenery in the backdrop, Florianopolis exudes artistry and allurement—the perfect picture for a postcard. Popular activities include surfing, hiking, biking, visiting museums, sunbathing, swimming, dining, and, of course, partying.

Florianopolis,-Brazil-Beach

In 2009, the New York Times named it the party destination of the year. “It’s a mixture of St.-Tropez and Ibiza but without the attitude and without the prices,” Jeffrey Jah, a former model and businessman told the Times.

In all its glitz and glory, the city has its own set of standards and rules. Not all restaurants are open for lunch and dinner; some are only open for one or the other, and then not too late; clothes dryers and microwaves are a luxury not afforded by many, and the weekends are almost exclusively reserved for party and/or relaxation. Students spending a semester abroad or businessmen looking for a quiet place to work over the weekend will find it quite challenging. Public libraries aren’t open on the weekends and university libraries are open just a few hours on Saturdays.

But whats most notable about Florianopolis, also known as Floripa, is its emerging economy and how much it has changed to achieve the prime status as a city that it has today.

In 2006, Newsweek named it one of the “Ten Most Dynamic Cities,” noting its position on the list for the major transformation it underwent from the 70s onward:

Between 1970 and 2004, Florianópolis’s population tripled. So did the number of shantytowns. But the local economy grew fivefold, and incomes grew in step. Opportunity seekers, urban and rural, white collar and blue, poured in. With a hundred or so beaches lining the ‘magic island,’ tourism is thriving. And while many Brazilian cities are struggling to graduate from smokestacks to services, Florianopolis is succeeding. Thanks in part to a federal rule that for decades barred heavy industry on the island, town stewards promoted cleaner public works, and wound up with a network of public and private universities that make this one of the most scholarly cities in Brazil.”

Its spurt of growth likened it to that of Silicon Valley, and it is aptly described as the “Silicon Valley of Brazil.”  Some of the comparisons include its prime location to the city of Sao Paulo, it being a prime hub of universities offering a competitive research environment, and its influx of incubators and high-tech companies taking positions on the city’s beautiful island. Samsung incorporated a customer service center; Motorola, Dell, IBM, and many more have also settled on the popular haven.

Image via Flickr/

Image via Flickr/ whl.travel

According to The Brazil Business, “It is estimated that every year, 40 IT companies are opened or migrate to Florianopolis. This growth of the IT and communication sector in the city has encouraged the creation of condominiums to house these companies.”

With a flourishing infrastructure and pristine locale, there’s no doubt that Floripa will continue to grow, and tourists and businesses alike will flock to its islands.