The State of Santa Catarina is where Univali is located. It has a gorgeous seashore, wonderful beaches, high mountains, canyons, and historic places to visit.

Univali’s campuses are dotted along the coast. Two such locations are Itajaí and Balneário Camboriú. Both cities have a good quality of life, and are within walking distance from the sea, in a region where with stunning nature, yet with all the infrastructure and facilities of a modern city.

Santa Catarina - the state where Univali is located

Itajaí and Balneário Camboriú

Itajaí is in a strategic region of Santa Catarina, located on the right bank of the longest river in the state, with connections to the main highways of the State and an airport just six kilometers away. The city has more than 200,000 inhabitants and one of the highest GNPs in the state, due to its important economic sectors, such as logistics, construction, industrial, and port complex activities, being home to the second largest container port in Brazil.

Itajaí is only seven kilometers from Balneário Camboriú, the state capital of tourism. Both cities have various beaches, like the modern and urbanized Central Beach, in Balneário Camboriú, the bucolic Cabeçudas, and the trendy Brava, in Itajaí, or the less urbanized Taquaras and Buraco in Balneário.

The region’s cuisine is based on seafood, mainly fish, such as the fried sardines, Itajaí’s iconic dish, or the “pirão de peixe”, a kind of fish stew, and stuffed mullet. Both cities have plenty of restaurants serving national and international cuisines. cities have plenty of restaurants serving national and international cuisines.
Balneário Camboriú is also known for its nightlife. The many bars nightclubs make a night out in “BC” one of the most interesting in the region. There are also many sports facilities, and is common to see people jogging or strolling along the seashore twenty-four hours a day.

Florianópolis and Azorean culture

Just one hour by car from Balneário Camboriú is the state capital, Florianópolis. It is an island with forty-two beaches and lots of magical places, like the “Conceição Lagoon”, the Joaquina beach dunes, the “Hercílio Luz” bridge and “Praça Quinze de Novembro” square, where an ancient fig tree still stands. Tradition says that if you walk around the tree, you will certainly come back and visit the city again. The folklore of “Floripa”, as the city is nicknamed, has many stories and legends, including the witches. People would see the witches riding their broomsticks in the night sky, and playing naughty tricks on the fishermen or other inhabitants. The local legends were immortalized by Franklin Cascaes, a writer and researcher who dedicated his life to preserving the Azorean memories and culture of Santa Catarina.

Along the entire coast, the Azorean culture can be seen, not only in the historical center of Florianópolis, but also in other towns, such as Tijucas, São José, Biguaçu and Itajaí. Cultural traditions like the “Terno de Reis”, “Boi de Mamão” and “Pau de Fita” are some that can still be seen, and are preserved by cultural associations. The historical cities of São Francisco do Sul, the third oldest in Brazil, and Laguna, the site of a historical battle led by Giuseppe Garibaldi, are certainly worth a visit.

Santa Catarina - the state where Univali is located

Santa Catarina - the state where Univali is located

Bombinhas

There are many places in the state where you can enjoy closer contact with nature. Trekking in Florianópolis, rafting along Itajaí River, snorkeling in Bombinhas, whale watching in the south coast, visiting the canyons of the “Aparados da Serra” National Park, the “Serra do Rio do Rastro”, one of the most beautiful roads, the “Serra do Corvo Branco” and the mountainous region, where visitors can enjoy the countryside in a unique way, sampling the local wines and eating “pinhão”, the pine nuts used in many traditional dishes, cooked or grilled in front of the fireplace, with the snow falling outside during the winter.

Festivals in Santa Catarina

The State has its own festivals, such as the Oktoberfest, in Blumenau, which celebrates the German origins of the city, or the “Festa Pomerana”, in the town of Pomerode. Joinville, the biggest city in the state is known for its Dance Festival in the month of July and the “Festa das Flores” in November, an exhibition of flowers. “La Sagra”, in the town of Rodeio, “Incanto Trentino”, in Nova Trento, and “Festitalia”, in Blumenau, are some cultural manifestations dedicated to the Italian roots of the State. In Itajaí, the Marejada festival celebrates the Portuguese traditions. The city also has a Music Festival and hosts the Volvo Ocean Race stopover, a perfect occasion for fans of the Sailing culture. The places, festivals, cultural aspects and cities described above are just a small sample of the huge diversity found in Brazil. Discovering the country is a wonderful adventure, exploring different types of food, drinks, sounds, smells, landscapes, colors, people, textures and cultures.

Santa Catarina - the state where Univali is located

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