Itapema is a compact beach resort on Santa Catarina's coast, about 60km south of Florianópolis and right next to Balneário Camboriú. It draws a Brazilian summer crowd — mostly families from the interior of Santa Catarina and Paraná — and has the infrastructure to match: beachfront avenues lined with restaurants, bars, and shops. Outside of January and February, it's a more relaxed place entirely.
The town owes its character to the descendants of Azorean settlers who first colonised this stretch of coast in the 18th century. You can still see their influence in older stone buildings, the fishing culture, and the way the community organises itself around the sea. The main fishing colony at Canto da Praia remains active, and watching nets being hauled in at dawn is worth the early rise.
The Serra do Mar mountains push close to the shoreline here, which gives Itapema a dramatic backdrop and makes the surrounding countryside worth exploring — ecological trails, river hikes, and waterfalls are all within reach. From the Morro da Sentinela you get a panoramic view over the whole bay that puts the town's geography in perspective.