Praia dos Ingleses, Florianopolis
The verdict
- Best for: Travellers who want a lively, fully served northern beach with warm water, big dunes to sandboard, and good seafood a step from the sand rather than a wild, empty cove.
- Best spot: The calmer southern end for a swim and the thickest cluster of restaurants, with the dunes toward Santinho for sandboarding and the north corner for surf.
- Know this: It is busy in the summer peak, especially with Argentine visitors, and the northern corner has real waves, so swim near the flags at the gentler south end.
Last reviewed July 2026
Praia dos Ingleses is the busy, welcoming face of the north of the island, a long sweep of fine white sand with warm water, a big backing of dunes and a whole town of hotels, restaurants and shops pressed up behind it. It is not the prettiest or the wildest beach on Santa Catarina, and it does not pretend to be. What it is, instead, is the most complete, the beach where you can swim in gentle warm water, sandboard the dunes, surf the north corner and eat superb seafood without ever moving your car, which is exactly why so many families and holidaymakers make it their base.
The honest read is that Ingleses lives and dies by the season. In the Brazilian summer from December to March it is a full on holiday town, packed and lively, with a large and cheerful Argentine crowd who have long adopted this coast, so if you want space and quiet this is not your beach in January. Come in the shoulder months, though, October and November or April, and the same warm water and easy infrastructure come with room to breathe and a far calmer town. The sea itself is friendliest at the southern end of the bay, while the northern corner throws up the bigger waves for the surfers, so pick your patch to match your mood.
Where Ingleses truly rewards is the mix of sea and supper. Spend the morning on the sand or boarding down the great dunes toward Santinho, then walk a few steps to the restaurants for a sequencia de camarao, the local shrimp feast that keeps arriving in course after course. In the evening, drive round to the sheltered bay side and the old Azorean fishing village of Santo Antonio de Lisboa, where the oyster farms supply the tables and the sunset over the water is one of the island's best. It is that easy pairing of a lively beach and honest local food that makes Ingleses more than the sum of its crowds.
Where to settle in
Ingleses is a busy town beach of kiosks and restaurants, and for a polished daybed scene the north's smarter beaches are close by.
Ingleses itself is more a lively town beach of kiosks, bars and seafood restaurants than a curated club scene, and that is much of its easy appeal, a lounger and a cold drink are never far and the food is close. For a polished beach club with daybeds and service, the smarter northern beaches of the island, above all Jurere Internacional, are a short drive away, and their hours and any minimum spend are to be confirmed on the day. It is easy to pair a warm, sociable day at Ingleses with a stylish afternoon elsewhere on the north coast. Our Florianopolis beach clubs directory covers the venues across the island, and if you tell us your dates we will pass your enquiry to the right operator so they can confirm space.
Praia dos Ingleses lies at the northern end of Santa Catarina Island, around thirty kilometres and roughly forty five minutes by road from downtown Florianopolis, with regular buses and straightforward driving outside the summer rush. It is a free public beach, but the town gets very busy in high season, so traffic and parking can be heavy from December to March, and it pays to arrive early and allow extra time. Cash and cards both work in the town, which has everything you need close to the sand.
Swim with sensible care. The water is warm and generally friendly, gentlest at the southern end of the bay, but the northern corner has real surf and currents can run, so keep to the flagged, lifeguarded stretches in season and keep children near the south end. The dunes are fragile and protected, so keep to the marked areas if you sandboard, and take all your litter home. Conditions here are typical and never guaranteed, so check the flags and the sea before you go in.
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Plan your day on the coast
Pair a warm, sociable day at Ingleses with a polished beach club elsewhere on the north coast. Tell us your date and party and we will point you to the right base in Florianopolis. No obligation, and we reply within 24 hours.
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Common questions
Can you swim at Praia dos Ingleses?
Yes, the water is warm and generally good for swimming, and it is calmest at the southern end of the bay. The northern corner picks up bigger waves that draw surfers and bodyboarders, so it is livelier there. Lifeguards work the busy stretches in summer, so swim near the flags, watch for currents and treat conditions as typical and never guaranteed.
Is Praia dos Ingleses good for families?
It is one of the easier family beaches on the island thanks to its warm water, gentle southern end and complete infrastructure of hotels, restaurants and shops within a short walk. It gets very busy in the summer peak, and the northern corner has real surf, so base the family at the calmer south end and keep children near the flags.
What is there to do at Ingleses besides the beach?
The big dunes between Ingleses and neighbouring Santinho are the largest in the city and a popular spot for sandboarding, the northern corner is a reliable surf and bodyboard break, and the town behind the sand is full of seafood restaurants. The Azorean fishing village of Santo Antonio de Lisboa on the bay side, famous for its oysters, makes a lovely evening trip.
When is the best time to visit Praia dos Ingleses?
The Brazilian summer from December to March is warmest and liveliest, when the beach fills with holidaymakers, many of them Argentine visitors, so it is a party in high season. For warm water with fewer crowds, come in the shoulder months of October, November and April, when the town is calmer and easier. Conditions are typical and never guaranteed.
How do you get to Praia dos Ingleses?
Ingleses sits at the northern end of Santa Catarina Island, around thirty kilometres and roughly forty five minutes by road from downtown Florianopolis, with regular buses and easy driving outside the summer rush. It is a free public beach, though summer traffic and parking can be heavy, so arrive early and allow extra time in peak season.
