Last updated August 23, 2026

The yellow twin towers and covered walkway of the historic Mercado Público building in downtown Florianópolis, with visitors in the square outside

Céline (Paris), modified by Fulviusbsas / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Florianópolis

Where to Stay in Centro, Florianópolis

Centro is Florianópolis's historic downtown, sitting on the western shore of Santa Catarina Island facing the mainland, close to the foot of the Hercílio Luz Bridge. Its core is built around Praça XV de Novembro, a square shaded by a fig tree planted in the 1870s, and the Mercado Público, a yellow-walled public market building dating to 1898 whose twin towers and covered walkway are among the city's most recognizable landmarks. Narrow colonial-era streets, churches, and small museums fill out the surrounding blocks.

What it's actually like to stay here

A working city center more than a resort — busy with office workers, market shoppers, and ferry traffic by day, and considerably quieter at night once shops and municipal offices close. It's the most explicitly historic and least beach-focused of Floripa's tourist areas, with colonial architecture standing in for sand and surf.

Stay here if

Stay here if exploring the Mercado Público, Praça XV, and the city's colonial-era streets on foot is a priority, or if generally lower hotel rates than the beach areas matter more than being near the sand.

Stay elsewhere if

If a beach at your doorstep is the point of the trip, Centro isn't it — the nearest sand is a real drive away, and the area itself quiets down noticeably once the workday ends.

Walkability
The historic core is compact and flat, and Praça XV, the Mercado Público, and the surrounding colonial streets are all within a 10 to 15 minute walk of most downtown hotels. It's an easy area to explore entirely on foot.
Noise at night
Busy with traffic and foot traffic during the day, especially near the market and the bus terminal, but noticeably quiet in the evenings once offices and shops close — closer to a business district's rhythm than a beach town's.

Best Hotels in Centro, Florianópolis

Faial Prime Suítes

★★★★
  • 🏆 Our overall pick
  • 🧭 Best for first-time visitors
  • 📍 Best location

Our take Suite-style rooms with more space than a typical city hotel, a few minutes from Praça XV and the Mercado Público in Centro.

Highlights

  • The Álvaro de Carvalho Theater and the historic core are a short walk
  • Rua Felipe Schmidt is Centro's main pedestrian shopping street
  • A breakfast buffet with tropical fruits and made-to-order hot dishes

What to know

  • Centro is a working city centre and quiets down in the evening compared with the beach areas
Check availability on Booking.com

Blue Tree Premium Florianópolis

★★★★
  • 🤫 Best for a quiet stay

Our take A tower set a few blocks out from Centro's busiest streets, with a rooftop pool that has a genuine view over the city and the bay.

Highlights

  • A gym and sauna on site, useful for a longer stay.
  • A quieter street than the blocks around Praça XV and the Mercado Público.
  • Restaurants and the Beira-Mar Norte waterfront are within a short walk.

What to know

  • Praça XV and the Mercado Público are 1.7 km away, just over 20 minutes on foot.
Check availability on Booking.com

Transportation & practical information

Centro is the island's transit hub — the main municipal bus terminal (TICEN) sits right in the historic core, with connections across the island, and ferries to nearby islands like Ilha do Campeche depart from the waterfront nearby. Reaching Jurerê or Lagoa da Conceição still means a 20 to 40 minute drive or bus ride, since both sit in different parts of the island.

Each of the island's main bases is walkable on its own, but they sit in very different parts of a large island — Jurerê in the north, Lagoa da Conceição roughly in the center, and Centro on the western, mainland-facing shore — so moving between them means a real drive, typically 20 to 40 minutes depending on traffic. A rental car adds flexibility for beach-hopping and day trips, but ride-hailing apps cover the same ground without the hassle of island parking, so a car is a convenience rather than a necessity.

Frequently asked questions

Is Centro walkable in Florianópolis?
Yes — the historic core around Praça XV and the Mercado Público is compact and flat, and most downtown hotels sit within a 10 to 15 minute walk of both.
Can I stay in Centro and still visit the beaches?
Yes, but plan for real travel time — reaching Jurerê or Lagoa da Conceição from Centro typically takes 20 to 40 minutes by car, bus, or ride-hailing app, since they sit in different parts of the island.

Related areas

An aerial view over Lagoa da Conceição's lagoon village, with the sand dunes and forested hills of the island behind it

Mariordo (Mario Roberto Duran Ortiz) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Lagoa da Conceição

Best for: Nightlife, Couples, First-time visitors

A wide sandy beach curving along the bay at Jurerê Internacional, with the town and forested hills visible in the distance

Rafael Bernardino Mattei / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Jurerê Internacional

Best for: Beach time, Families, Luxury travelers

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