Sao Francisco do Sul, Brazil

São Francisco do Sul is a municipality in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. It is the third-oldest post-Columbian city in Brazil, situated on the northern end of the island of São Francisco do Sul at the entrance to the Bay of Babitonga. Established in the middle of the 17th century; it is one of the oldest settlements in the state of Santa Catarina. It is also one of the few places where colonial and 19th-century buildings remain standing side by side. The town is located on a low-lying island of the same name, connected to the mainland by a causeway spanning the narrow strait.

Visitors can explore the colonial part of town with its main focus around the central square. In close proximity are several beaches and basic resort hotels catering to vacationers from the hinterland of Santa Catarina state.

Things to see and do

* Old town area
* Beaches
* Historic landmarks

Cruise Season - Jan - Dec
Currency - Real (R$) (BRL)
Language - Portuguese
Population - 40,000 approx
Land Area - 493 km²
Electricity - 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style
Time - GMT minus three hours
International Country Telephone Code - + 55

Port Location - The port lies a short distance from the town centre.

Transport Links - Sao Francisco do Sul is accessible from Joinville (41km) from Navegantes Airport, Curitiba International Airport and from Florianópolis International Airport.

It is possible to get to Joinville from almost any town or city in Santa Catarina by bus (Catarinense, the state's largest bus company, offers the greatest range). Outside Santa Catarina, several places offer bus services to Joinville, including Curitiba, São Paulo, Porto Alegre and Iguaçu Falls (via Curitiba).