Barra da Lagoa Neighborhood - Florianópolis Neighborhood
Região: east of the island
Close quarters: Sao Joao do Rio Vermelho (11 km) | Conceição Lagoon (Centrinho da Lagoa 7,6 km)
Nearby beaches: Barra da Lagoa beach | Praia da Barra da Lagoa | Mozambique beach | Galheta Beach
Distances: Centro e Bus Station 23 km | Airport 23 km
Also find: boat ride, water sports, surf, trail, dunes, fishing, 'foot-in-the-sand' restaurants, gastronomic route, archaeoastronomy
The Barra da Lagoa neighborhood is located on the east coast of Santa Catarina Island, between the São João do Rio Vermelho neighborhoods ( Red River ) to Conceição Lagoon.
About 23 km away from the center of Florianópolis, Barra da Lagoa is a traditional community, which still keeps alive the Azorean and Madeiran cultural roots, such as the fishery and the production of braids, the making of bobbin lace quality networks for artisanal fishing.
With an area of 4,75 km² and a population estimated at approximately 4.925 inhabitants, the neighborhood is concentrated between the hill of Parque Municipal da Galheta (where the beautiful and isolated Galheta Beach) and the channel connecting the Conceição Lagoon to the sea.
The main road that gives access to the neighborhood is Rodovia SC-406, both for those coming from the north (Rio Vermelho) and coming from the south (Lagoa da Conceição).
Barra da Lagoa is a very friendly locality, formed by narrow streets, alleys and alleys, fruit of the simple way of life of the fishermen. Its residents are known for their cordiality and their pleasure in welcoming people from abroad. Allied to the natural beauties, this is one of the main reasons why Barra da Lagoa attracts numerous tourists in the summer season.
Many of its visitors are foreigners, mainly young people from North America, Europe and South America (Argentines and Uruguayans), but also the gauchos, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo usually choose Barra da Lagoa as a vacation spot. Even in the winter months, the region is highly sought after by those seeking peace and contact with nature away from the hustle of urban centers and the fervor of the season.
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Barra da Lagoa has good options for lodging, with houses for rent, several inns, hostels and hostels for all tastes.
For those who like seafood, you can try them in the different restaurants on the edge of the canal, from where you can admire a beautiful view of the calm waters, in turquoise green, where speedboats and yachts pass that enter and leave the Lagoa da Conceição.
The restaurants offer a good range of gastronomic options, from bistros with international cuisine and intimate decor to Japanese food, pizzerias and various snacks. But the region's flagship is the seafood, with emphasis on regional fish such as mullet and anchovies, in the fried and grilled modalities.
The neighborhood's commerce is restricted to the needs of the local community, with markets, pharmacies, bakeries and gas stations, in addition to souvenir, handicraft and beach items stores. In the summer months, some establishments usually work until dawn.
In Barra da Lagoa, there are no nightclubs and entertainment options are practically non-existent, with the exception of a few bars that open in the summer season with live music performances. However, less than 3 km away, on the beaches mole, joaquina and in Lagoa da Conceição, there is a wide variety of nightclubs, bars and lounges.
Since 2005, a base for the Tamar project, called Tamar Floripa, which develops environmental awareness and education work. Tamar Floripa has an infrastructure that includes five observation tanks with specimens of four of the five species of sea turtles that spawn in Brazil, a video room, exhibitions, a children's space and a souvenir shop.
Another attraction of Barra da Lagoa is the Pedra do Frade, a megalith that was used by the people who inhabited the region as an astronomical observatory. Among the markings are the summer and winter solstices. O Archaeoastronomy Center, in partnership with the Multidisciplinary Institute for the Environment and Archaeoastronomy – IMMA, brings together a collection of rock art panels (frotagems), archaeological artifacts, photographic panels, in addition to the trail created to give access to the megalithic monuments of Morro da Galheta, the Trail of Prayer.
History of Barra da Lagoa
The first traces of human occupation in the area that today corresponds to Barra da Lagoa date back more than 5.000 years and are basically composed of stone workshops and rock inscriptions. Later, during the period of Portuguese colonization, the crown intended to build a military fortress there. However, this work was never completed and, with the construction of the bridge over the canal, it was eventually buried.
In the middle of the 1750th century, Santa Catarina Island was occupied by Azorean couples so that Portugal could guarantee their possession. These immigrants were sent to regions far from the center, forming small villages. One of these villages was Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Lagoa, which was founded in XNUMX and is one of the oldest in the State of Santa Catarina.
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The region in which Barra da Lagoa is located today belonged to Flor Martins, a wealthy landowner. Over time, the channel ended up attracting some fishermen. The first constructions to appear were the shelters for the boats, but eventually these fishermen settled in the area, giving rise to a small village. The spatial development of this community ended up being determined by its proximity to the sea.
At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, Barra da Lagoa had approximately thirty families whose subsistence came from fishing. With the introduction of on-board fishing in the community, many fishermen moved to large fishing centers such as Santos and Rio Grande do Sul, leaving behind not only Florianópolis, but also the artisanal fishing techniques that had been learned from their ancestors.
From the 1960s onwards, the region began to receive a large flow of visitors, attracted by its natural beauties. This led the residents of Barra da Lagoa to invest in activities related to tourism, such as renting houses for summer vacations, building inns, restaurants, shops, etc. This change in economic activity profoundly altered the sociability and cultural references of the community.
In 1989, the neighborhood emancipation movement began. When editing an official map, the authorities publicized the region as Barra da Lagoa beach and not like Praia da Lagoa, as it used to be called. But it was only in 1995 that the district of Barra da Lagoa was officially recognized. The dismemberment of Lagoa da Conceição took place by Municipal Law nº 4.806/95.
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