It is cold. In fact the coldest weekend of the year.
Some towns in the highlands are getting - 0 °C | 32 °F temperatures. Floripa is also cold, getting around 10 °C | 50 °F during the day and colder, around 8 °C | 46 °F, in the early morning. The beaches are empty and it is not impossible to spot a penguin swimming in the sea.
If the weather is chilly outside stay at home seems to be more pleasant and an opportunity to undertake personal activities like reading, eating good food, listening to music, surfing the web or working on a personal project. Simple things that clear and replenish your mind.
For those who need to be outside to enjoy winter, a trip to São Joaquim and Urubici, about 480 km and 171km respectively from Florianopolis, can be a rewarding experience of that region and its particular culture.
You can also watch some special visitors, the Southern Right Whales, that every year come to Santa Catarina southern coastline and stay for breeding and calving in a environmental preservation area. Garopaba and Imbituba are the main towns to watch the big animals quite close, either by boat or from the beach.
Floripa has also a lively range of restaurants, bars and nightclubs so there is plenty of good things to do while the cold wind is blowing outside.

Winter is time to eat the grey mullet (Mugil brasiliensis), called locally “tainha”, a popular and traditional fish dish in the region. Large catches during the cold months allow the fish to be found in most seafood restaurants, served in a variety of ways.
The grey mullet is part of the local culture. The fishing is mostly artisan and a party is celebrated every year during June/July in Barra da Lagoa.
Today I ate the grey mullet at Chão Batido, a lovely waterfront restaurant in Santo Antonio de Lisboa. The mullet has a distinguished flavor and I particularly like it grilled, accompanied with rice and pirão ( kind of gravy ).
If you are visiting Florianópolis during winter and love fish, like I do, don’t miss the chance to try a delicious and traditional dish.