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Which is better: Balneário Camboriú or Gramado?

Short answer

Balneário Camboriú is on the Santa Catarina Coast (SC), while Gramado is in the Serra Gaúcha (RS): different regions of Brazil. Balneário Camboriú: Brazil's most vertical beach; Gramado: the town of half-timbered architecture, handmade chocolate and hydrangeas. For this month's weather, Gramado has the edge.

Sources: INMET (updated 2026) · ANP · OpenStreetMap
Most reviewed activity in Balneário CamboriúBeto Carrero World Day Trip★ 8.8 · 56 reviews · from US$ 15 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →
Most reviewed activity in GramadoTicket to Skyglass Canela★ 8.7 · 47 reviews · from US$ 29 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →
Balneário Camboriú Gramado
Best time to visit Apr → Sep Aug → Dec
Weather this month 24° · 13 days of rain 24° · 12 days of rain
By car R$ 52 · from Florianópolis R$ 71 · from Porto Alegre
Ideal stay 3–4 days 3–4 days
Best for Family, Adventure, Relax Romantic, Food, Family, Relax
Choose Balneário Camboriú if

you want a trip for families and adventure seekers: a skyscraper waterfront, a cable car over the Atlantic Forest and a summer that never sleeps.

See guide
Choose Gramado if

you want a trip for couples and food lovers: mountain chill and Christmas lights almost all year.

See guide
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Where to stay

Where to stay: Balneário Camboriú or Gramado

The average nightly rate is around R$ 278 in Balneário Camboriú and R$ 579 in Gramado; what changes in practice is each place's season. Check current prices for your dates before deciding.

Compare hotels and places to stay in Balneário Camboriú on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

Hotel Sagres Praia in Balneário Camboriú 8.9 ★★★ · 31 reviews Hotel Sagres Praia See on Booking → Hotel Pires by Pires - Balneario Camboriu in Balneário Camboriú 8.5 ★★★★ · 38 reviews Hotel Pires by Pires - Balneario Camboriu See on Booking →
See all hotels in Balneário Camboriú

Compare hotels and places to stay in Gramado on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

Buona Vitta Gramado Resort & Spa by Gramado Parks in Gramado 9.3 ★★★★★ · 103 reviews Buona Vitta Gramado Resort & Spa by Gramado Parks See on Booking → Hotel Valle Dincanto in Gramado 9.5 ★★★★ · 20 reviews Hotel Valle Dincanto See on Booking →
See all hotels in Gramado

Rates change with the dates: confirm the price on Booking.com.

Frequently asked questions

Balneário Camboriú or Gramado: which is better?
Balneário Camboriú is on the Santa Catarina Coast (SC), while Gramado is in the Serra Gaúcha (RS): different regions of Brazil. Balneário Camboriú: Brazil's most vertical beach; Gramado: the town of half-timbered architecture, handmade chocolate and hydrangeas. For this month's weather, Gramado has the edge.
What is the best time to visit Balneário Camboriú and Gramado?
The best time to visit Balneário Camboriú is from April to September; for Gramado, it is from August to December, based on INMET's climate normals (temperature and rainfall for each month). If your trip already has a date, check each destination's page for your month.
Which of the two is cheaper to get to?
By car, leaving from Florianópolis, Balneário Camboriú is 82 km (51 mi) and costs about R$ 52 each way (fuel plus tolls); leaving from Porto Alegre, Gramado is 115 km (71 mi) and costs about R$ 71 each way (fuel plus tolls). The calculation assumes a car that gets 11 km/L. Lodging and activities vary with each place's season.
Where does it rain less, Balneário Camboriú or Gramado?
Averaged over the year, Balneário Camboriú has 11 rainy days a month and Gramado has 11. The two are practically tied over the year, but what decides the trip is the month: the rainiest month in Balneário Camboriú is January and in Gramado, October. For temperature, Balneário Camboriú is the warmer one (average high of 25° versus 24°).
How many days should you spend in Balneário Camboriú and in Gramado?
To see the main sights without rushing, Balneário Camboriú calls for 3–4 days and Gramado, 3–4 days. These are distant regions: with a week or less, it is usually better to pick one of the two and make the most of it.
Balneário Camboriú or Gramado with kids?
Both work with kids: Balneário Camboriú (urban beach, skyscrapers, and cable car) and Gramado (half-timbered architecture, mountain chill, and handmade chocolate). The choice usually comes down to getting there, not to infrastructure.
What should you not miss in each?
In Balneário Camboriú: Parque Unipraias and cable car, Praia Central, Laranjeiras Beach. In Gramado: Lago Negro, Rua Coberta, Mini Mundo. These are the sights that show up most in first-trip itineraries for each destination; the full guide to each has the whole list.