the city of niterói is located on the guanabara bay, just across from rio de janeiro, with an actual distance of about 7 miles between the two sister cities. the actual road distance is a bit longer, even with the bridge connecting the cities, and travelling by car generally takes about 30-45 minutes with traffic.

though seen by some as perpetually in the shadow of its bigger and better-known neighbor, niterói is quite large in itself, with a unique heritage and many attractions, that set it apart from those across the bay.