Niteroi is a city located within the state of Rio de Janeiro connected by a bridge called the Ponte Rio-Niteroi. Niteroi is very much an unknown city for tourism even though it’s only 10 minutes away from Centro Rio de Janeiro. It’s really close and I chose to make a short day trip out of it to see what Centro Niteroi was all about.
Introduction to Rio de Janeiro
American Airlines LAX-JFK A321T Business Class
American Airlines JFK Flagship Lounge
American Airlines JFK-GIG 767-300 Business Class
Sheraton Barra Rio de Janeiro Hotel Review Part 1
Sheraton Barra Rio de Janeiro Hotel Review Part 2
Windsor Atlantica Rio de Janeiro Hotel Review
The Sights and Sounds of Lapa in Rio de Janeiro
The Sights and Sounds of Centro Rio de Janeiro Part 2
The Sights and Sounds of Botafogo in Rio de Janeiro
The Sights and Sounds of Pao de Acucar in Rio de Janeiro
The Sights and Sounds of Niteroi in Rio de Janeiro
The Sights and Sounds of Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro
The Sights and Sounds of Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro
Scam City: Rio de Janeiro Brazil Edition Part 2
The Various Eats in Rio de Janeiro Brazil Part 2
Rio de Janeiro Airport American Airlines Admirals Club
American Airlines GIG-JFK 767-300 Business Class
American Airlines JFK-LAX A321T Business Class
There are multiple ways to get to Niteroi from Rio de Janeiro such as a taxi, public bus, or even a ferry. I chose the latter which starts at the ferry terminal at Praca XV in Centro Rio de Janeiro.
The price is R$4.90 ~ $1.98 for a 10-20 minute one-way ferry ride across the across Guanabara Bay from Rio de Janeiro.
The boarding process was quite simple as I was in a waiting area before entering the large vessel.
There seemed to be plenty of seating available and you can also stand if you wish. There is one restaurant onboard which sells simple snacks and drinks.
The views from the ship were spectacular and I could even see Santos Dumont Airport (SDU).
My first impression of Downtown Niteroi was the amount of street and pedestrian traffic. It felt very much like Centro Rio de Janeiro without the alleyways.
I did notice a lot of hair salon shops and fast food places.
There was also a large park with nearby historical buildings such as the Correios Palace and the Theatro Municipal.
There’s also a big modern shopping center called Plaza Shopping that looks like a typical middle class American mall.
The real shopping is to be had outside where you can score bargains on counterfeit goods such as Rayban sunglasses and Rolex watches.
You can also find pirated DVDs and counterfeit software for sale from one of the many street vendors.
