Niterói Contemporary Art Museum

After pickup, sit back and relax during the 1-hour drive from Rio to Niterói. Take the opportunity to snap some photos as you cross Guanabara Bay. Learn about the old capital of Rio state and how the name comes from the indigenous Tupi language. Make your first stop in downtown Niterói and visit the Niemeyer Way, a series of works by the renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer. Sites such as the Oscar Niemeyer Popular Theatre, Oscar Niemeyer Foundation, and Roberto Silveira Memorial extend for 11km in the coastal neighborhoods of the city. Continue on to Juscelino Kubitschek Square. Head to Niterói Contemporary Art Museum, known locally as ‘the MAC’ and the highlight of this day trip. Revel at the interesting and inventive shape of what is considered one of the greatest works by Niemeyer. See contemporary art inside the museum. Make a quick stop at São Pedro Fish Market to finish off the tour. See where most restaurants buy their fresh fish and seafood. Finally, be dropped off back at your accommodation in Rio.

Discover the beauties of Niterói, the charming and lesser known side of Guanabara Bay, on a full-day tour. Leaving Rio de Janeiro, drive across Rio-Niterói Bridge, the largest reinforced concrete bridge in the Southern Hemisphere. Visit the Niemeyer Pathway, the architectural complex composed of the Teatro Popular (Popular Theater), the Roberto Silveira Memorial, and the Niemeyer Foundation building, all signed by Oscar Niemeyer, Brazil's most famous architect. Up next, admire the façade and pay a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC), the famous round and futuristic structure overlooking the Guanabara Bay, also designed by Oscar Niemeyer. Stroll along the waterfront areas along the Guanabara Bay beaches, passing through Icaraí, São Francisco, Charitas, Jurujuba, and Adam and Eve beaches. Enjoy the lunch break in front of the São Francisco beach, one of the city's most famous culinary centers. After passing by all the bay beaches, arrive at the Santa Cruz Fort. Notice the other side of the entrance of the Guanabara Bay, the main route of arrival to the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Niterói until mid-20th Century. Finally, head up to the peak of Parque da Cidade (City Park), 270m (885 ft) high, and enjoy a complete panoramic view of Niterói: the ocean beaches to the left and the beaches of Guanabara Bay to the right. At the same angle, you can also see Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf, the two most famous points in the mountain range that gave Rio de Janeiro the title of UNESCO World Heritage site as Urban Cultural Landscape. Return by the waterfront path back to your hotel.