Founded in in 1573 by the Tupi Amerindians, Niterói is an important commercial and cultural hub, connected to Rio de Janeiro by an eight-mile (13 km) bridge across the Guanabara Bay. Also accessible by a 10- to 20-minute ferry ride, the city is home to beautiful beaches, the world-class Oscar Niemeyer-designed contemporary art museum and the Santa Cruz Fortress, and is a prime destination for hang-gliders, cliff divers, paddlers, windsurfers and jet-skiers. Don't miss the sunset from Parque da Cidade, on the top of a mountain in the Charitas neighborhood.