Plan on about 10 h 14 min of driving for the 384-mile (618 km) trip from Angra dos Reis to Itabira, before any stops.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Total distance | 384 mi (618 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 14 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → BR-494 → RJ-139 → RJ-145 → RJ-127 → BR-393 → RJ-131 → BR-040 → MGC-356 → BR-381 → MG-434 → MG-129 → AMG-1210 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Angra dos Reis–Itabira drive in a few lines
BR-040 (177 mi) and BR-393 (38 mi) carry about 56% of the 384 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Angra dos Reis to Itabira
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 4–9 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-494 | 9–43 | 34 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-139 | 43–50 | 7 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 50–54 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-145 | 54–67 | 13 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 67–74 | 7 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 74–75 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-127 | 75–83 | 8 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 83–84 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 84–122 | 38 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-131 | 122–131 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 131–132 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 132–186 | 54 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 186–190 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 190–313 | 123 | Minas Gerais |
| MGC-356 | 313–318 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 318–323 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 323–325 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 325–360 | 35 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 360–361 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-434 | 361–373 | 12 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-129 | 373–376 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| AMG-1210 | 376–382 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 382–384 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 134 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Angra dos Reis and Itabira
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 101), Piemonte Tower (mile 314), Memorial Minas Gerais Vale (mile 318), Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (mile 321)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Rola-Moça State Park (mile 308), Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (mile 321)
- Museums and history: Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 101), Museu da Loucura (mile 215), Museu da Imagem e Memória (mile 271), Memorial Minas Gerais Vale (mile 318), Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (mile 321)
Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte
Dating from the coffee era in Rio de Janeiro state's Paraíba Valley, Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte is a historic estate listed by the state heritage institute.
Museu da Loucura
Housed in the restored 1922 Torreão of the former Hospital Colônia de Barbacena, the Museu da Loucura opened in 1996 and uses objects, equipment, photos and documents to tell the history of psychiatric care in Minas Gerais.
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, this hilltop sanctuary in Congonhas is famous for Aleijadinho's 12 soapstone prophets on the front terraces and six chapels holding 64 life-size cedar figures of the Passion.
Museu da Imagem e Memória
Housed in the two-story Casarão dos Fonseca, the Museu da Imagem e Memória in Congonhas shows photographs, documents and old objects that tell the history of the town and its people.
Serra do Rola-Moça State Park
On the edge of metropolitan Belo Horizonte, Serra do Rola-Moça State Park protects rugged ridges of the Espinhaço range where cerrado savanna meets Atlantic Forest.
Piemonte Tower
Rising 101 meters on a mountain ridge between the Serra do Curral and Serra do Rola-Moça, Piemonte Tower (Torre Piemonte) is a tourist structure at the Alta Vila shopping center on the Nova Lima–Belo Horizonte line.
Memorial Minas Gerais Vale
Set in the restored former State Treasury building in Belo Horizonte, the Memorial Minas Gerais Vale is an arts and culture museum devoted to the history and traditions of Minas Gerais.
Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
The Federal University of Minas Gerais runs this natural history museum and botanical garden in Belo Horizonte, with an auditorium, a plant nursery, a lagoon, an ecological amphitheater and a sensory garden.
Arriving in Itabira
Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Itabira
Known locally as Itabira Cathedral, Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in the municipality of Itabira, Minas Gerais.
More drives to Itabira
- Sete Lagoas to Itabira
- Conselheiro Lafaiete to Itabira
- Barbacena to Itabira
- Juiz de Fora to Itabira
- Araxá to Itabira
- Petrópolis to Itabira
From Angra dos Reis to other places in Brazil
- Angra dos Reis to Caraguatatuba
- Angra dos Reis to Bragança Paulista
- Angra dos Reis to Paranapiacaba
- Angra dos Reis to Cubatão
- Angra dos Reis to Itu
- Angra dos Reis to Itanhaém
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Angra dos Reis to Itabira?
About 10 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 384 miles.
What is the driving distance from Angra dos Reis to Itabira?
About 384 miles (618 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Is it safe to drive from Angra dos Reis to Itabira?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Angra dos Reis to Itabira use?
In order: BR-101, BR-494, RJ-139, RJ-145, RJ-127, BR-393, RJ-131, BR-040, MGC-356, BR-381, MG-434, MG-129 and AMG-1210. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Angra dos Reis to Itabira?
Closest to the road: Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (historic estate, mile 101, 0.2 mi from the route); Piemonte Tower (observation tower, mile 314, 0.4 mi from the route); Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (natural history museum, mile 321, 0.5 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.