Plan on about 10 h 4 min of driving for the 370-mile (595 km) trip from Aracruz to Barra do Piraí, 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Distance | 370 mi (595 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 4 min |
| Main roads, in order | ES-257 → BR-101 → BR-319 → ES-297 → RJ-186 → BR-393 |
| States on the route | Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Aracruz to Barra do Piraí: the shape of the trip
BR-101 (143 mi) and BR-393 (123 mi) carry about 72% of the 370 miles. It runs through 3 states: Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Aracruz to Barra do Piraí
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-257 | 1–9 | 8 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 9–152 | 143 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-319 | 152–165 | 13 | Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro |
| ES-297 | 165–181 | 16 | Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo |
| RJ-186 | 181–245 | 64 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| BR-393 | 245–368 | 123 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 368–370 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 157 of this route: Espírito Santo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 168 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Espírito Santo (state line)
- Mile 172 of this route: Espírito Santo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 240 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
- Mile 276 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Stops between Aracruz and Barra do Piraí
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Casa da Cultura de Fundão (mile 19), Museu da Polícia Militar do Espírito Santo (mile 49)
- Nature and outdoors: Morro do Penedo Natural Monument (mile 50), Frade e a Freira Natural Monument (mile 117), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 140), Serra da Concórdia State Park (mile 356)
- Museums and history: Casa da Cultura de Fundão (mile 19), Ruins of the Church of São José do Queimado (mile 37), Museu Histórico da Ilha das Caieiras (mile 45), Museu da Polícia Militar do Espírito Santo (mile 49), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 140)
Buddha of Ibiraçu
Beside the BR-101 highway in Ibiraçu, a 35-meter Buddha statue rises at the Morro da Vargem Zen monastery. The giant figure, part of the monastery grounds, was officially inaugurated in August 2021.
Casa da Cultura de Fundão
Once the Agostini family residence, this two-story house in Fundão is protected as cultural heritage by Espírito Santo state and now works as a museum.
Ruins of the Church of São José do Queimado
In the Queimado district of Serra, Espírito Santo, these church ruins stand as a historic reminder of the Queimado Insurrection, an 1849 slave uprising.
Museu Histórico da Ilha das Caieiras
On Ilha das Caieiras in Vitória, Espírito Santo, this history museum is named for Manoel Passos Lyrio; an expansion begun in 2022 adds a section devoted to local fishermen.
Museu da Polícia Militar do Espírito Santo
In Cariacica, the Espírito Santo Military Police Museum holds more than 600 objects and 900 photographs on the force's history, in a building that closely resembles the state's first barracks, Quartel do Moscoso.
Morro do Penedo Natural Monument
Morro do Penedo Natural Monument protects a small sugarloaf-shaped hill on the shore of the bay south of Vitória, the capital of Espírito Santo state.
Frade e a Freira Natural Monument
Created by state decree in 2007, the Frade e a Freira Natural Monument is a state-run protected area in Espírito Santo spanning parts of Itapemirim, Cachoeiro de Itapemirim and Vargem Alta.
Serra das Torres Natural Monument
Covering about 10,459 hectares of Atlantic Forest in Atílio Vivácqua, Mimoso do Sul and Muqui, the Serra das Torres Natural Monument was created in 2010 to protect the peaks of a mountain range in southern Espírito Santo.
Serra da Concórdia State Park
Serra da Concórdia State Park (Parque Estadual da Serra da Concórdia) is a state park in Rio de Janeiro state that protects an area of Atlantic Forest.
When you get to Barra do Piraí
Santana Cathedral
Dedicated to St. Anne, this cathedral in Barra do Piraí is the seat of the Diocese of Barra do Piraí–Volta Redonda; Emperor Pedro II attended the laying of its cornerstone during a visit to the parish.
Fazenda São João da Prosperidade
Fazenda São João da Prosperidade is a historic rural estate in Barra do Piraí, Rio de Janeiro state, founded in the 19th century by Antônio Gonçalves de Morais.
More drives to Barra do Piraí
- Pindamonhangaba to Barra do Piraí
- Taubaté to Barra do Piraí
- São José dos Campos to Barra do Piraí
- Jacareí to Barra do Piraí
- São Paulo to Barra do Piraí
- Bragança Paulista to Barra do Piraí
From Aracruz to other places in Brazil
- Aracruz to Penedo
- Aracruz to Fumaça
- Aracruz to Historic Village of Mambucaba
- Aracruz to Trindade
- Aracruz to Caraíva
- Aracruz to Trancoso
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Aracruz to Barra do Piraí?
About 10 h 4 min of driving without stops, over 370 miles.
How far is Barra do Piraí from Aracruz by car?
About 370 miles (595 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 Aracruz to Barra do Piraí?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Aracruz to Barra do Piraí?
In order: ES-257, BR-101, BR-319, ES-297, RJ-186 and BR-393. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Aracruz and Barra do Piraí?
Closest to the road: Casa da Cultura de Fundão (museum, mile 19, 0.2 mi from the route); Museu da Polícia Militar do Espírito Santo (police museum, mile 49, 0.1 mi from the route); Frade e a Freira Natural Monument (protected area, mile 117, 1 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.