Plan on about 11 h 37 min of driving for the 438-mile (705 km) trip from Araruama to Itaúnas, 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.”
| Distance by road | 438 mi (705 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 37 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-138 → RJ-140 → BR-101 → RJ-228 → ES-422 → ES-010 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Araruama to Itaúnas: the shape of the trip
BR-101 (341 mi) and RJ-228 (43 mi) carry about 88% of the 438 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Araruama and Itaúnas
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-138 | 1–9 | 8 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 9–12 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-140 | 12–25 | 13 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 25–158 | 133 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-228 | 158–201 | 43 | Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 201–409 | 208 | Espírito Santo |
| connecting roads | 409–414 | 5 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-422 | 414–425 | 11 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-010 | 425–437 | 12 | Espírito Santo |
| local roads | 437–438 | 1 | Espírito Santo |
- Mile 173 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Espírito Santo (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Itaúnas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu da Polícia Militar do Espírito Santo (mile 278), Casa da Cultura de Fundão (mile 309), St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus (mile 410), Museu Eclesiástico de Arte Sacra (mile 410)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 187), Itabira Natural Monument (mile 205), Fonte Grande State Park (mile 279)
- Museums and history: Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 187), Itabira Natural Monument (mile 205), Museu da Polícia Militar do Espírito Santo (mile 278), Serra Historical Museum (mile 293), Casa da Cultura de Fundão (mile 309), St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus (mile 410), Museu Eclesiástico de Arte Sacra (mile 410)
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.
Itabira Natural Monument
Itabira Natural Monument is a protected area in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, listed in the natural monument category.
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.
Fonte Grande State Park
Fonte Grande State Park is a state-protected park in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo.
Serra Historical Museum
Founded in 2007, the Serra Historical Museum (Museu Histórico da Serra) in the municipality of Serra, Espírito Santo, keeps a collection of documents, period objects and other historical items.
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.
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.
St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus
St. Matthew Cathedral in the municipality of São Mateus is a Catholic church regarded as a reference for modern religious art in Brazil.
Museu Eclesiástico de Arte Sacra
Set in a former seminary chapel in São Mateus, Espírito Santo, this museum of sacred art was founded by Bishop Dom Aldo Gerna.
Arriving in Itaúnas
Itaúnas State Park
In northern Espírito Santo, Itaúnas State Park protects the lower Itaúnas River along with a strip of marshes, dunes and Atlantic beaches.
More drives to Itaúnas
- Serra to Itaúnas
- Cariacica to Itaúnas
- Vitória to Itaúnas
- Vila Velha to Itaúnas
- Guarapari to Itaúnas
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Itaúnas
From Araruama to other places in Brazil
- Araruama to Itaguaí
- Araruama to Resende
- Araruama to Penedo
- Araruama to Fumaça
- Araruama to Historic Village of Mambucaba
- Araruama to Guaratinguetá
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Araruama to Itaúnas?
About 11 h 37 min of driving without stops, over 438 miles.
How far is Itaúnas from Araruama by car?
About 438 miles (705 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 Araruama to Itaúnas?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Araruama to Itaúnas?
In order: RJ-138, RJ-140, BR-101, RJ-228, ES-422 and ES-010. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Araruama and Itaúnas?
Closest to the road: Museu da Polícia Militar do Espírito Santo (police museum, mile 278, 0.1 mi from the route); Casa da Cultura de Fundão (museum, mile 309, 0.2 mi from the route); St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus (cathedral, mile 410, 0.4 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.