By road, Araxá and Barra do Piraí are about 547 miles (881 km) apart, or roughly 11 h 8 min of driving.
- 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Distance | 547 mi (881 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-146 → SP-334 → SP-330 → SP-065 → SP-060 → BR-116 → BR-393 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Araxá to Barra do Piraí
SP-060 (136 mi) and SP-330 (133 mi) carry about 49% of the 547 miles. It runs through 3 states: Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Araxá to Barra do Piraí: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-146 | 2–63 | 61 | Minas Gerais, São Paulo |
| SP-334 | 63–154 | 91 | São Paulo |
| SP-330 | 154–287 | 133 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 287–288 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-065 | 288–375 | 87 | São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 375–511 | 136 | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 511–518 | 7 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 518–519 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 519–524 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 524–546 | 22 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 546–547 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 62 of this route: Minas Gerais → São Paulo (state line)
- Mile 481 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Araxá and Barra do Piraí
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Casa de Portinari (mile 142), Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas (mile 401), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 437), Itatiaia National Park (mile 490)
- Nature and outdoors: Furnas do Bom Jesus State Park (mile 76), Porto Ferreira State Park (mile 212), Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande (mile 336), Itatiaia National Park (mile 490)
- Museums and history: José Chiachiri Municipal Historical Museum (mile 106), Museu Casa de Portinari (mile 142), Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande (mile 336), Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas (mile 401), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 437)
Furnas do Bom Jesus State Park
Furnas do Bom Jesus State Park in São Paulo state protects cerrado and Atlantic Forest with high biodiversity in and around a canyon.
José Chiachiri Municipal Historical Museum
Franca's municipal history museum opened to the public in 1959 and bears the name of its first director, journalist José Chiachiri. Its eclectic collection, donated piece by piece by local residents, ranges from antique furniture to parts of the city's old animal-drawn tram.
Museu Casa de Portinari
In Brodowski, Candido Portinari's childhood home is now the Museu Casa de Portinari, where the painter often returned to stay with family. Inside are several of his works, mostly murals painted in fresco and tempera.
Porto Ferreira State Park
Porto Ferreira State Park covers about 611 hectares in São Paulo state, where vegetation shifts from cerrado savanna to forest with jequitibá trees, and is set aside for recreation and environmental education.
Planetário de Campinas
Inside Parque Portugal, the Lagoa do Taquaral park in Campinas, this municipal planetarium has projected the night sky onto its 8-meter dome since 1987, with shows on constellations and astronomy.
Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande
Topping the Serra do Itapetinga at about 1,400 meters, Pedra Grande is Atibaia's highest point, a protected state natural monument where hang gliders and paragliders launch and a trail leads to views over nearby towns.
Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas
Founded in 1963 and moved to Caçapava a year later, the Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas reopened after renovation in 2023, showing vintage vehicles and engines including a rare Tucker Torpedo and a 1973 Ford Maverick.
Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida
Brazil's National Shrine in Aparecida houses the image of Our Lady Aparecida that fishermen pulled from the Paraíba do Sul River in 1717. Work on the current basilica began in 1955, and Pope John Paul II consecrated it in 1980.
Itatiaia National Park
Created in 1937, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia holds the distinction of being Brazil's first national park. It sits on the border of two states, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais.
In Barra do Piraí itself
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 Araxá to other places in Brazil
- Araxá to Paranapiacaba
- Araxá to Itanhaém
- Araxá to Penedo
- Araxá to Historic Village of Mambucaba
- Araxá to Trindade
- Araxá to Assis
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Araxá to Barra do Piraí?
About 11 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 547 miles.
How far is Barra do Piraí from Araxá by car?
About 547 miles (881 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Araxá to Barra do Piraí drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Araxá to Barra do Piraí?
In order: BR-146, SP-334, SP-330, SP-065, SP-060, BR-116 and BR-393. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Araxá and Barra do Piraí?
Closest to the road: Museu Casa de Portinari (museum, mile 142, 0.3 mi from the route); Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (basilica, mile 437, 0.4 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 490, 0.2 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.