Barbacena to Itaúnas is about 471 road miles (758 km): roughly 13 h 23 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Total distance | 471 mi (758 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 13 h 23 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-040 → MG-448 → BR-265 → MG-285 → MG-447 → AMG-0515 → MGC-265 → BR-356 → RJ-186 → ES-297 → BR-101 → ES-422 → ES-010 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
On the road from Barbacena to Itaúnas
BR-101 (234 mi) and BR-356 (43 mi) carry about 59% of the 471 miles. It runs through 3 states: Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Barbacena to Itaúnas
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 4–11 | 7 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 11–12 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-448 | 12–29 | 17 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-265 | 29–55 | 26 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-285 | 55–86 | 31 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-447 | 86–94 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| AMG-0515 | 94–100 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 100–109 | 9 | Minas Gerais |
| MGC-265 | 109–120 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 120–121 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 121–124 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-356 | 124–167 | 43 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-186 | 167–178 | 11 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 178–179 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| ES-297 | 179–208 | 29 | Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 208–442 | 234 | Espírito Santo |
| connecting roads | 442–447 | 5 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-422 | 447–458 | 11 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-010 | 458–471 | 13 | Espírito Santo |
- Mile 137 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 204 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Espírito Santo (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Barbacena and Itaúnas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu da Polícia Militar do Espírito Santo (mile 311), Casa da Cultura de Fundão (mile 341), St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus (mile 443)
- Nature and outdoors: Itabira Natural Monument (mile 238), Fonte Grande State Park (mile 312)
- Museums and history: Itabira Natural Monument (mile 238), Museu da Polícia Militar do Espírito Santo (mile 311), Ruins of the Church of São José do Queimado (mile 322), Serra Historical Museum (mile 326), Casa da Cultura de Fundão (mile 341), St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus (mile 443)
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.
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.
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.
Once you reach 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 Barbacena to other places in Brazil
- Barbacena to Passos
- Barbacena to Araguari
- Barbacena to Catalão
- Barbacena to Ourinhos
- Barbacena to Ituiutaba
- Barbacena to Itabira
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Barbacena to Itaúnas?
About 13 h 23 min of driving without stops, over 471 miles.
What is the driving distance from Barbacena to Itaúnas?
About 471 miles (758 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 Barbacena 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 Barbacena to Itaúnas?
In order: BR-040, MG-448, BR-265, MG-285, MG-447, AMG-0515, MGC-265, BR-356, RJ-186, ES-297, BR-101, ES-422 and ES-010. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Barbacena and Itaúnas?
Closest to the road: Museu da Polícia Militar do Espírito Santo (police museum, mile 311, 0.2 mi from the route); Casa da Cultura de Fundão (museum, mile 341, 0.2 mi from the route); St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus (cathedral, mile 443, 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.