By road, Barra Mansa and São Mateus are about 478 miles (770 km) apart, or roughly 13 h 3 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Total distance | 478 mi (770 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 13 h 3 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-393 → CMG-393 → RJ-186 → ES-297 → BR-101 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Barra Mansa to São Mateus: the shape of the trip
BR-101 (235 mi) and BR-393 (78 mi) carry about 65% of the 478 miles. It runs through 3 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Barra Mansa to São Mateus, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 4–76 | 72 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 76–81 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 81–82 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 82–88 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 88–121 | 33 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 121–123 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| CMG-393 | 123–150 | 27 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 150–151 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| RJ-186 | 151–214 | 63 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 214–215 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| ES-297 | 215–243 | 28 | Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 243–478 | 235 | Espírito Santo |
- Mile 122 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
- Mile 157 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 239 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Espírito Santo (state line)
What to see on the way from Barra Mansa to São Mateus
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Santana Cathedral (mile 27), Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 54), Casa da Cultura de Fundão (mile 377)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 256), Frade e a Freira Natural Monument (mile 278), Morro do Penedo Natural Monument (mile 345), Fonte Grande State Park (mile 347)
- Museums and history: Santana Cathedral (mile 27), Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 54), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 256), Museu Histórico da Ilha das Caieiras (mile 350), Casa da Cultura de Fundão (mile 377)
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Fonte Grande State Park
Fonte Grande State Park is a state-protected park in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo.
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.
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.
Arriving in São Mateus
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.
Igreja Velha
Listed as historic heritage of São Mateus in Espírito Santo, Igreja Velha was planned as the town's biggest church, but construction was never finished for lack of municipal funds.
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.
More drives to São Mateus
- Rio das Ostras to São Mateus
- Nova Friburgo to São Mateus
- Conselheiro Lafaiete to São Mateus
- Teresópolis to São Mateus
- Juiz de Fora to São Mateus
- Sete Lagoas to São Mateus
From Barra Mansa to other places in Brazil
- Barra Mansa to Trindade
- Barra Mansa to Caraguatatuba
- Barra Mansa to Paranapiacaba
- Barra Mansa to Itu
- Barra Mansa to Itanhaém
- Barra Mansa to Mogi Guaçu
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Barra Mansa to São Mateus?
About 13 h 3 min of driving without stops, over 478 miles.
How far is São Mateus from Barra Mansa by car?
About 478 miles (770 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 Barra Mansa to São Mateus?
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 Barra Mansa to São Mateus use?
In order: BR-393, CMG-393, RJ-186, ES-297 and BR-101. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Barra Mansa to São Mateus?
Closest to the road: Santana Cathedral (cathedral, mile 27, 0.7 mi from the route); Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (historic estate, mile 54, 0.3 mi from the route); Casa da Cultura de Fundão (museum, mile 377, 0.1 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.