By road, Cabo Frio and Barbacena are about 247 miles (398 km) apart, or roughly 5 h 55 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.”
| Total distance | 247 mi (398 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 5 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-140 → RJ-124 → BR-101 → BR-493 → BR-116 → BR-040 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving Cabo Frio to Barbacena: the shape of the trip
BR-040 (141 mi) and RJ-124 (35 mi) carry about 71% of the 247 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. None of the 8 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Roads you'll take from Cabo Frio to Barbacena
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-140 | 2–9 | 7 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 9–12 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-124 | 12–47 | 35 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 47–67 | 20 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 67–69 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 69–73 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 73–78 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 78–81 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 81–85 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 85–98 | 13 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 98–99 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 99–217 | 118 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 217–221 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 221–244 | 23 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 244–247 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 164 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
Places worth a stop between Cabo Frio and Barbacena
- Nature and outdoors: Costa do Sol State Park (mile 12), Araruama Lagoon (mile 18), Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 56), Petrópolis Municipal Nature Park (mile 119), Serra dos Órgãos National Park (mile 127), Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (mile 133)
- Museums and history: Casa Stefan Zweig (mile 116), Imperial Museum of Brazil (mile 119), Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (mile 133)
Costa do Sol State Park
Scattered along the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, Costa do Sol State Park protects fragments of Atlantic Forest coastal habitat under pressure from urban growth.
Araruama Lagoon
In Rio de Janeiro state's Região dos Lagos, Araruama Lagoon is a permanent hypersaline lagoon covering 220 km², about 40 km long and 13 km wide.
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park is a protected area in Rio de Janeiro state, set aside by the municipality to safeguard a stretch of Atlantic Forest.
Casa Stefan Zweig
Founded in 2006, Casa Stefan Zweig is a writer's house museum in Petrópolis, set in the home where Stefan Zweig lived with his wife.
Imperial Museum of Brazil
Housed in the Petrópolis Imperial Palace, the former summer residence of Emperor Pedro II, the Imperial Museum sits in the historic center of Petrópolis; work on the palace began in 1845.
Petrópolis Municipal Nature Park
Petrópolis Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Serra dos Órgãos National Park
Serra dos Órgãos National Park protects the Serra dos Órgãos range between Petrópolis and Teresópolis, where a roughly 28 km traverse climbs past the Castelos do Açu to Pedra do Sino at 2,263 meters.
Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument
The Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument is a municipal natural monument, a protected area in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Once you reach Barbacena
Museu da Loucura
Housed in the restored 1922 Torreão of the former Hospital Colônia de Barbacena, the Museu da Loucura opened in 1996 and uses objects, equipment, photos and documents to tell the history of psychiatric care in Minas Gerais.
More drives to Barbacena
- Rio de Janeiro to Barbacena
- Niterói to Barbacena
- Pouso Alegre to Barbacena
- Araruama to Barbacena
- Poços de Caldas to Barbacena
- Macaé to Barbacena
From Cabo Frio to other places in Brazil
- Cabo Frio to Nova Friburgo
- Cabo Frio to Teresópolis
- Cabo Frio to Itaguaí
- Cabo Frio to Barra Mansa
- Cabo Frio to Angra dos Reis
- Cabo Frio to Resende
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cabo Frio to Barbacena?
About 5 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 247 miles.
How far is Barbacena from Cabo Frio by car?
About 247 miles (398 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 Cabo Frio to Barbacena drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Cabo Frio to Barbacena?
In order: RJ-140, RJ-124, BR-101, BR-493, BR-116 and BR-040. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Cabo Frio to Barbacena?
Closest to the road: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (protected area, mile 56, 1 mi from the route); Casa Stefan Zweig (museum, mile 116, 2 mi from the route); Imperial Museum of Brazil (national museum, mile 119, 3 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.