By road, Cabo Frio and Itabira are about 414 miles (667 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 31 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Distance | 414 mi (667 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 31 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-140 → RJ-124 → BR-101 → BR-493 → BR-116 → BR-040 → MGC-356 → BR-381 → MG-434 → MG-129 → AMG-1210 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Cabo Frio to Itabira
BR-040 (240 mi) and BR-381 (36 mi) carry about 67% of the 414 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Cabo Frio to Itabira
| 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 | 221–343 | 122 | Minas Gerais |
| MGC-356 | 343–348 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 348–354 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 354–355 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 355–391 | 36 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-434 | 391–403 | 12 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-129 | 403–406 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| AMG-1210 | 406–413 | 7 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 413–414 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 164 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Itabira
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Francisco Nunes Theater (mile 350), Museu do Telefone (mile 352)
- Nature and outdoors: Costa do Sol State Park (mile 12), Araruama Lagoon (mile 18), Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 56)
- Museums and history: Museu Casa do Colono (mile 116), Museu da Loucura (mile 245), Museu do Telefone (mile 352)
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.
Museu Casa do Colono
Housed in a German-style home built in 1847 by immigrant Johan Gottlieb Kaiser, Museu Casa do Colono in Petrópolis is a themed history museum.
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.
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, this hilltop sanctuary in Congonhas is famous for Aleijadinho's 12 soapstone prophets on the front terraces and six chapels holding 64 life-size cedar figures of the Passion.
Mirante do Mangabeiras
From the Mirante do Mangabeiras in Belo Horizonte's Mangabeiras neighborhood, the view takes in a panorama of nearly the entire city.
Francisco Nunes Theater
Opened in 1950 inside Belo Horizonte's Américo Renné Giannetti Municipal Park, the Francisco Nunes Theater stages plays, concerts and other shows.
Museu do Telefone
The Museu do Telefone is a museum in the Mangabeiras neighborhood of Belo Horizonte.
Arriving in Itabira
Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Itabira
Known locally as Itabira Cathedral, Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in the municipality of Itabira, Minas Gerais.
More drives to Itabira
- Sete Lagoas to Itabira
- Conselheiro Lafaiete to Itabira
- Barbacena to Itabira
- Juiz de Fora to Itabira
- Araxá to Itabira
- Petrópolis to Itabira
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 Itabira?
About 10 h 31 min of driving without stops, over 414 miles.
How far is Itabira from Cabo Frio by car?
About 414 miles (667 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 Itabira drive?
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 Cabo Frio to Itabira use?
In order: RJ-140, RJ-124, BR-101, BR-493, BR-116, BR-040, MGC-356, BR-381, MG-434, MG-129 and AMG-1210. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Cabo Frio to Itabira?
Closest to the road: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (protected area, mile 56, 1 mi from the route); Francisco Nunes Theater (theater, mile 350, 0.6 mi from the route); Museu do Telefone (museum, mile 352, 0.9 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.