Plan on about 9 h 47 min of driving for the 333-mile (536 km) trip from Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Lavras, before any stops.
- 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Distance by road | 333 mi (536 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 47 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-482 → BR-101 → BR-319 → ES-297 → RJ-186 → BR-356 → MGC-265 → AMG-0515 → MG-447 → MG-285 → BR-120 → BR-265 → MG-448 → BR-040 |
| States on the route | Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
On the road from Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Lavras
BR-265 (118 mi) and BR-356 (47 mi) carry about 50% of the 333 miles. It runs through 3 states: Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 5 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Lavras: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-482 | 1–7 | 6 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 7–34 | 27 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-319 | 34–46 | 12 | Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro |
| ES-297 | 46–62 | 16 | Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo |
| connecting roads | 62–63 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-186 | 63–74 | 11 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-356 | 74–121 | 47 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| MGC-265 | 121–132 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 132–141 | 9 | Minas Gerais |
| AMG-0515 | 141–147 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-447 | 147–155 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-285 | 155–159 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-120 | 159–184 | 25 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 184–186 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-265 | 186–213 | 27 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-448 | 213–229 | 16 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 229–240 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-265 | 240–331 | 91 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 331–333 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 38 of this route: Espírito Santo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 52 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Espírito Santo (state line)
- Mile 55 of this route: Espírito Santo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 105 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Lavras
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu da Loucura (mile 243), Memorial Tancredo Neves (mile 277)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 21)
- Museums and history: Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 21), Museu da Loucura (mile 243), Casa do Padre Toledo (mile 272), Memorial Tancredo Neves (mile 277)
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.
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.
Casa do Padre Toledo
In Tiradentes, Minas Gerais, this 18th-century mansion was the home of Father Carlos Correia de Toledo e Melo.
Historic center of São João del-Rei
São João del-Rei's historic center is the town's preserved colonial core, with churches, chapels, bridges, fountains, townhouses and street layouts dating from its 18th-century mining origins.
Memorial Tancredo Neves
This museum in São João del-Rei, Minas Gerais, covers the life and political career of Tancredo Neves, the former governor and first civilian president elected after military rule, who died before taking office in 1985.
In Lavras itself
Museu Bi Moreira
On the historic campus of the Federal University of Lavras, Museu Bi Moreira holds around five thousand historical, ethnographic, archaeological and science-and-technology artifacts tied to the history of Lavras and the university.
More drives to Lavras
- Barbacena to Lavras
- Juiz de Fora to Lavras
- Barra Mansa to Lavras
- Teresópolis to Lavras
- Itu to Lavras
- Rio de Janeiro to Lavras
From Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to other places in Brazil
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Rio das Ostras
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Teresópolis
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Conselheiro Lafaiete
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Barra do Piraí
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Itaguaí
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Barra Mansa
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Lavras?
About 9 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 333 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Lavras?
About 333 miles (536 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 Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Lavras drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Lavras?
In order: BR-482, BR-101, BR-319, ES-297, RJ-186, BR-356, MGC-265, AMG-0515, MG-447, MG-285, BR-120, BR-265, MG-448 and BR-040. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Lavras?
Closest to the road: Museu da Loucura (museum, mile 243, 0.4 mi from the route); Memorial Tancredo Neves (museum, mile 277, 0.9 mi from the route); Historic center of São João del-Rei (old town, mile 277, 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.