Plan on about 10 h 46 min of driving for the 500-mile (805 km) trip from Campos dos Goytacazes to Itanhaém, 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Distance | 500 mi (805 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 46 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-180 → BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → SPI 117/070 → SP-070 → SP-021 → SP-160 → SP-055 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Campos dos Goytacazes to Itanhaém drive plays out
BR-116 (176 mi) and RJ-180 (158 mi) carry about 67% of the 500 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Campos dos Goytacazes to Itanhaém
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-180 | 2–160 | 158 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 160–169 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 169–178 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 178–180 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 180–356 | 176 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 356–357 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SPI 117/070 | 357–399 | 42 | São Paulo |
| SP-070 | 399–415 | 16 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 415–416 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-021 | 416–448 | 32 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 448–450 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-160 | 450–469 | 19 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 469–470 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-055 | 470–500 | 30 | São Paulo |
- Mile 285 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Stops between Campos dos Goytacazes and Itanhaém
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Itatiaia National Park (mile 275), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 327), Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (mile 441)
- Nature and outdoors: Itatiaia National Park (mile 275), Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (mile 441), Praia da Tupi (mile 478)
- Museums and history: National Historical Museum (mile 165), Museu Penitenciário do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (mile 168), Museu Militar Conde de Linhares (mile 169), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 327), Museu Mazzaropi (mile 352)
National Historical Museum
Created in 1922, Brazil's National Historical Museum holds more than 287,000 items, including the largest coin collection in Latin America.
Teatro Glauce Rocha
Teatro Glauce Rocha is a theater in Campo Grande named for actress Glauce Rocha, a Campo Grande native who became a legend of Brazilian acting.
Museu Penitenciário do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
The Museu Penitenciário do Estado do Rio de Janeiro covers the history of the state's prisons and displays contraband seized in prison units, from cell phones to tools used in escape attempts.
Museu Militar Conde de Linhares
In Rio de Janeiro's São Cristóvão neighborhood, the Museu Militar Conde de Linhares covers military history and is named for the nobleman who accompanied the Portuguese court's move to Brazil.
Itatiaia National Park
Brazil's national park system started here: Itatiaia National Park (Parque Nacional do Itatiaia) was created in 1937 as the country's first. The protected area lies on the border between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states.
Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida
In 1717, fishermen on the Paraíba do Sul River pulled up an image of Our Lady Aparecida. Today it rests in Brazil's National Shrine in Aparecida, a basilica consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1980.
Museu Mazzaropi
More than 20,000 items, from photos and furniture to film props and equipment, tell the story of Amácio Mazzaropi at this Taubaté museum, set on the grounds of the comedian's former studio.
Pedroso Municipal Nature Park
Santo André's Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (Parque do Pedroso) is a strictly protected conservation unit that holds important water sources and a fragment of Atlantic Forest.
Praia da Tupi
Praia da Tupi is a beach in Praia Grande, São Paulo state, with yellowish sand and blue water; it is one of the city's less crowded beaches and a favorite with surfers.
More drives to Itanhaém
- Cubatão to Itanhaém
- São Paulo to Itanhaém
- Jundiaí to Itanhaém
- Bragança Paulista to Itanhaém
- Itu to Itanhaém
- Campinas to Itanhaém
From Campos dos Goytacazes to other places in Brazil
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Itaguaí
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Barra Mansa
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Angra dos Reis
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Resende
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Penedo
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Fumaça
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Campos dos Goytacazes to Itanhaém?
About 10 h 46 min of driving without stops, over 500 miles.
How far is Itanhaém from Campos dos Goytacazes by car?
About 500 miles (805 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 Campos dos Goytacazes to Itanhaém 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 Campos dos Goytacazes to Itanhaém use?
In order: RJ-180, BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, SPI 117/070, SP-070, SP-021, SP-160 and SP-055. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Campos dos Goytacazes and Itanhaém?
Closest to the road: Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 275, 0.4 mi from the route); Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (basilica, mile 327, 0.4 mi from the route); Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (municipal nature park, mile 441, 0.7 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.