Plan on about 10 h 23 min of driving for the 490-mile (789 km) trip from Campos dos Goytacazes to Itu, 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 | 490 mi (789 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 23 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-180 → BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → SP-060 → SP-015 → SP-280 → SP-075 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Campos dos Goytacazes to Itu
BR-116 (214 mi) and RJ-180 (158 mi) carry about 76% of the 490 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.
Which roads connect Campos dos Goytacazes and Itu
| 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 | 180–394 | 214 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 394–428 | 34 | São Paulo |
| SP-015 | 428–438 | 10 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 438–442 | 4 | São Paulo |
| SP-280 | 442–478 | 36 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 478–479 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-075 | 479–488 | 9 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 488–490 | 2 | São Paulo |
- Mile 285 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Stops between Campos dos Goytacazes and Itu
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Baths of King João VI at Caju (mile 168), Itatiaia National Park (mile 275), Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (mile 327)
- Nature and outdoors: Tijuca National Park (mile 170), Itatiaia National Park (mile 275)
- Museums and history: Museum of Tomorrow (mile 165), Baths of King João VI at Caju (mile 168), Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (mile 327), Historical Museum of Japanese Immigration in Brazil (mile 431), Centro Cultural e de Estudos Superiores Aúthos Pagano (mile 437)
- With kids: Museum of Tomorrow (mile 165)
Pedra do Índio
On Icaraí beach in Niterói, Pedra do Índio is a rock formation used by local anglers and beachgoers, with views over Guanabara Bay.
Museum of Tomorrow
Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the Museum of Tomorrow is a science museum on the Rio de Janeiro waterfront at Pier Mauá.
Baths of King João VI at Caju
Also known as the Museu da Limpeza Urbana, the Baths of King João VI (Casa de Banho de Dom João VI) is a museum on Praia do Caju in Rio de Janeiro's Caju neighborhood.
Tijuca National Park
Covering mountains inside the city of Rio de Janeiro, Tijuca National Park is an urban national park within the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve, managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.
Itatiaia National Park
Created in 1937, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia holds the distinction of being Brazil's first national park. It sits on the border of two states, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais.
Our Lady of Aparecida Museum
Archaeological pieces and sacred objects from the region fill the Our Lady of Aparecida Museum, within the Aparecida basilica complex. The museum opened in 1956.
Historical Museum of Japanese Immigration in Brazil
Opened in 1978 in Liberdade, this museum marks Japanese immigration to Brazil with more than 97,000 historical items, including photos, films and videos.
Teatro São Pedro
Teatro São Pedro in São Paulo was created by the Portuguese Manuel Fernandes Lopes and opened on January 20, 1917, with performances of A Moreninha and O Escravo de Lúcifer.
Centro Cultural e de Estudos Superiores Aúthos Pagano
In São Paulo's Alto da Lapa neighborhood, this cultural center is a state public institution maintained by the São Paulo State Secretariat of Culture and Creative Economy together with a civil society organization.
Arriving in Itu
FAMA Museu
Formerly the Museu São Pedro, FAMA Museu is a private museum open to the public in central Itu that holds the art collection of artist and collector Marcos Amaro.
Museu do Tietê
Inside Tietê Ecological Park in São Paulo's East Zone, this museum in a Ruy Ohtake-designed building tells the story of the Tietê River through documents, photos and Indigenous objects.
Parque da Rocha Moutonnée
In Salto, São Paulo, this park preserves a granite rock outcrop shaped by a Paleozoic glaciation 270 to 350 million years ago, found in 1946 and key evidence for the glacial origin of regional rocks.
More drives to Itu
- Araraquara to Itu
- Ribeirão Preto to Itu
- Bragança Paulista to Itu
- São Paulo to Itu
- São Vicente to Itu
- Santos to Itu
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 does it take to drive from Campos dos Goytacazes to Itu?
About 10 h 23 min of driving without stops, over 490 miles.
What is the driving distance from Campos dos Goytacazes to Itu?
About 490 miles (789 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 Itu 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 Itu use?
In order: RJ-180, BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, SP-060, SP-015, SP-280 and SP-075. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Campos dos Goytacazes and Itu?
Closest to the road: Baths of King João VI at Caju (museum, mile 168, 0.1 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 275, 0.4 mi from the route); Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (museum, mile 327, 0.4 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.