Criciúma to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay is about 552 road miles (888 km): roughly 12 h 24 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 490.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance by road | 552 mi (888 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 12 h 24 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → BR-290 → BR-116 → BR-392 → BR-471 |
| Border crossing | about mile 490, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The border on the way to Cabo Polonio
The route crosses at about mile 490, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rocha. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Uruguay (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Uruguay | You can drive on your U.S. license. |
| Entering Brazil (U.S. citizens) | Visa required: apply and get approved before you travel; travelers without visas can't enter. Passport: must be valid for one month at entry, with a blank page for each stamp. |
| Driving in Brazil | If you'll stay more than 180 days and drive, carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with your U.S. license. |
| Rental car | Cross only if the rental company authorizes it in writing and gives you the papers for the border; ask before you book. |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Uruguay (updated August 13, 2026); U.S. State Department, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
What the drive from Criciúma to Cabo Polonio is like
BR-471 (137 mi) and BR-101 (98 mi) carry about 43% of the 552 miles. The first 490 miles are in Brazil; the last 62 are in Uruguay. It runs through 3 regions: Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Criciúma to Cabo Polonio
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–11 | 11 | Santa Catarina |
| BR-101 | 11–109 | 98 | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 109–111 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 111–170 | 59 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 170–264 | 94 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 264–324 | 60 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 324–326 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-392 | 326–352 | 26 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-471 | 352–489 | 137 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 489–552 | 63 | Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha |
- Mile 55 of this route: Santa Catarina → Rio Grande do Sul (region line)
- Mile 490 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rocha (international border)
Stops between Criciúma and Cabo Polonio
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Morro de Osório Protected Area (mile 112), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 265), Santa Teresa National Park (mile 511)
- Nature and outdoors: Itapeva State Park (mile 59), Praia da Guarita (mile 59), Santa Teresa National Park (mile 511)
- Museums and history: Estância das Pedras Brancas (mile 185), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 265), Museu de Arte Leopoldo Gotuzzo (mile 330)
Itapeva State Park
Itapeva State Park is a protected area managed at the state level in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, one of the parks in the state system.
Praia da Guarita
Guarita Beach in Torres, Rio Grande do Sul, is a public beach resort along the city's coast.
Morro de Osório Protected Area
Created in 1994, the Morro de Osório Environmental Protection Area is a municipal conservation unit of Osório, Rio Grande do Sul, originally covering about 6,896 acres.
Porto Alegre Public Market
Porto Alegre's oldest public market, the Public Market downtown is a historic landmark and meeting point with many coffee shops and restaurants.
Estância das Pedras Brancas
Estância das Pedras Brancas is a historic ranch tied to the history of Rio Grande do Sul and the town of Guaíba. Its first owner was Antônio Ferreira Leitão.
Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves
Created by state decree in 1972 and linked to Rio Grande do Sul's culture department, this historic park stands on the old Sesmaria do Cristal, land once granted to the father of Farroupilha leader Bento Gonçalves da Silva.
Museu de Arte Leopoldo Gotuzzo
Opened in 1986 on Praça 7 de Julho, across from the Mercado Central in downtown Pelotas, this art museum is part of the Federal University of Pelotas arts center.
Santa Teresa National Park
Santa Teresa National Park on Rocha's coast was created to frame the colonial Santa Teresa Fortress; its grounds hold more than two million planted trees from five continents, a greenhouse and native wetland and woodland wildlife.
When you get to Cabo Polonio
Parque nacional Cabo Polonio
Part of Uruguay's national protected areas system since 2009, Cabo Polonio National Park spans 25,820 hectares of coastline, ocean and offshore islands.
Cabo Polonio Lighthouse
Standing on the Cabo Polonio headland in Uruguay's Rocha department, this lighthouse looks out over the Atlantic Ocean and was built in 1881.
Dunes of Cabo Polonio
Inside Cabo Polonio National Park in Uruguay's Rocha department, a band of natural sand dunes runs along the Atlantic Ocean.
More drives to Cabo Polonio
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Cabo Polonio
- Rivera to Cabo Polonio
- Paysandú to Cabo Polonio
- Salto to Cabo Polonio
- Bella Unión to Cabo Polonio
- Durazno to Cabo Polonio
More drives from Criciúma
- Criciúma to Camboriú
- Criciúma to Bento Gonçalves
- Criciúma to Jaraguá do Sul
- Criciúma to Paranaguá
- Criciúma to Francisco Beltrão
- Criciúma to Guarapuava
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Criciúma to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay?
About 12 h 24 min of driving without stops, over 552 miles.
What is the driving distance from Criciúma to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay?
About 552 miles (888 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.
Where does the Criciúma to Cabo Polonio drive cross the border?
At about mile 490, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Criciúma into Uruguay?
No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. You can drive on your U.S. license. (U.S. State Department, updated August 13, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Criciúma to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Criciúma to Cabo Polonio?
In order: BR-101, BR-290, BR-116, BR-392 and BR-471. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Criciúma to Cabo Polonio?
Closest to the road: Morro de Osório Protected Area (environmental protection area, mile 112, 0.8 mi from the route); Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (museum, mile 265, 0.5 mi from the route); Santa Teresa National Park (national park, mile 511, 0.2 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.