The Wayro route from Criciúma to Melo, Uruguay is 472 miles (760 km), about 10 h 35 min of driving without stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 439.
- 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
- Uruguay: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
| Distance by road | 472 mi (760 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 35 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → BR-290 → BR-116 → BR-153 |
| Border crossing | about mile 439, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Cerro Largo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to Melo
The route crosses at about mile 439, from Rio Grande do Sul into Cerro Largo. 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.
On the road from Criciúma to Melo
BR-290 (186 mi) and BR-153 (129 mi) carry about 67% of the 472 miles. The first 439 miles are in Brazil; the last 33 are in Uruguay. It runs through 3 regions: Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Cerro Largo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Criciúma to Melo
| 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 | 170–180 | 10 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 180–307 | 127 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-153 | 307–436 | 129 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 436–472 | 36 | Rio Grande do Sul, Cerro Largo |
- Mile 55 of this route: Santa Catarina → Rio Grande do Sul (region line)
- Mile 439 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Cerro Largo (international border)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Criciúma and Melo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Morro de Osório Protected Area (mile 112), Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (mile 157), Museu do Carvão (mile 204)
- Nature and outdoors: Itapeva State Park (mile 59), Praia da Guarita (mile 59), Jacuí Delta State Park (mile 176)
- Museums and history: Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (mile 157), Otávio Rocha Viaduct (mile 171), Museu do Trabalho (mile 171), Museu do Carvão (mile 204), Dom Diogo de Souza Museum (mile 400)
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.
Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha
At Rua Nossa Senhora dos Anjos 547 in central Gravataí, the Agostinho Martha Municipal Museum covers local history and art; it was created in 1974 and organized in 1981.
Otávio Rocha Viaduct
In Porto Alegre's city center, the Otávio Rocha Viaduct is an engineering landmark spanning the intersection of Duque de Caxias Street and Borges de Medeiros Avenue.
Museu do Trabalho
Founded in 1982 on Rua dos Andradas in Porto Alegre, Museu do Trabalho is a private museum and cultural center with machines, photographs and documents on the lives of companies and workers.
Jacuí Delta State Park
Created in 1976, Jacuí Delta State Park (Parque Estadual Delta do Jacuí) protects the delta between Porto Alegre, Canoas, Eldorado do Sul and nearby towns, where fishers from Ilha da Pintada still practice traditional fishing.
Museu do Carvão
In the town of Arroio dos Ratos, Rio Grande do Sul, the Museu do Carvão is a history museum set on Rua Professora Silvana Narvaez.
Dom Diogo de Souza Museum
Founded in 1956 by historian Tarcísio Taborda, Bagé's Dom Diogo de Souza Museum has been housed since 1975 in the Portuguese Beneficence Society building.
Once you reach Melo
Cathedral of Melo
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pillar and St. Raphael is the main Roman Catholic church in the city of Melo, Uruguay.
Regional History Museum of Melo
Founded on June 27, 1976, Melo's municipal history museum displays archaeological pieces and historical items from the region and hosts temporary exhibitions and talks.
More drives to Melo
- Montevideo to Melo
- Paysandú to Melo
- Buenos Aires to Melo, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Melo, Uruguay
- Santa Fe to Melo, Uruguay
- Paraná to Melo, Uruguay
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
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Criciúma to Melo, Uruguay?
About 10 h 35 min of driving without stops, over 472 miles.
How far is Melo, Uruguay from Criciúma by car?
About 472 miles (760 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 Melo drive cross the border?
At about mile 439, 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Criciúma to Melo drive?
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 Melo?
In order: BR-101, BR-290, BR-116 and BR-153. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Criciúma and Melo?
Closest to the road: Morro de Osório Protected Area (environmental protection area, mile 112, 0.8 mi from the route); Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (museum, mile 157, 0.6 mi from the route); Museu do Carvão (museum, mile 204, 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.