Florianópolis to Caxias do Sul is about 290 road miles (466 km): roughly 6 h 5 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Distance | 290 mi (466 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 5 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-282 → BR-101 → ERS-486 → BR-453 |
| States on the route | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the Florianópolis to Caxias do Sul drive plays out
BR-101 (187 mi) and ERS-486 (58 mi) carry about 84% of the 290 miles. It runs through 2 states: Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Florianópolis to Caxias do Sul: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | |
| BR-282 | 2–5 | 3 | Santa Catarina |
| connecting roads | 5–6 | 1 | Santa Catarina |
| BR-101 | 6–193 | 187 | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 193–194 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-486 | 194–252 | 58 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-453 | 252–285 | 33 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 285–290 | 5 | Rio Grande do Sul |
- Mile 166 of this route: Santa Catarina → Rio Grande do Sul (state line)
Places worth a stop between Florianópolis and Caxias do Sul
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Willy Zumblick (mile 85)
- Nature and outdoors: Praia de Naufragados (mile 25), Guarda do Embaú (mile 30), Praia do Siriú (mile 36), Lagoa de Ibiraquera (mile 47), Itapeva State Park (mile 170), Praia da Guarita (mile 170), Aparados da Serra National Park (mile 221)
- Museums and history: Museu Willy Zumblick (mile 85)
Praia de Naufragados
Praia de Naufragados is a beach about 1.45 km long on Santa Catarina Island in Florianópolis, reachable only by a 4 km walking trail.
Guarda do Embaú
About 46 km south of Florianópolis, Guarda do Embaú (Praia da Guarda do Embaú) is a beach recognized as a World Surfing Reserve, the first of its kind in Brazil.
Praia do Siriú
Praia do Siriú in Garopaba, Santa Catarina, is the municipality's longest beach, with about 4 km of sand.
Lagoa de Ibiraquera
Lagoa de Ibiraquera is a coastal lagoon in Imbituba, Santa Catarina, whose sandbar along the shore gives names to Barra de Ibiraquera and Praia de Ibiraquera.
Museu Willy Zumblick
In downtown Tubarão, Santa Catarina, the Museu Willy Zumblick keeps a permanent exhibition of part of the collection of local-born artist Willy Zumblick.
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.
Aparados da Serra National Park
Created in 1959 to protect Itaimbezinho canyon, Aparados da Serra National Park spans 25,328 acres in the Serra Geral range and also includes the Fortaleza, Malacara and Índios Coroado canyons.
Arriving in Caxias do Sul
National Monument to the Immigrant
Standing at the entrance to Caxias do Sul on BR-116, the National Monument to the Immigrant is listed by Brazil's national heritage institute (IPHAN).
St. Theresa's Cathedral, Caxias do Sul
St. Theresa's Cathedral is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Caxias do Sul, in Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul state.
Museu dos Capuchinhos
In Caxias do Sul, the Museu dos Capuchinhos is a history and art museum tied to the Capuchin Order, created because the story of the Capuchin Province of Rio Grande do Sul was being forgotten.
More drives to Caxias do Sul
From Florianópolis to other places in Brazil
- Florianópolis to Jaraguá do Sul
- Florianópolis to Paranaguá
- Florianópolis to Ponta Grossa
- Florianópolis to Novo Hamburgo
- Florianópolis to Bento Gonçalves
- Florianópolis to Santa Cruz do Sul
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Florianópolis to Caxias do Sul?
About 6 h 5 min of driving without stops, over 290 miles.
How far is Caxias do Sul from Florianópolis by car?
About 290 miles (466 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 Florianópolis to Caxias do Sul drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Florianópolis to Caxias do Sul?
In order: BR-282, BR-101, ERS-486 and BR-453. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Florianópolis and Caxias do Sul?
Closest to the road: Lagoa de Ibiraquera (lagoon, mile 47, 1 mi from the route); Museu Willy Zumblick (museum, mile 85, 0.2 mi from the route); Itapeva State Park (state park, mile 170, 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.