Plan on about 10 h 10 min of driving for the 476-mile (766 km) trip from Florianópolis to Rio Grande, 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 by road | 476 mi (766 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 10 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-282 → BR-101 → BR-290 → BR-116 → BR-392 → ERS-734 |
| States on the route | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
On the road from Florianópolis to Rio Grande
BR-101 (213 mi) and BR-116 (95 mi) carry about 65% of the 476 miles. It runs through 2 states: Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Florianópolis to Rio Grande: 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 | 6–219 | 213 | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 219–221 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 221–280 | 59 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 280–375 | 95 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 375–434 | 59 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 434–436 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-392 | 436–469 | 33 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-734 | 469–473 | 4 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 473–476 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
- Mile 166 of this route: Santa Catarina → Rio Grande do Sul (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Florianópolis and Rio Grande
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Willy Zumblick (mile 85), Morro de Osório Protected Area (mile 223), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 375)
- Nature and outdoors: Praia de Naufragados (mile 25), Itapeva State Park (mile 170)
- Museums and history: Museu Willy Zumblick (mile 85), Museu de Comunicação Social Hipólito José da Costa (mile 282), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 375), Catedral São Francisco de Paula (mile 440), Museu da Baronesa (mile 440)
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.
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.
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 de Comunicação Social Hipólito José da Costa
Run by the Rio Grande do Sul state culture department, the Museu da Comunicação Hipólito José da Costa is a museum on Rua dos Andradas in Porto Alegre.
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.
Catedral São Francisco de Paula
Seat of the Archdiocese of Pelotas, the Catedral Metropolitana de Pelotas is a Catholic church in Rio Grande do Sul dedicated to Saint Francis of Paola.
Museu da Baronesa
Opened in 1982 and run by the Pelotas city culture department, Museu da Baronesa occupies a building listed as municipal heritage in 1985.
In Rio Grande itself
Catedral de São Pedro
Seat of the Diocese of Rio Grande, the Catedral de São Pedro in the city of Rio Grande is a church of historic and artistic value whose construction began in 1755.
Museu Náutico
Housed in Warehouse 4 of Rio Grande's old port, the Museu Náutico belongs to the city's university foundation and highlights Rio Grande's ties to the sea and the Lagoa dos Patos estuary.
Museu Antártico
The Museu Antártico is a science museum in the city of Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, and part of the museum complex run by the local university foundation.
More drives to Rio Grande
- Porto Alegre to Rio Grande
- São Leopoldo to Rio Grande
- Novo Hamburgo to Rio Grande
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Rio Grande
- Caxias do Sul to Rio Grande
- Passo Fundo to Rio Grande
From Florianópolis to other places in Brazil
- Florianópolis to Jaraguá do Sul
- Florianópolis to Paranaguá
- Florianópolis to Ponta Grossa
- Florianópolis to Caxias do Sul
- Florianópolis to Novo Hamburgo
- Florianópolis to Bento Gonçalves
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Florianópolis to Rio Grande?
About 10 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 476 miles.
How far is Rio Grande from Florianópolis by car?
About 476 miles (766 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 Rio Grande 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 Rio Grande?
In order: BR-282, BR-101, BR-290, BR-116, BR-392 and ERS-734. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Florianópolis to Rio Grande?
Closest to the road: Museu Willy Zumblick (museum, mile 85, 0.2 mi from the route); Morro de Osório Protected Area (environmental protection area, mile 223, 0.9 mi from the route); Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (museum, mile 375, 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.