By road, Governador Valadares and Varginha are about 375 miles (604 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 40 min of driving.
- 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Total distance | 375 mi (604 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 40 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-381 → BR-262 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
What the drive from Governador Valadares to Varginha is like
BR-381 (323 mi) and BR-262 (12 mi) carry about 89% of the 375 miles. Of the 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Governador Valadares to Varginha
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 2–65 | 63 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 65–68 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 68–78 | 10 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 78–193 | 115 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 193–200 | 7 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 200–203 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 203–211 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 211–216 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 216–353 | 137 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 353–357 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 357–375 | 18 | Minas Gerais |
What to see on the way from Governador Valadares to Varginha
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (mile 73), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 198)
- Nature and outdoors: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 198), Serra do Rola-Moça State Park (mile 203)
- Museums and history: Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (mile 73), Kubitschek Residence Museum (mile 195), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 198), Casa de Cacos (mile 207), Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho Cultural Center (mile 207)
- With kids: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 198)
Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano
Inaugurated in 1993, Saint Sebastian Cathedral in Coronel Fabriciano, Minas Gerais, shares the role of seat of the Diocese of Itabira-Fabriciano with Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral in Itabira.
Pampulha Modern Ensemble
Laid out around the artificial Lake Pampulha in Belo Horizonte, the Pampulha Modern Ensemble is an urban project that includes a casino, a ballroom, the Golf Yacht Club and the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Kubitschek Residence Museum
On the shore of Lake Pampulha in Belo Horizonte, the Kubitschek Residence Museum occupies the former weekend home of Juscelino Kubitschek.
Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais
On the PUC Minas campus in Belo Horizonte, this natural sciences museum shows Brazilian fauna, largely from the cerrado, alongside fossil South American mammals and an 'Age of Reptiles' hall with dinosaurs, pterosaurs and a large crocodile.
Serra do Rola-Moça State Park
On the edge of metropolitan Belo Horizonte, Serra do Rola-Moça State Park protects rugged ridges of the Espinhaço range where cerrado savanna meets Atlantic Forest.
Casa de Cacos
Casa de Cacos in Contagem is a museum and an example of fantastic architecture, built and decorated entirely by geologist Carlos Luís de Almeida and considered the only one of its kind in Brazil.
Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho Cultural Center
The Centro Cultural Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho is a public museum set in three historic buildings in Contagem, remnants of the town's original Portuguese Crown tax post.
Arriving in Varginha
Museu Municipal de Varginha
Varginha's municipal museum occupies a building put up in 1920 as the local Banco do Brasil office, in what was then the town's commercial heart.
More drives to Varginha
- Belo Horizonte to Varginha
- Conselheiro Lafaiete to Varginha
- Ribeirão Preto to Varginha
- Sete Lagoas to Varginha
- Mogi das Cruzes to Varginha
- Araraquara to Varginha
From Governador Valadares to other places in Brazil
- Governador Valadares to Conselheiro Lafaiete
- Governador Valadares to Sete Lagoas
- Governador Valadares to Barbacena
- Governador Valadares to Fumaça
- Governador Valadares to Passos
- Governador Valadares to Pouso Alegre
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Governador Valadares to Varginha?
About 9 h 40 min of driving without stops, over 375 miles.
How far is Varginha from Governador Valadares by car?
About 375 miles (604 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.
Is it safe to drive from Governador Valadares to Varginha?
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 Governador Valadares to Varginha use?
In order: BR-381 and BR-262. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Governador Valadares and Varginha?
Closest to the road: Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (cathedral, mile 73, 0.4 mi from the route); Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (museum, mile 198, 0.6 mi from the route); Casa de Cacos (museum, mile 207, 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.