Itabira to Santa Leopoldina is about 270 road miles (434 km): roughly 7 h 26 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 by road | 270 mi (434 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 26 min |
| Main roads, in order | LMG-779 → RM-11 → BR-262 → ES-484 → ES-165 → ES-264 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 3 |
Driving Itabira to Santa Leopoldina: the shape of the trip
BR-262 (169 mi) and ES-264 (56 mi) carry about 83% of the 270 miles. It runs through 2 states: Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo. Of the 3 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Itabira to Santa Leopoldina
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| LMG-779 | 4–20 | 16 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 20–21 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| RM-11 | 21–24 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 24–25 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 25–194 | 169 | Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo |
| ES-484 | 194–199 | 5 | Espírito Santo |
| local roads | 199–208 | 9 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-165 | 208–213 | 5 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-264 | 213–269 | 56 | Espírito Santo |
| local roads | 269–270 | 1 | Espírito Santo |
- Mile 149 of this route: Minas Gerais → Espírito Santo (state line)
Places worth a stop between Itabira and Santa Leopoldina
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu do Tropeiro (mile 171), Museu da Imigração Pomerana (mile 248)
- Nature and outdoors: Caparaó National Park (mile 153)
- Museums and history: Museu do Tropeiro (mile 171), Museu da Imigração Pomerana (mile 248)
Caparaó National Park
Created in 1961, Caparaó National Park protects the Caparaó Mountains on the Minas Gerais–Espírito Santo border, including Pico da Bandeira, one of Brazil's highest peaks.
Museu do Tropeiro
Opened in 2011 in Ibatiba, in the Caparaó region of Espírito Santo, the Museu do Tropeiro displays items tied to the muleteers who opened roads and trade in the area.
Museu da Imigração Pomerana
Museu da Imigração Pomerana in Santa Maria de Jetibá holds a collection on German immigration to Brazil, especially the Pomeranian settlers of Espírito Santo.
When you get to Santa Leopoldina
Museu do Colono
Opened in April 1969, the Museu do Colono is a museum in Santa Leopoldina, Espírito Santo, and is run today by the state's Department of Culture.
Historic Center of Santa Leopoldina
Squeezed between hills and the Santa Maria River, the Historic Center of Santa Leopoldina (Núcleo Histórico de Santa Leopoldina) keeps buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Espírito Santo listed it as a State Historic Site in 1983.
Igreja Sagrada Família
Igreja Sagrada Família, the mother church of Santa Leopoldina, Espírito Santo, was built in 1911 on top of a hill above the Santa Maria River valley.
More drives to Santa Leopoldina
- Guarapari to Santa Leopoldina
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Santa Leopoldina
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Santa Leopoldina
- Itaperuna to Santa Leopoldina
- Muriaé to Santa Leopoldina
- Ipatinga to Santa Leopoldina
From Itabira to other places in Brazil
- Itabira to Passos
- Itabira to Barra do Piraí
- Itabira to Fumaça
- Itabira to Historic Village of Mambucaba
- Itabira to Trindade
- Itabira to Paranapiacaba
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Itabira to Santa Leopoldina?
About 7 h 26 min of driving without stops, over 270 miles.
What is the driving distance from Itabira to Santa Leopoldina?
About 270 miles (434 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 Itabira to Santa Leopoldina drive?
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 Itabira to Santa Leopoldina use?
In order: LMG-779, RM-11, BR-262, ES-484, ES-165 and ES-264. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Itabira and Santa Leopoldina?
Closest to the road: Caparaó National Park (national park, mile 153, 10 mi from the route); Museu do Tropeiro (museum, mile 171, 0.2 mi from the route); Museu da Imigração Pomerana (museum, mile 248, 0.1 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.