Itaguaí to Itaúnas is about 515 road miles (829 km): roughly 13 h 8 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Distance | 515 mi (829 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 13 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → RJ-228 → ES-422 → ES-010 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Itaguaí to Itaúnas drive plays out
BR-101 (442 mi) and RJ-228 (43 mi) carry about 94% of the 515 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Itaguaí to Itaúnas: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 1–235 | 234 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-228 | 235–278 | 43 | Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 278–486 | 208 | Espírito Santo |
| connecting roads | 486–491 | 5 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-422 | 491–502 | 11 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-010 | 502–515 | 13 | Espírito Santo |
- Mile 250 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Espírito Santo (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Itaguaí and Itaúnas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus (mile 487)
- Nature and outdoors: Reserva Florestal do Grajaú (mile 40), Tijuca National Park (mile 41), Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 78), Itabira Natural Monument (mile 282), Paulo César Vinha State Park (mile 334)
- Museums and history: Museu de Arte do Rio (mile 45), Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Conceição (mile 45), Itabira Natural Monument (mile 282), St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus (mile 487)
Reserva Florestal do Grajaú
Part of the Tijuca forest, Reserva Florestal do Grajaú is a 136-acre park in Rio's Grajaú neighborhood that covers a slope of the Serra dos Três Rios up to Tijuca National Park.
Tijuca National Park
Covering mountains inside the city of Rio de Janeiro, Tijuca National Park is an urban national park within the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve, managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.
Museu de Arte do Rio
Opened on March 1, 2013, Museu de Arte do Rio is an art museum maintained through a partnership of municipal institutions and private initiatives.
Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Conceição
Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Conceição is a fort located in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park is a protected area in Rio de Janeiro state, set aside by the municipality to safeguard a stretch of Atlantic Forest.
Itabira Natural Monument
Itabira Natural Monument is a protected area in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, listed in the natural monument category.
Paulo César Vinha State Park
Along the Atlantic shore in Guarapari, Paulo César Vinha State Park protects dunes, lagoons and marshes. Its trails lead to the beach and to Lagoa de Caraís.
Buddha of Ibiraçu
Beside the BR-101 highway in Ibiraçu, a 35-meter Buddha statue rises at the Morro da Vargem Zen monastery. The giant figure, part of the monastery grounds, was officially inaugurated in August 2021.
St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus
St. Matthew Cathedral in the municipality of São Mateus is a Catholic church regarded as a reference for modern religious art in Brazil.
When you get to Itaúnas
Itaúnas State Park
In northern Espírito Santo, Itaúnas State Park protects the lower Itaúnas River along with a strip of marshes, dunes and Atlantic beaches.
More drives to Itaúnas
- Serra to Itaúnas
- Cariacica to Itaúnas
- Vitória to Itaúnas
- Vila Velha to Itaúnas
- Guarapari to Itaúnas
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Itaúnas
From Itaguaí to other places in Brazil
- Itaguaí to Itanhaém
- Itaguaí to Trindade
- Itaguaí to Assis
- Itaguaí to Ourinhos
- Itaguaí to Itaperuna
- Itaguaí to Muriaé
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Itaguaí to Itaúnas?
About 13 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 515 miles.
How far is Itaúnas from Itaguaí by car?
About 515 miles (829 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 Itaguaí to Itaúnas?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Itaguaí to Itaúnas?
In order: BR-101, RJ-228, ES-422 and ES-010. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Itaguaí to Itaúnas?
Closest to the road: Museu de Arte do Rio (museum, mile 45, 2 mi from the route); Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (protected area, mile 78, 1 mi from the route); St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus (cathedral, mile 487, 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.