Itaguaí to Nova Serrana is about 365 road miles (588 km): roughly 8 h 38 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Distance by road | 365 mi (588 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 38 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-493 → BR-040 → BR-381 → BR-262 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
On the road from Itaguaí to Nova Serrana
BR-040 (244 mi) and BR-262 (61 mi) carry about 84% of the 365 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. None of the 8 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Which roads connect Itaguaí and Nova Serrana
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 6–43 | 37 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 43–44 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 44–162 | 118 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 162–165 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 165–291 | 126 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 291–295 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 295–303 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 303–364 | 61 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 364–365 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 112 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
Stops between Itaguaí and Nova Serrana
- Nature and outdoors: Serra dos Órgãos National Park (mile 74)
- Museums and history: Valongo Wharf (mile 43), Casa Stefan Zweig (mile 61), Imperial Museum of Brazil (mile 65), Museu da Loucura (mile 191), Pampulha Art Museum (mile 293)
Valongo Wharf
Built in 1811 in Rio's old port, the Valongo Wharf was where up to 900,000 enslaved Africans landed. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, its excavated stone paving is left open to view.
Casa Stefan Zweig
Founded in 2006, Casa Stefan Zweig is a writer's house museum in Petrópolis, set in the home where Stefan Zweig lived with his wife.
Imperial Museum of Brazil
Housed in the Petrópolis Imperial Palace, the former summer residence of Emperor Pedro II, the Imperial Museum sits in the historic center of Petrópolis; work on the palace began in 1845.
Serra dos Órgãos National Park
Serra dos Órgãos National Park protects the Serra dos Órgãos range between Petrópolis and Teresópolis, where a roughly 28 km traverse climbs past the Castelos do Açu to Pedra do Sino at 2,263 meters.
Museu da Loucura
Housed in the restored 1922 Torreão of the former Hospital Colônia de Barbacena, the Museu da Loucura opened in 1996 and uses objects, equipment, photos and documents to tell the history of psychiatric care in Minas Gerais.
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, this hilltop sanctuary in Congonhas is famous for Aleijadinho's 12 soapstone prophets on the front terraces and six chapels holding 64 life-size cedar figures of the Passion.
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.
Pampulha Art Museum
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer as the Cassino da Pampulha, the Pampulha Art Museum in Belo Horizonte is part of the Pampulha Modern Ensemble, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016.
More drives to Nova Serrana
- Itabira to Nova Serrana
- Barbacena to Nova Serrana
- Poços de Caldas to Nova Serrana
- Governador Valadares to Nova Serrana
- Resende to Nova Serrana
- Pindamonhangaba to Nova Serrana
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 Nova Serrana?
About 8 h 38 min of driving without stops, over 365 miles.
What is the driving distance from Itaguaí to Nova Serrana?
About 365 miles (588 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 Nova Serrana?
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 Nova Serrana?
In order: BR-493, BR-040, BR-381 and BR-262. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Itaguaí and Nova Serrana?
Closest to the road: Casa Stefan Zweig (museum, mile 61, 2 mi from the route); Museu da Loucura (museum, mile 191, 2 mi from the route); Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos (calvary, mile 246, 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.