Plan on about 7 h 53 min of driving for the 365-mile (588 km) trip from Itajaí to Bento Gonçalves, 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Distance by road | 365 mi (588 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 53 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → ERS-486 → BR-453 → RSC-453 |
| States on the route | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Itajaí to Bento Gonçalves drive plays out
BR-101 (238 mi) and ERS-486 (57 mi) carry about 81% of the 365 miles. It runs through 2 states: Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Itajaí to Bento Gonçalves
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Santa Catarina |
| BR-101 | 4–242 | 238 | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 242–244 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-486 | 244–301 | 57 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-453 | 301–344 | 43 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-453 | 344–362 | 18 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 362–365 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
- Mile 216 of this route: Santa Catarina → Rio Grande do Sul (state line)
What to see on the way from Itajaí to Bento Gonçalves
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Etnográfico Casa dos Açores (mile 44), Museu da Uva e do Vinho Primo Slomp (mile 347)
- Nature and outdoors: Guarda do Embaú (mile 80), Lagoa de Ibiraquera (mile 97), Praia da Guarita (mile 219), Aparados da Serra National Park (mile 270)
- Museums and history: Museu Etnográfico Casa dos Açores (mile 44), National Monument to the Immigrant (mile 334), St. Theresa's Cathedral, Caxias do Sul (mile 339), Museu Ambiência Casa de Pedra (mile 339), Museu da Uva e do Vinho Primo Slomp (mile 347)
Museu Etnográfico Casa dos Açores
Also called the Museu de São Miguel, the Museu Etnográfico Casa dos Açores in São Miguel da Terra Firme, Biguaçu, preserves the memory of Portuguese-Brazilian heritage in the greater Florianópolis area.
Guarda do Embaú
About 46 km south of Florianópolis, Guarda do Embaú (Praia da Guarda do Embaú) is a beach recognized as a World Surfing Reserve, the first of its kind in Brazil.
Lagoa de Ibiraquera
Lagoa de Ibiraquera is a coastal lagoon in Imbituba, Santa Catarina, whose sandbar along the shore gives names to Barra de Ibiraquera and Praia de Ibiraquera.
Praia da Guarita
Guarita Beach in Torres, Rio Grande do Sul, is a public beach resort along the city's coast.
Aparados da Serra National Park
Created in 1959 to protect Itaimbezinho canyon, Aparados da Serra National Park spans 25,328 acres in the Serra Geral range and also includes the Fortaleza, Malacara and Índios Coroado canyons.
National Monument to the Immigrant
Standing at the entrance to Caxias do Sul on BR-116, the National Monument to the Immigrant is listed by Brazil's national heritage institute (IPHAN).
St. Theresa's Cathedral, Caxias do Sul
St. Theresa's Cathedral is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Caxias do Sul, in Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul state.
Museu Ambiência Casa de Pedra
Known simply as Casa de Pedra, this history museum in Caxias do Sul opened in 1975 during the centenary of Italian immigration to Rio Grande do Sul and preserves everyday objects of immigrant families.
Museu da Uva e do Vinho Primo Slomp
A few kilometers from central Caxias do Sul, in the Forqueta district, the Museu da Uva e do Vinho Primo Slomp is a history museum themed on grapes and wine.
Once you reach Bento Gonçalves
Museu do Imigrante
Museu do Imigrante is a public municipal history museum in Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul, run by the Fundação Casa das Artes.
More drives to Bento Gonçalves
- Porto Alegre to Bento Gonçalves
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Bento Gonçalves
- Paranaguá to Bento Gonçalves
- Joinville to Bento Gonçalves
- Blumenau to Bento Gonçalves
- Jaraguá do Sul to Bento Gonçalves
From Itajaí to other places in Brazil
- Itajaí to Paranaguá
- Itajaí to Guarapuava
- Itajaí to Passo Fundo
- Itajaí to São Leopoldo
- Itajaí to Itanhaém
- Itajaí to Novo Hamburgo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Itajaí to Bento Gonçalves?
About 7 h 53 min of driving without stops, over 365 miles.
What is the driving distance from Itajaí to Bento Gonçalves?
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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Itajaí to Bento Gonçalves drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Itajaí to Bento Gonçalves?
In order: BR-101, ERS-486, BR-453 and RSC-453. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Itajaí and Bento Gonçalves?
Closest to the road: Museu Etnográfico Casa dos Açores (anthropology museum, mile 44, 0.2 mi from the route); Museu Ambiência Casa de Pedra (museum, mile 339, 1 mi from the route); Museu da Uva e do Vinho Primo Slomp (museum, mile 347, 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.