Plan on about 8 h 41 min of driving for the 418-mile (673 km) trip from Itajaí to Santa Cruz do Sul, 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Distance | 418 mi (673 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → BR-290 → BR-448 → BR-386 → RSC-287 |
| States on the route | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Itajaí to Santa Cruz do Sul
BR-101 (264 mi) and BR-290 (58 mi) carry about 77% of the 418 miles. It runs through 2 states: Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Itajaí to Santa Cruz do Sul, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Santa Catarina |
| BR-101 | 4–268 | 264 | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 268–271 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 271–329 | 58 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-448 | 329–337 | 8 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-386 | 337–370 | 33 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-287 | 370–415 | 45 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 415–418 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
- Mile 216 of this route: Santa Catarina → Rio Grande do Sul (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Praia da Ilhota (mile 17), Morro de Osório Protected Area (mile 273), Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (mile 317)
- Nature and outdoors: Praia das Taquaras (mile 13), Praia do Pinho (mile 14), Praia da Ilhota (mile 17), Praia do Ribeirão da Ilha (mile 68), Lagoa de Ibiraquera (mile 97), Itapeva State Park (mile 219), Jacuí Delta State Park (mile 335)
- Museums and history: Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (mile 317)
Praia das Taquaras
Reached by the Interpraias road, Praia das Taquaras (Praia de Taquaras) in Balneário Camboriú has about 1.1 km of coarse sand and calm but deep water, popular for surf casting, plus a small fishing community.
Praia do Pinho
Officially founded in 1984, Praia do Pinho in Balneário Camboriú is Brazil's first official naturist beach. The roughly 500-meter cove lies off the Interpraias road between Laranjeiras and Estaleirinho, with marked nude and clothing-optional areas.
Praia da Ilhota
On Itapema's coast in Santa Catarina, Praia da Ilhota pairs clear water and a wide strip of coarse golden sand with a string of seafood spots, and its slightly choppy sea draws local surfers.
Praia do Ribeirão da Ilha
On the south bay of Florianópolis, Praia do Ribeirão da Ilha is made up of several small beaches. Ribeirão da Ilha was the first part of Florianópolis to be settled, inhabited by the Carijó people in the 16th century.
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.
Itapeva State Park
Itapeva State Park is a protected area managed at the state level in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, one of the parks in the state system.
Morro de Osório Protected Area
Created in 1994, the Morro de Osório Environmental Protection Area is a municipal conservation unit of Osório, Rio Grande do Sul, originally covering about 6,896 acres.
Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha
At Rua Nossa Senhora dos Anjos 547 in central Gravataí, the Agostinho Martha Municipal Museum covers local history and art; it was created in 1974 and organized in 1981.
Jacuí Delta State Park
Created in 1976, Jacuí Delta State Park (Parque Estadual Delta do Jacuí) protects the delta between Porto Alegre, Canoas, Eldorado do Sul and nearby towns, where fishers from Ilha da Pintada still practice traditional fishing.
Once you reach Santa Cruz do Sul
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Santa Cruz do Sul
Facing Getúlio Vargas Square in central Santa Cruz do Sul, St. John the Baptist Cathedral is the city's Roman Catholic cathedral.
More drives to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Ponta Grossa to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Curitiba to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Paranaguá to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Joinville to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Blumenau to Santa Cruz do Sul
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 does it take to drive from Itajaí to Santa Cruz do Sul?
About 8 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 418 miles.
How far is Santa Cruz do Sul from Itajaí by car?
About 418 miles (673 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 Santa Cruz do Sul 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 Itajaí to Santa Cruz do Sul use?
In order: BR-101, BR-290, BR-448, BR-386 and RSC-287. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Itajaí and Santa Cruz do Sul?
Closest to the road: Praia da Ilhota (beach, mile 17, 0.3 mi from the route); Morro de Osório Protected Area (environmental protection area, mile 273, 0.8 mi from the route); Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (museum, mile 317, 0.6 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.