The Wayro route from Itajaí to São Leopoldo is 336 miles (540 km), about 6 h 48 min of driving without 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Distance | 336 mi (540 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 48 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → BR-290 → ERS-118 → BR-116 |
| States on the route | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Itajaí to São Leopoldo
BR-101 (264 mi) and BR-290 (46 mi) carry about 92% of the 336 miles. It runs through 2 states: Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Itajaí and São Leopoldo
| 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 | 271–317 | 46 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-118 | 317–331 | 14 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 331–335 | 4 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 335–336 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
- Mile 216 of this route: Santa Catarina → Rio Grande do Sul (state line)
Places worth a stop between Itajaí and São Leopoldo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Praia do Estaleirinho (mile 15), Museu Etnográfico Casa dos Açores (mile 44), Museu Willy Zumblick (mile 135), Morro de Osório Protected Area (mile 273), Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (mile 316)
- Nature and outdoors: Praia do Estaleirinho (mile 15), Praia de Naufragados (mile 75), Guarda do Embaú (mile 80), Praia do Siriú (mile 86), Praia da Guarita (mile 219)
- Museums and history: Museu Etnográfico Casa dos Açores (mile 44), Museu Willy Zumblick (mile 135), Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (mile 316)
Praia do Estaleirinho
The first of six beaches along Balneário Camboriú's Interpraias road, Praia do Estaleirinho has coarse sand and plenty of waves, and sits a little over 10 km from downtown.
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.
Praia de Naufragados
Praia de Naufragados is a beach about 1.45 km long on Santa Catarina Island in Florianópolis, reachable only by a 4 km walking trail.
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.
Praia do Siriú
Praia do Siriú in Garopaba, Santa Catarina, is the municipality's longest beach, with about 4 km of sand.
Museu Willy Zumblick
In downtown Tubarão, Santa Catarina, the Museu Willy Zumblick keeps a permanent exhibition of part of the collection of local-born artist Willy Zumblick.
Praia da Guarita
Guarita Beach in Torres, Rio Grande do Sul, is a public beach resort along the city's coast.
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.
When you get to São Leopoldo
Casa da Feitoria Velha - Atual Museu do Imigrante
The Casa da Feitoria in São Leopoldo, in the Rio dos Sinos valley, housed a royal hemp-linen farm from 1788 until March 1824 and is also known as the Casa do Imigrante.
Museu Histórico "Visconde de São Leopoldo"
Dedicated to the history of São Leopoldo and German colonization in Rio Grande do Sul, the Museu Histórico Visconde de São Leopoldo keeps a collection of objects, images and documents about the settlers. It is a privately run museum.
More drives to São Leopoldo
- Ponta Grossa to São Leopoldo
- Curitiba to São Leopoldo
- Joinville to São Leopoldo
- Blumenau to São Leopoldo
- São José to São Leopoldo
- Pelotas to São Leopoldo
From Itajaí to other places in Brazil
- Itajaí to Paranaguá
- Itajaí to Guarapuava
- Itajaí to Passo Fundo
- Itajaí to Itanhaém
- Itajaí to Novo Hamburgo
- Itajaí to Apucarana
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Itajaí to São Leopoldo?
About 6 h 48 min of driving without stops, over 336 miles.
How far is São Leopoldo from Itajaí by car?
About 336 miles (540 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 Itajaí to São Leopoldo?
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 São Leopoldo?
In order: BR-101, BR-290, ERS-118 and BR-116. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Itajaí to São Leopoldo?
Closest to the road: Museu Etnográfico Casa dos Açores (anthropology museum, mile 44, 0.2 mi from the route); Museu Willy Zumblick (museum, mile 135, 0.2 mi from the route); Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (museum, mile 316, 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.