The Wayro route from Juiz de Fora to Niterói is 117 miles (189 km), about 2 h 45 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Total distance | 117 mi (189 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 45 min |
| Main roads, in order | MG-353 → BR-040 → BR-101 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Juiz de Fora–Niterói drive in a few lines
BR-040 (103 mi) and BR-101 (8 mi) carry about 95% of the 117 miles. It runs through 2 states: Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Juiz de Fora to Niterói: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MG-353 | 0–5 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 5–6 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 6–109 | 103 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 109–117 | 8 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 24 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
What to see on the way from Juiz de Fora to Niterói
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Shanghai (mile 103), Museu da Geodiversidade (mile 106)
- Nature and outdoors: Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (mile 58), Serra dos Órgãos National Park (mile 64), Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 86), Parque Shanghai (mile 103)
- Museums and history: Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (mile 58), Cathedral of Petrópolis (mile 73), Santos Dumont House Museum (mile 73), Museu da Geodiversidade (mile 106), Sala Cecília Meireles (mile 109)
Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument
The Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument is a municipal natural monument, a protected area in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
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.
Cathedral of Petrópolis
Dedicated to the city's patron, Saint Peter of Alcantara, the Cathedral of Petrópolis is the final resting place of Dom Pedro II, Brazil's last emperor, and his family.
Santos Dumont House Museum
Known as A Encantada, the Santos Dumont House Museum in Petrópolis is the house built in 1918 for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont on a steep hillside near the city center.
Taquara Municipal Nature Park
Taquara Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in Rio de Janeiro state that protects an area of Atlantic Forest.
Parque Shanghai
Parque Shanghai is an amusement park in the Penha neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, close to the Church of Our Lady of Penha.
Museu da Geodiversidade
Created in December 2008, the Museu da Geodiversidade is dedicated to the history of planet Earth and the life that has developed on it.
Sala Cecília Meireles
In Rio de Janeiro's Lapa district, Sala Cecília Meireles is a theater known for chamber music and regarded as one of the city's best venues for acoustics.
In Niterói itself
National Historical Museum
Created in 1922, Brazil's National Historical Museum holds more than 287,000 items, including the largest coin collection in Latin America.
Paço Imperial
Built in the 18th century as a residence for the governors of colonial Brazil, the Paço Imperial is a historic building in the center of Rio de Janeiro.
Candelária Church
Built and decorated from 1775 into the late 19th century, the Candelária Church is a historic Roman Catholic church in Rio de Janeiro.
More drives to Niterói
- São José dos Campos to Niterói
- São Paulo to Niterói
- Campinas to Niterói
- Sorocaba to Niterói
- Ribeirão Preto to Niterói
- Belo Horizonte to Niterói
From Juiz de Fora to other places in Brazil
- Juiz de Fora to Nova Friburgo
- Juiz de Fora to Araruama
- Juiz de Fora to Cabo Frio
- Juiz de Fora to Rio das Ostras
- Juiz de Fora to Macaé
- Juiz de Fora to Bragança Paulista
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Juiz de Fora to Niterói?
About 2 h 45 min of driving without stops, over 117 miles.
How far is Niterói from Juiz de Fora by car?
About 117 miles (189 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 Juiz de Fora to Niterói?
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 Juiz de Fora to Niterói use?
In order: MG-353, BR-040 and BR-101. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Juiz de Fora and Niterói?
Closest to the road: Santos Dumont House Museum (museum, mile 73, 3 mi from the route); Parque Shanghai (park, mile 103, 1 mi from the route); Museu da Geodiversidade (museum, mile 106, 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.