By road, Macaé and Barbacena are about 269 miles (433 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 20 min of driving.
- 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Total distance | 269 mi (433 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 20 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-168 → BR-101 → BR-493 → BR-116 → BR-040 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Macaé–Barbacena drive in a few lines
BR-040 (142 mi) and BR-101 (77 mi) carry about 81% of the 269 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.
Roads you'll take from Macaé to Barbacena
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-168 | 2–11 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 11–12 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 12–89 | 77 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 89–91 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 91–94 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 94–100 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 100–103 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 103–107 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 107–120 | 13 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 120–121 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 121–239 | 118 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 239–242 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 242–266 | 24 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 266–269 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 186 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
What to see on the way from Macaé to Barbacena
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 78), Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 116), Petrópolis Municipal Nature Park (mile 141), Serra dos Órgãos National Park (mile 150), Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (mile 155)
- Museums and history: Valongo Wharf (mile 119), Casa Stefan Zweig (mile 137), Imperial Museum of Brazil (mile 141), Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (mile 155)
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park is a protected area in Rio de Janeiro state, set aside by the municipality to safeguard a stretch of Atlantic Forest.
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.
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.
Petrópolis Municipal Nature Park
Petrópolis Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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.
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.
When you get to Barbacena
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.
More drives to Barbacena
- Rio de Janeiro to Barbacena
- Niterói to Barbacena
- Pouso Alegre to Barbacena
- Araruama to Barbacena
- Cabo Frio to Barbacena
- Poços de Caldas to Barbacena
From Macaé to other places in Brazil
- Macaé to Araruama
- Macaé to Itaguaí
- Macaé to Barra Mansa
- Macaé to Angra dos Reis
- Macaé to Resende
- Macaé to Penedo
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Macaé to Barbacena?
About 6 h 20 min of driving without stops, over 269 miles.
What is the driving distance from Macaé to Barbacena?
About 269 miles (433 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 Macaé to Barbacena?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Macaé to Barbacena?
In order: RJ-168, BR-101, BR-493, BR-116 and BR-040. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Macaé and Barbacena?
Closest to the road: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (protected area, mile 78, 1 mi from the route); Taquara Municipal Nature Park (protected area, mile 116, 2 mi from the route); Casa Stefan Zweig (museum, mile 137, 2 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.