Plan on about 8 h 13 min of driving for the 390-mile (628 km) trip from Macaé to Bragança Paulista, 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Distance by road | 390 mi (628 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 13 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-168 → BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → SP-065 → SP-010 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Macaé to Bragança Paulista: the shape of the trip
BR-116 (209 mi) and BR-101 (102 mi) carry about 80% of the 390 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Macaé to Bragança Paulista
| 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 | 12–114 | 102 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 114–123 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 123–125 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 125–334 | 209 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| SP-065 | 334–377 | 43 | São Paulo |
| SP-010 | 377–386 | 9 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 386–390 | 4 | São Paulo |
- Mile 230 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Stops between Macaé and Bragança Paulista
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 133), Itatiaia National Park (mile 220)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 78), Itatiaia National Park (mile 220), Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande (mile 373)
- Museums and history: Naval Museum (mile 110), Panteão de Caxias (mile 114), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 133), Museu Monteiro Lobato (mile 298), Museum of Folklore of São José dos Campos (mile 321), Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande (mile 373)
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.
Naval Museum
Dedicated to preserving Brazil's naval history, the Naval Museum (Museu Naval) is in the center of Rio de Janeiro.
Teatro Carlos Gomes
Established in 1868 in the Hotel Richelieu, Teatro Carlos Gomes is a theater in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Panteão de Caxias
On Avenida Presidente Vargas in Rio de Janeiro, the Panteão de Caxias is a monument built to hold the remains of the Duke of Caxias, patron of the Brazilian army, and his wife.
Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga
Also known as Nova Iguaçu Cathedral, the Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga stands on Avenida Marechal Floriano Peixoto and is the mother church of the Diocese of Nova Iguaçu.
Itatiaia National Park
Straddling the line between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states, Itatiaia National Park dates to 1937, when it became the first national park Brazil ever created.
Museu Monteiro Lobato
Founded in 1958 on the grounds known as the Sítio do Picapau Amarelo, Taubaté's Museu Monteiro Lobato honors the children's author with exhibitions, a historic main house, green areas and plays featuring characters from his stories.
Museum of Folklore of São José dos Campos
Exhibitions, a specialized library and a toy library make up the Museum of Folklore, which has focused on Brazilian popular culture since 1997 from its home in São José dos Campos' Parque da Cidade.
Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande
Topping the Serra do Itapetinga at about 1,400 meters, Pedra Grande is Atibaia's highest point, a protected state natural monument where hang gliders and paragliders launch and a trail leads to views over nearby towns.
More drives to Bragança Paulista
- Limeira to Bragança Paulista
- São Carlos to Bragança Paulista
- Araraquara to Bragança Paulista
- Ribeirão Preto to Bragança Paulista
- Bauru to Bragança Paulista
- Franca to Bragança Paulista
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 Bragança Paulista?
About 8 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 390 miles.
How far is Bragança Paulista from Macaé by car?
About 390 miles (628 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 Macaé to Bragança Paulista drive?
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 Bragança Paulista?
In order: RJ-168, BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, SP-065 and SP-010. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Macaé and Bragança Paulista?
Closest to the road: Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (cathedral, mile 133, 0.9 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 220, 0.4 mi from the route); Museu Monteiro Lobato (museum, mile 298, 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.