Macaé to Itu is about 436 road miles (701 km): roughly 9 h 5 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- 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.”
| Total distance | 436 mi (701 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 5 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-168 → BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → SP-060 → SP-015 → SP-280 → SP-075 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
On the road from Macaé to Itu
BR-116 (214 mi) and BR-101 (102 mi) carry about 72% of the 436 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Macaé and Itu
| 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 | 125–339 | 214 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 339–373 | 34 | São Paulo |
| SP-015 | 373–383 | 10 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 383–388 | 5 | São Paulo |
| SP-280 | 388–424 | 36 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 424–425 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-075 | 425–433 | 8 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 433–436 | 3 | São Paulo |
- Mile 230 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Places worth a stop between Macaé and Itu
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Itatiaia National Park (mile 220), Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (mile 269)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 78), Reserva Florestal do Grajaú (mile 115), Itatiaia National Park (mile 220)
- Museums and history: Rio de Janeiro Cathedral (mile 111), Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (mile 269), Estação Pinacoteca (mile 377), Museum of Art of the Parliament of Itapevi (mile 396)
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.
Rio de Janeiro Cathedral
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian is the Catholic cathedral of Rio de Janeiro and the seat of the city's archdiocese.
Reserva Florestal do Grajaú
Part of the Tijuca forest, Reserva Florestal do Grajaú is a 136-acre park in Rio's Grajaú neighborhood that covers a slope of the Serra dos Três Rios up to Tijuca National Park.
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 Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves
In 1956, São Paulo state created a set of museums for presidents born in the state, among them this one in Guaratinguetá dedicated to Rodrigues Alves, Brazil's president from 1902 to 1906.
Estação Pinacoteca
Estação Pinacoteca is one of the buildings of the Pinacoteca de São Paulo and hosts short-term exhibitions; the state government maintains it, and the Associação Pinacoteca Arte e Cultura has run it since 2006.
Museum of Art of the Parliament of Itapevi
Named for Emanuel von Lauenstein Massarani, this contemporary art museum is housed in the Itapevi city council building, in the northeast part of the city.
In Itu itself
FAMA Museu
Formerly the Museu São Pedro, FAMA Museu is a private museum open to the public in central Itu that holds the art collection of artist and collector Marcos Amaro.
Igreja do Senhor Bom Jesus
Also known as the Bom Jesus Sanctuary, this church in Itu stands where the small chapel that marked the town's founding was built in 1610 by Domingos Fernandes and his son-in-law Cristóvão Dinis.
Museu do Tietê
Inside Tietê Ecological Park in São Paulo's East Zone, this museum in a Ruy Ohtake-designed building tells the story of the Tietê River through documents, photos and Indigenous objects.
More drives to Itu
- Araraquara to Itu
- Ribeirão Preto to Itu
- Bragança Paulista to Itu
- São Paulo to Itu
- São Vicente to Itu
- Santos to Itu
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 is the drive from Macaé to Itu?
About 9 h 5 min of driving without stops, over 436 miles.
What is the driving distance from Macaé to Itu?
About 436 miles (701 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 Itu 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 Macaé to Itu use?
In order: RJ-168, BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, SP-060, SP-015, SP-280 and SP-075. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Macaé and Itu?
Closest to the road: Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 220, 0.4 mi from the route); Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (museum, mile 269, 0.4 mi from the route); Estação Pinacoteca (museum, mile 377, 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.