The Wayro route from Niterói to Itaperuna is 198 miles (318 km), about 5 h 24 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Distance | 198 mi (318 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 24 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → BR-040 → CMG-393 → RJ-186 → RJ-198 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
The Niterói–Itaperuna drive in a few lines
BR-040 (61 mi) and RJ-186 (44 mi) carry about 53% of the 198 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. None of the 6 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Niterói to Itaperuna: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 1–9 | 8 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 9–70 | 61 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 70–71 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 71–114 | 43 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 114–116 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| CMG-393 | 116–143 | 27 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 143–144 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| RJ-186 | 144–188 | 44 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-198 | 188–196 | 8 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 196–198 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 112 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
- Mile 149 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Places worth a stop between Niterói and Itaperuna
- Nature and outdoors: Petrópolis Municipal Nature Park (mile 47), Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (mile 60)
- Museums and history: Museum Dom João VI (mile 12), Casa Stefan Zweig (mile 43), Imperial Museum of Brazil (mile 47), Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (mile 60)
- With kids: AquaRio (mile 7)
AquaRio
AquaRio, the Marine Aquarium of Rio de Janeiro, is a public aquarium in the Gamboa neighborhood of the city's port zone, with about 26,000 square meters of built area.
Museum Dom João VI
Museu Dom João VI is an art and history museum linked to the School of Fine Arts at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, on Ilha do Fundão.
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.
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.
More drives to Itaperuna
- Rio de Janeiro to Itaperuna
- Barra Mansa to Itaperuna
- Itaguaí to Itaperuna
- Pindamonhangaba to Itaperuna
- São José dos Campos to Itaperuna
- Jacareí to Itaperuna
From Niterói to other places in Brazil
- Niterói to Petrópolis
- Niterói to Itaguaí
- Niterói to Barra do Piraí
- Niterói to Penedo
- Niterói to Guaratinguetá
- Niterói to Pindamonhangaba
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Niterói to Itaperuna?
About 5 h 24 min of driving without stops, over 198 miles.
How far is Itaperuna from Niterói by car?
About 198 miles (318 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 Niterói to Itaperuna?
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 Niterói to Itaperuna use?
In order: BR-101, BR-040, CMG-393, RJ-186 and RJ-198. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Niterói and Itaperuna?
Closest to the road: AquaRio (public aquarium, mile 7, 2 mi from the route); Museum Dom João VI (museum, mile 12, 1 mi from the route); Casa Stefan Zweig (museum, mile 43, 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.