Nova Serrana to Itaperuna is about 296 road miles (476 km): roughly 8 h 11 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 | 296 mi (476 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 11 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-262 → BR-381 → BR-040 → BR-356 → AMG-1730 → MG-262 → BR-120 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the Nova Serrana to Itaperuna drive plays out
BR-356 (112 mi) and BR-262 (60 mi) carry about 58% of the 296 miles. It runs through 2 states: Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Nova Serrana to Itaperuna, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 1–61 | 60 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 61–70 | 9 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 70–72 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 72–89 | 17 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-356 | 89–128 | 39 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 128–131 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| AMG-1730 | 131–136 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 136–139 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-262 | 139–176 | 37 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 176–180 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-120 | 180–217 | 37 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-356 | 217–258 | 41 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 258–260 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 260–263 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-356 | 263–295 | 32 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 295–296 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 276 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Itaperuna
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Casa Guignard museum (mile 131), Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo (mile 137), Manoel Cavalcanti de Albuquerque Iron Bridge (mile 180)
- Nature and outdoors: Andorinhas Falls (mile 130), João Moojen Zoology Museum (mile 210)
- Museums and history: Pampulha Art Museum (mile 71), Casa Guignard museum (mile 131), Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo (mile 137), Manoel Cavalcanti de Albuquerque Iron Bridge (mile 180), João Moojen Zoology Museum (mile 210)
- With kids: João Moojen Zoology Museum (mile 210)
Pampulha Modern Ensemble
Laid out around the artificial Lake Pampulha in Belo Horizonte, the Pampulha Modern Ensemble is an urban project that includes a casino, a ballroom, the Golf Yacht Club and the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Pampulha Art Museum
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer as the Cassino da Pampulha, the Pampulha Art Museum in Belo Horizonte is part of the Pampulha Modern Ensemble, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016.
Piemonte Tower
Rising 101 meters on a mountain ridge between the Serra do Curral and Serra do Rola-Moça, Piemonte Tower (Torre Piemonte) is a tourist structure at the Alta Vila shopping center on the Nova Lima–Belo Horizonte line.
Andorinhas Falls
Inside the Andorinhas Municipal Nature Park in Ouro Preto, this waterfall (Cachoeira das Andorinhas) is considered the source of the Rio das Velhas, the largest tributary of the São Francisco River.
Casa Guignard museum
Officially opened in 1986 in Ouro Preto, the Museu Casa Guignard holds works by painter and draftsman Alberto da Veiga Guignard, who featured the town in many of them.
Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo
Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo is a Rococo church in the Brazilian town of Mariana, worth a stop for travelers passing through.
Manoel Cavalcanti de Albuquerque Iron Bridge
Opened in 1911 to serve the Leopoldina Railway, the Manoel Cavalcanti de Albuquerque Iron Bridge is a metal bridge over the Piranga River in Ponte Nova, Minas Gerais.
João Moojen Zoology Museum
Part of the Federal University of Viçosa in Minas Gerais, the João Moojen Zoology Museum is a public natural history museum tied to the Department of Animal Biology.
More drives to Itaperuna
- Rio de Janeiro to Itaperuna
- Niterói to Itaperuna
- Barra Mansa to Itaperuna
- Itaguaí to Itaperuna
- Pindamonhangaba to Itaperuna
- São José dos Campos to Itaperuna
From Nova Serrana to other places in Brazil
- Nova Serrana to Fumaça
- Nova Serrana to Muriaé
- Nova Serrana to Barra do Piraí
- Nova Serrana to Paranapiacaba
- Nova Serrana to Trindade
- Nova Serrana to Itanhaém
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Nova Serrana to Itaperuna?
About 8 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 296 miles.
What is the driving distance from Nova Serrana to Itaperuna?
About 296 miles (476 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 Nova Serrana to Itaperuna 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 Nova Serrana to Itaperuna use?
In order: BR-262, BR-381, BR-040, BR-356, AMG-1730, MG-262 and BR-120. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Nova Serrana to Itaperuna?
Closest to the road: Casa Guignard museum (museum, mile 131, 0.1 mi from the route); Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo (church, mile 137, 0.6 mi from the route); Manoel Cavalcanti de Albuquerque Iron Bridge (historic bridge, mile 180, 0.5 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.