By road, Pelotas and Criciúma are about 329 miles (529 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 11 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Distance by road | 329 mi (529 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 11 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → BR-101 |
| States on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the Pelotas to Criciúma drive plays out
BR-116 (211 mi) and BR-101 (101 mi) carry about 95% of the 329 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Pelotas and Criciúma
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 6–217 | 211 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-101 | 217–318 | 101 | Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina |
| local roads | 318–329 | 11 | Santa Catarina |
- Mile 274 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Santa Catarina (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Criciúma
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 63), Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (mile 172), Morro de Osório Protected Area (mile 216)
- Nature and outdoors: Jacuí Delta State Park (mile 152), Itapeva State Park (mile 269), Guarita State Park (mile 270)
- Museums and history: Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 63), Estância das Pedras Brancas (mile 144), Museu Banrisul (mile 157), Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (mile 172)
Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves
Created by state decree in 1972 and linked to Rio Grande do Sul's culture department, this historic park stands on the old Sesmaria do Cristal, land once granted to the father of Farroupilha leader Bento Gonçalves da Silva.
Estância das Pedras Brancas
Estância das Pedras Brancas is a historic ranch tied to the history of Rio Grande do Sul and the town of Guaíba. Its first owner was Antônio Ferreira Leitão.
Jacuí Delta State Park
Created in 1976, Jacuí Delta State Park (Parque Estadual Delta do Jacuí) protects the delta between Porto Alegre, Canoas, Eldorado do Sul and nearby towns, where fishers from Ilha da Pintada still practice traditional fishing.
Museu Banrisul
On the ground floor of Porto Alegre's Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana, Museu Banrisul was conceived for the state bank's 50th anniversary and opened to the public in 1994.
Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha
At Rua Nossa Senhora dos Anjos 547 in central Gravataí, the Agostinho Martha Municipal Museum covers local history and art; it was created in 1974 and organized in 1981.
Morro de Osório Protected Area
Created in 1994, the Morro de Osório Environmental Protection Area is a municipal conservation unit of Osório, Rio Grande do Sul, originally covering about 6,896 acres.
Itapeva State Park
Itapeva State Park is a protected area managed at the state level in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, one of the parks in the state system.
Guarita State Park
Officially Parque Estadual José Lutzenberger, Guarita State Park in Rio Grande do Sul protects a promontory on the South Atlantic Ocean.
Once you reach Criciúma
St. Joseph's Cathedral, Criciúma
Facing Nereu Ramos Square in the center of Criciúma, Santa Catarina, St. Joseph's Cathedral is a Catholic church at the heart of the city.
More drives to Criciúma
- Blumenau to Criciúma
- Curitiba to Criciúma
- Ponta Grossa to Criciúma
- Sorocaba to Criciúma
- Praia Grande to Criciúma
- São Vicente to Criciúma
From Pelotas to other places in Brazil
- Pelotas to São Leopoldo
- Pelotas to Novo Hamburgo
- Pelotas to Santana do Livramento
- Pelotas to Bento Gonçalves
- Pelotas to Tubarão
- Pelotas to Lages
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Pelotas to Criciúma?
About 7 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 329 miles.
What is the driving distance from Pelotas to Criciúma?
About 329 miles (529 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 Pelotas to Criciúma?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Pelotas to Criciúma?
In order: BR-116 and BR-101. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Pelotas and Criciúma?
Closest to the road: Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (museum, mile 63, 0.5 mi from the route); Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (museum, mile 172, 0.6 mi from the route); Morro de Osório Protected Area (environmental protection area, mile 216, 0.8 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.