By road, Poços de Caldas and Itaperuna are about 432 miles (695 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 56 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Total distance | 432 mi (695 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 56 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-459 → SP-048 → SP-060 → BR-116 → BR-393 → CMG-393 → RJ-186 → RJ-198 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
How the Poços de Caldas to Itaperuna drive plays out
BR-459 (147 mi) and BR-393 (77 mi) carry about 52% of the 432 miles. It runs through 3 states: Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 7 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Poços de Caldas to Itaperuna: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–5 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-459 | 5–152 | 147 | Minas Gerais, São Paulo |
| SP-048 | 152–156 | 4 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 156–157 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 157–219 | 62 | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 219–226 | 7 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 226–227 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 227–232 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 232–303 | 71 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 303–308 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 308–309 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 309–315 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 315–349 | 34 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 349–350 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| CMG-393 | 350–378 | 28 | Minas Gerais |
| RJ-186 | 378–422 | 44 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-198 | 422–431 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 431–432 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 136 of this route: Minas Gerais → São Paulo (state line)
- Mile 189 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 349 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
- Mile 383 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): Itatiaia National Park (mile 198), Santana Cathedral (mile 254), Fazenda São João da Prosperidade (mile 255), Museu Casa da Hera (mile 267), Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 281)
- Nature and outdoors: Itatiaia National Park (mile 198), Serra da Concórdia State Park (mile 267)
- Museums and history: Good Jesus Cathedral, Pouso Alegre (mile 64), Santana Cathedral (mile 254), Fazenda São João da Prosperidade (mile 255), Museu Casa da Hera (mile 267), Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 281)
Good Jesus Cathedral, Pouso Alegre
Good Jesus Cathedral is the Catholic seat of the Archdiocese of Pouso Alegre, in the city of the same name in Minas Gerais.
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.
Santana Cathedral
Dedicated to St. Anne, this cathedral in Barra do Piraí is the seat of the Diocese of Barra do Piraí–Volta Redonda; Emperor Pedro II attended the laying of its cornerstone during a visit to the parish.
Fazenda São João da Prosperidade
Fazenda São João da Prosperidade is a historic rural estate in Barra do Piraí, Rio de Janeiro state, founded in the 19th century by Antônio Gonçalves de Morais.
Serra da Concórdia State Park
Serra da Concórdia State Park (Parque Estadual da Serra da Concórdia) is a state park in Rio de Janeiro state that protects an area of Atlantic Forest.
Museu Casa da Hera
Also known as Chácara da Hera, this house museum in central Vassouras, Rio de Janeiro state, shows how a wealthy family lived at the height of the Paraíba Valley coffee boom.
Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte
Dating from the coffee era in Rio de Janeiro state's Paraíba Valley, Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte is a historic estate listed by the state heritage institute.
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 Poços de Caldas to other places in Brazil
- Poços de Caldas to Tatuí
- Poços de Caldas to Paranapiacaba
- Poços de Caldas to Itapetininga
- Poços de Caldas to Cubatão
- Poços de Caldas to Fumaça
- Poços de Caldas to Itanhaém
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Poços de Caldas to Itaperuna?
About 10 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 432 miles.
What is the driving distance from Poços de Caldas to Itaperuna?
About 432 miles (695 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 Poços de Caldas 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 Poços de Caldas to Itaperuna use?
In order: BR-459, SP-048, SP-060, BR-116, BR-393, CMG-393, RJ-186 and RJ-198. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Poços de Caldas to Itaperuna?
Closest to the road: Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 198, 0.4 mi from the route); Museu Casa da Hera (museum, mile 267, 0.5 mi from the route); Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (historic estate, mile 281, 0.1 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.