Plan on about 9 h 8 min of driving for the 432-mile (696 km) trip from Rio das Ostras to Itanhaém, before any 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Distance by road | 432 mi (696 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-162 → BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → SPI 117/070 → SP-070 → SP-021 → SP-160 → SP-055 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Rio das Ostras–Itanhaém drive in a few lines
BR-116 (176 mi) and BR-101 (90 mi) carry about 62% of the 432 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Rio das Ostras to Itanhaém: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | |
| RJ-162 | 2–11 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 11–101 | 90 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 101–110 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 110–112 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 112–288 | 176 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 288–289 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SPI 117/070 | 289–331 | 42 | São Paulo |
| SP-070 | 331–347 | 16 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 347–349 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-021 | 349–380 | 31 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 380–382 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-160 | 382–401 | 19 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 401–402 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-055 | 402–431 | 29 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 431–432 | 1 | São Paulo |
- Mile 216 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Itanhaém
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Itatiaia National Park (mile 206), Museu Frei Galvão (mile 256), Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (mile 373)
- Nature and outdoors: Itatiaia National Park (mile 206), Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (mile 373), Praia da Tupi (mile 410)
- Museums and history: Palácio do Ingá (mile 93), Centro Cultural do Movimento Escoteiro (mile 97), Museu Frei Galvão (mile 256), Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani" (mile 288)
Palácio do Ingá
In Niterói's Ingá neighborhood, the Palácio do Ingá (Palácio Nilo Peçanha) houses the Museu de História e Arte do Rio de Janeiro.
Teatro Glauce Rocha
Teatro Glauce Rocha is a theater in Campo Grande named for actress Glauce Rocha, a Campo Grande native who became a legend of Brazilian acting.
Centro Cultural do Movimento Escoteiro
Founded in 1985 in Rio de Janeiro, the Centro Cultural do Movimento Escoteiro (CCME) preserves and shares the memory and culture of scouting in Brazil and holds the country's largest scouting collection.
Itatiaia National Park
Created in 1937, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia holds the distinction of being Brazil's first national park. It sits on the border of two states, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais.
Museu Frei Galvão
In Guaratinguetá, São Paulo state, the Museu Frei Galvão operates as a municipal cultural institution backed by the city and a local friends' association.
Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani"
Between 1897 and 1903, a family from Cremona built the brick Casa Indiani in Quiririm. Today the house in this Taubaté district holds the Italian Immigration Museum.
Pedroso Municipal Nature Park
Santo André's Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (Parque do Pedroso) is a strictly protected conservation unit that holds important water sources and a fragment of Atlantic Forest.
Praia da Tupi
Praia da Tupi is a beach in Praia Grande, São Paulo state, with yellowish sand and blue water; it is one of the city's less crowded beaches and a favorite with surfers.
More drives to Itanhaém
- Cubatão to Itanhaém
- São Paulo to Itanhaém
- Jundiaí to Itanhaém
- Bragança Paulista to Itanhaém
- Itu to Itanhaém
- Campinas to Itanhaém
From Rio das Ostras to other places in Brazil
- Rio das Ostras to Itaguaí
- Rio das Ostras to Barra do Piraí
- Rio das Ostras to Resende
- Rio das Ostras to Penedo
- Rio das Ostras to Fumaça
- Rio das Ostras to Historic Village of Mambucaba
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Rio das Ostras to Itanhaém?
About 9 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 432 miles.
What is the driving distance from Rio das Ostras to Itanhaém?
About 432 miles (696 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 Rio das Ostras to Itanhaém 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 Rio das Ostras to Itanhaém use?
In order: RJ-162, BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, SPI 117/070, SP-070, SP-021, SP-160 and SP-055. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Rio das Ostras and Itanhaém?
Closest to the road: Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 206, 0.2 mi from the route); Museu Frei Galvão (museum, mile 256, 0.4 mi from the route); Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (municipal nature park, mile 373, 0.7 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.