Plan on about 8 h 29 min of driving for the 337-mile (542 km) trip from Rio de Janeiro to Itabira, 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Total distance | 337 mi (542 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 29 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-040 → MGC-356 → BR-381 → MG-434 → MG-129 → AMG-1210 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the Rio de Janeiro to Itabira drive plays out
BR-040 (251 mi) and BR-381 (36 mi) carry about 85% of the 337 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Rio de Janeiro and Itabira
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–11 | 11 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 11–140 | 129 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 140–143 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 143–265 | 122 | Minas Gerais |
| MGC-356 | 265–270 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 270–277 | 7 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 277–278 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 278–314 | 36 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-434 | 314–326 | 12 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-129 | 326–329 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| AMG-1210 | 329–336 | 7 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 336–337 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 87 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
Places worth a stop between Rio de Janeiro and Itabira
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu da Imagem e do Som de Belo Horizonte (mile 272), Museu do Telefone (mile 275)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra dos Órgãos National Park (mile 52)
- Museums and history: Casa Stefan Zweig (mile 39), Cathedral of Petrópolis (mile 42), Museu da Loucura (mile 168), Abílio Barreto History Museum (mile 270), Museu da Imagem e do Som de Belo Horizonte (mile 272), Museu do Telefone (mile 275)
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.
Cathedral of Petrópolis
Dedicated to the city's patron, Saint Peter of Alcantara, the Cathedral of Petrópolis is the final resting place of Dom Pedro II, Brazil's last emperor, and his family.
Serra dos Órgãos National Park
Serra dos Órgãos National Park protects the Serra dos Órgãos range between Petrópolis and Teresópolis, where a roughly 28 km traverse climbs past the Castelos do Açu to Pedra do Sino at 2,263 meters.
Museu da Loucura
Housed in the restored 1922 Torreão of the former Hospital Colônia de Barbacena, the Museu da Loucura opened in 1996 and uses objects, equipment, photos and documents to tell the history of psychiatric care in Minas Gerais.
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, this hilltop sanctuary in Congonhas is famous for Aleijadinho's 12 soapstone prophets on the front terraces and six chapels holding 64 life-size cedar figures of the Passion.
Abílio Barreto History Museum
In the Cidade Jardim neighborhood of Belo Horizonte, the Abílio Barreto History Museum occupies an old farmhouse that survived the building of the state capital.
Museu da Imagem e do Som de Belo Horizonte
In an early 20th-century house on Avenida Álvares Cabral in Lourdes, Belo Horizonte's Museum of Image and Sound holds more than 90,000 items, including film records of the city's history.
Museu do Telefone
The Museu do Telefone is a museum in the Mangabeiras neighborhood of Belo Horizonte.
Once you reach Itabira
Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Itabira
Known locally as Itabira Cathedral, Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in the municipality of Itabira, Minas Gerais.
More drives to Itabira
- Sete Lagoas to Itabira
- Conselheiro Lafaiete to Itabira
- Barbacena to Itabira
- Juiz de Fora to Itabira
- Araxá to Itabira
- Petrópolis to Itabira
From Rio de Janeiro to other places in Brazil
- Rio de Janeiro to Itaguaí
- Rio de Janeiro to Guaratinguetá
- Rio de Janeiro to Pindamonhangaba
- Rio de Janeiro to São José dos Campos
- Rio de Janeiro to Mogi das Cruzes
- Rio de Janeiro to Caraguatatuba
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Rio de Janeiro to Itabira?
About 8 h 29 min of driving without stops, over 337 miles.
How far is Itabira from Rio de Janeiro by car?
About 337 miles (542 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 Rio de Janeiro to Itabira?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Rio de Janeiro to Itabira?
In order: BR-040, MGC-356, BR-381, MG-434, MG-129 and AMG-1210. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Rio de Janeiro and Itabira?
Closest to the road: Abílio Barreto History Museum (museum, mile 270, 1 mi from the route); Museu da Imagem e do Som de Belo Horizonte (museum, mile 272, 0.9 mi from the route); Museu do Telefone (museum, mile 275, 0.9 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.