Plan on about 6 h 52 min of driving for the 336-mile (540 km) trip from Rio de Janeiro 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 | 336 mi (540 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 6 h 52 min |
| Main roads, in order | 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 13.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Rio de Janeiro–Itanhaém drive in a few lines
BR-116 (177 mi) and SPI 117/070 (42 mi) carry about 65% of the 336 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Rio de Janeiro to Itanhaém
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–13 | 13 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 13–15 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 15–192 | 177 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 192–193 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SPI 117/070 | 193–235 | 42 | São Paulo |
| SP-070 | 235–250 | 15 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 250–252 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-021 | 252–283 | 31 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 283–286 | 3 | São Paulo |
| SP-160 | 286–304 | 18 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 304–306 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-055 | 306–335 | 29 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 335–336 | 1 | São Paulo |
- Mile 120 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Places worth a stop between Rio de Janeiro and Itanhaém
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Shanghai (mile 10), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 23), Itatiaia National Park (mile 110), Museu Frei Galvão (mile 160)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Shanghai (mile 10), Itatiaia National Park (mile 110), Parque Natural Estoril (mile 280), Praia da Guilhermina (mile 310), Praia da Tupi (mile 314)
- Museums and history: Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 23), Museu Frei Galvão (mile 160), Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani" (mile 192), Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley (mile 224)
Parque Shanghai
Parque Shanghai is an amusement park in the Penha neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, close to the Church of Our Lady of Penha.
Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga
Also known as Nova Iguaçu Cathedral, the Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga stands on Avenida Marechal Floriano Peixoto and is the mother church of the Diocese of Nova Iguaçu.
Itatiaia National Park
Brazil's national park system started here: Itatiaia National Park (Parque Nacional do Itatiaia) was created in 1937 as the country's first. The protected area lies on the border between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states.
Museu Frei Galvão
The Museu Frei Galvão is a municipal cultural institution in Guaratinguetá, in São Paulo state, maintained jointly by the city government and a local association of the museum's friends.
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.
Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley
An 1857 mansion in Jacareí is home to the Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley, where collections range from paintings and religious and popular art to archaeological pottery and stone tools.
Parque Natural Estoril
In São Bernardo do Campo, Parque Natural Estoril is a conservation area protecting Atlantic Forest, part of the Billings Reservoir and local wildlife across roughly 373,000 square meters.
Praia da Guilhermina
Stretching 1.5 kilometers along the shore of Praia Grande, São Paulo, Praia da Guilhermina sits between Aviação and Boqueirão beaches.
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 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 is the drive from Rio de Janeiro to Itanhaém?
About 6 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 336 miles.
How far is Itanhaém from Rio de Janeiro by car?
About 336 miles (540 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 de Janeiro 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 de Janeiro to Itanhaém use?
In order: 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.
Where can you stop on the way from Rio de Janeiro to Itanhaém?
Closest to the road: Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (cathedral, mile 23, 0.9 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 110, 0.3 mi from the route); Museu Frei Galvão (museum, mile 160, 0.4 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.