By road, Santos and Itabira are about 468 miles (753 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 45 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.”
| Distance by road | 468 mi (753 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 45 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-150 → SP-010 → SP-008 → BR-381 → BR-040 → MG-434 → MG-129 → AMG-1210 |
| States on the route | São Paulo, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the Santos to Itabira drive plays out
BR-381 (205 mi) and SP-008 (156 mi) carry about 77% of the 468 miles. It runs through 2 states: São Paulo, Minas Gerais. None of the 8 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Road-by-road breakdown: Santos to Itabira
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | São Paulo |
| SP-150 | 4–40 | 36 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 40–41 | 1 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 41–47 | 6 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 47–50 | 3 | São Paulo |
| SP-010 | 50–70 | 20 | São Paulo |
| SP-008 | 70–226 | 156 | São Paulo, Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 226–396 | 170 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 396–398 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 398–406 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 406–409 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 409–444 | 35 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 444–445 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-434 | 445–457 | 12 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-129 | 457–460 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| AMG-1210 | 460–466 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 466–468 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 107 of this route: São Paulo → Minas Gerais (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Santos and Itabira
- Museums and history: Sabina Escola Parque do Conhecimento (mile 33), Museu de Santo André (mile 34), Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral of São Paulo (mile 41), Palácio das Indústrias (mile 46), Museu de Ciências Naturais Sylvio Ourique Fragoso (mile 53), Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha (mile 404), Museu da Força Expedicionária Brasileira (mile 405)
- With kids: Sabina Escola Parque do Conhecimento (mile 33), Simba Safari (mile 37)
Sabina Escola Parque do Conhecimento
Sabina Escola Parque do Conhecimento is a science museum in Santo André, in Greater São Paulo, and one of the area's planetarium venues.
Museu de Santo André
Museu de Santo André Dr. Octaviano Armando Gaiarsa is one of the main museums in the city of Santo André, São Paulo.
Simba Safari
At Simba Safari, a zoo in São Paulo's Cursino district, visitors ride park vehicles along a route of about 2.9 km through roughly 80,000 square meters to see the animals.
Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral of São Paulo
On Rua Vergueiro in the Paraíso area of São Paulo, the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch and is dedicated to Paul the Apostle.
Palácio das Indústrias
Designed for industrial exhibitions, the Palácio das Indústrias is a protected Eclectic-style building in Parque Dom Pedro II, the work of Domiziano Rossi with Ramos de Azevedo and Ricardo Severo.
Museu de Ciências Naturais Sylvio Ourique Fragoso
Also called the Guarulhos Natural Sciences Museum, Museu de Ciências Naturais Sylvio Ourique Fragoso has been inside the Guarulhos Municipal Zoo since 2005, next to an environmental education center.
Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer in an organic modern style, the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi is a chapel in the Pampulha area of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.
Museu da Força Expedicionária Brasileira
In Belo Horizonte, the Museu da Força Expedicionária Brasileira covers Brazil's role in World War II, with a focus on soldiers from Minas Gerais sent to Italy, including the taking of Montese.
Arriving in 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 Santos to other places in Brazil
- Santos to Itanhaém
- Santos to Bragança Paulista
- Santos to Itu
- Santos to Limeira
- Santos to Mogi Guaçu
- Santos to Botucatu
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santos to Itabira?
About 10 h 45 min of driving without stops, over 468 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santos to Itabira?
About 468 miles (753 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 Santos to Itabira 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 Santos to Itabira use?
In order: SP-150, SP-010, SP-008, BR-381, BR-040, 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 Santos and Itabira?
Closest to the road: Simba Safari (zoo, mile 37, 2 mi from the route); Museu de Ciências Naturais Sylvio Ourique Fragoso (museum, mile 53, 1 mi from the route); Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha (catholic parish church, mile 404, 2 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.