Plan on about 10 h 25 min of driving for the 435-mile (700 km) trip from Santos to Itaperuna, 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.”
| Distance | 435 mi (700 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 25 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-150 → SP-021 → SP-070 → SP-060 → BR-116 → BR-393 → CMG-393 → RJ-186 → RJ-198 |
| States on the route | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Santos to Itaperuna drive plays out
SP-060 (103 mi) and BR-393 (78 mi) carry about 42% of the 435 miles. It runs through 3 states: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Santos to Itaperuna
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | São Paulo |
| SP-150 | 4–27 | 23 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 27–30 | 3 | São Paulo |
| SP-021 | 30–59 | 29 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 59–60 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-070 | 60–116 | 56 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 116–119 | 3 | São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 119–222 | 103 | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 222–229 | 7 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 229–230 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 230–234 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 234–306 | 72 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 306–311 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 311–312 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 312–318 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 318–351 | 33 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 351–352 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| CMG-393 | 352–380 | 28 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 380–381 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| RJ-186 | 381–425 | 44 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-198 | 425–434 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 434–435 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 191 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 352 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
- Mile 386 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Stops between Santos and Itaperuna
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 147), Itatiaia National Park (mile 201), Santana Cathedral (mile 257), Museu Casa da Hera (mile 270), Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 284)
- Nature and outdoors: Itatiaia National Park (mile 201), Serra da Concórdia State Park (mile 270)
- Museums and history: Calçada do Lorena (mile 12), Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley (mile 86), Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani" (mile 119), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 147), Santana Cathedral (mile 257), Museu Casa da Hera (mile 270), Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 284)
Calçada do Lorena
Calçada do Lorena, in the Serra do Mar of São Paulo state, was the first paved road linking São Paulo to Santos, built on the orders of governor Bernardo José Maria de Lorena.
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.
Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani"
In Quiririm, a district of Taubaté, the Italian Immigration Museum fills the brick Casa Indiani, built between 1897 and 1903 by a family from Cremona, with photos, furniture, machinery and a period classroom recalling immigrant life.
Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida
In 1717, fishermen on the Paraíba do Sul River pulled up an image of Our Lady Aparecida. Today it rests in Brazil's National Shrine in Aparecida, a basilica consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1980.
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.
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.
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 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 does it take to drive from Santos to Itaperuna?
About 10 h 25 min of driving without stops, over 435 miles.
How far is Itaperuna from Santos by car?
About 435 miles (700 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 Itaperuna drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Santos to Itaperuna?
In order: SP-150, SP-021, SP-070, 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.
What are good stops between Santos and Itaperuna?
Closest to the road: Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (basilica, mile 147, 0.4 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 201, 0.3 mi from the route); Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (historic estate, mile 284, 0.3 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.