By road, São Mateus and Itaguaí are about 490 miles (788 km) apart, or roughly 12 h 18 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Distance by road | 490 mi (788 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 12 h 18 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → CA-M-197 → RJ-238 → RJ-180 → BR-040 |
| States on the route | Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
What the drive from São Mateus to Itaguaí is like
BR-101 (302 mi) and RJ-180 (152 mi) carry about 93% of the 490 miles. It runs through 2 states: Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro. None of the 6 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
São Mateus to Itaguaí: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 1–47 | 46 | Espírito Santo |
| local roads | 47–50 | 3 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 50–273 | 223 | Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 273–274 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 274–280 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| CA-M-197 | 280–283 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-238 | 283–286 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 286–287 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-180 | 287–439 | 152 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 439–448 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 448–464 | 16 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 464–488 | 24 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 488–490 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 237 of this route: Espírito Santo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between São Mateus and Itaguaí
- Nature and outdoors: Frade e a Freira Natural Monument (mile 199), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 222), Praia do Buraco (mile 434)
- Museums and history: Museu Histórico da Ilha das Caieiras (mile 128), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 222)
Buddha of Ibiraçu
Beside the BR-101 highway in Ibiraçu, a 35-meter Buddha statue rises at the Morro da Vargem Zen monastery. The giant figure, part of the monastery grounds, was officially inaugurated in August 2021.
Museu Histórico da Ilha das Caieiras
On Ilha das Caieiras in Vitória, Espírito Santo, this history museum is named for Manoel Passos Lyrio; an expansion begun in 2022 adds a section devoted to local fishermen.
Frade e a Freira Natural Monument
Created by state decree in 2007, the Frade e a Freira Natural Monument is a state-run protected area in Espírito Santo spanning parts of Itapemirim, Cachoeiro de Itapemirim and Vargem Alta.
Serra das Torres Natural Monument
Covering about 10,459 hectares of Atlantic Forest in Atílio Vivácqua, Mimoso do Sul and Muqui, the Serra das Torres Natural Monument was created in 2010 to protect the peaks of a mountain range in southern Espírito Santo.
Praia do Buraco
About four kilometers from Praia Central in Balneário Camboriú, Praia do Buraco borders Praia do Canto; strong waves make it unsafe for swimming, so it draws mostly fishermen and photographers.
Theatro Municipal
Built in the early 20th century, the Theatro Municipal is an opera house in Rio de Janeiro's Centro district, regarded as one of Brazil's notable theaters.
More drives to Itaguaí
- São José dos Campos to Itaguaí
- Jacareí to Itaguaí
- Jundiaí to Itaguaí
- Santos to Itaguaí
- São Vicente to Itaguaí
- Praia Grande to Itaguaí
From São Mateus to other places in Brazil
- São Mateus to Barra do Piraí
- São Mateus to Penedo
- São Mateus to Fumaça
- São Mateus to Lavras
- São Mateus to Nova Serrana
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from São Mateus to Itaguaí?
About 12 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 490 miles.
How far is Itaguaí from São Mateus by car?
About 490 miles (788 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 São Mateus to Itaguaí 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 São Mateus to Itaguaí use?
In order: BR-101, CA-M-197, RJ-238, RJ-180 and BR-040. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from São Mateus to Itaguaí?
Closest to the road: Buddha of Ibiraçu (statue, mile 94, 2 mi from the route); Frade e a Freira Natural Monument (protected area, mile 199, 1 mi from the route); Theatro Municipal (theater, mile 444, 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.