The Wayro route from São Mateus to Lavras is 524 miles (844 km), about 13 h 28 min of driving without 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.”
| Total distance | 524 mi (844 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 13 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-381 → BR-342 → ES-220 → ES-320 → BR-259 → BR-262 → BR-265 |
| States on the route | Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving São Mateus to Lavras: the shape of the trip
BR-381 (428 mi) and BR-342 (18 mi) carry about 85% of the 524 miles. It runs through 2 states: Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from São Mateus to Lavras
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-381 | 1–41 | 40 | Espírito Santo |
| connecting roads | 41–42 | 1 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-342 | 42–60 | 18 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-220 | 60–78 | 18 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-320 | 78–86 | 8 | Espírito Santo |
| connecting roads | 86–90 | 4 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-381 | 90–176 | 86 | Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais |
| BR-259 | 176–184 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 184–247 | 63 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 247–250 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 250–260 | 10 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 260–374 | 114 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 374–382 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 382–385 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 385–393 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 393–398 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 398–515 | 117 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-265 | 515–523 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 523–524 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 93 of this route: Espírito Santo → Minas Gerais (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Lavras
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (mile 255), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 380)
- Nature and outdoors: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 380), Serra do Rola-Moça State Park (mile 385)
- Museums and history: St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral, Governador Valadares (mile 183), Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (mile 255), Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha (mile 377), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 380), Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho Cultural Center (mile 388), Casa de Cacos (mile 388)
- With kids: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 380)
St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral, Governador Valadares
St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral is the cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Governador Valadares, in the city of the same name in Minas Gerais.
Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano
Inaugurated in 1993, Saint Sebastian Cathedral in Coronel Fabriciano, Minas Gerais, shares the role of seat of the Diocese of Itabira-Fabriciano with Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral in Itabira.
Cine Theatro Brasil
Built in 1932 on Praça Sete de Setembro in Belo Horizonte as a cinema and theater, Cine Theatro Brasil is an 11-story building whose curved facade marks the corner of Avenida Amazonas and Rua Carijós.
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.
Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais
On the PUC Minas campus in Belo Horizonte, this natural sciences museum shows Brazilian fauna, largely from the cerrado, alongside fossil South American mammals and an 'Age of Reptiles' hall with dinosaurs, pterosaurs and a large crocodile.
Serra do Rola-Moça State Park
On the edge of metropolitan Belo Horizonte, Serra do Rola-Moça State Park protects rugged ridges of the Espinhaço range where cerrado savanna meets Atlantic Forest.
Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho Cultural Center
The Centro Cultural Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho is a public museum set in three historic buildings in Contagem, remnants of the town's original Portuguese Crown tax post.
Casa de Cacos
Casa de Cacos in Contagem is a museum and an example of fantastic architecture, built and decorated entirely by geologist Carlos Luís de Almeida and considered the only one of its kind in Brazil.
Arriving in Lavras
Museu Bi Moreira
On the historic campus of the Federal University of Lavras, Museu Bi Moreira holds around five thousand historical, ethnographic, archaeological and science-and-technology artifacts tied to the history of Lavras and the university.
More drives to Lavras
- Barbacena to Lavras
- Juiz de Fora to Lavras
- Barra Mansa to Lavras
- Teresópolis to Lavras
- Itu to Lavras
- Rio de Janeiro to Lavras
From São Mateus to other places in Brazil
- São Mateus to Barra do Piraí
- São Mateus to Itaguaí
- São Mateus to Penedo
- São Mateus to Fumaça
- São Mateus to Nova Serrana
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from São Mateus to Lavras?
About 13 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 524 miles.
How far is Lavras from São Mateus by car?
About 524 miles (844 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 São Mateus to Lavras?
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 Lavras use?
In order: BR-381, BR-342, ES-220, ES-320, BR-259, BR-262 and BR-265. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from São Mateus to Lavras?
Closest to the road: Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (cathedral, mile 255, 0.4 mi from the route); Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha (catholic parish church, mile 377, 2 mi from the route); Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (museum, mile 380, 0.6 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.