By road, Teófilo Otoni and Nova Serrana are about 353 miles (568 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 50 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.”
| Total distance | 353 mi (568 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 50 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → BR-381 → BR-262 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from Teófilo Otoni to Nova Serrana is like
BR-381 (185 mi) and BR-116 (82 mi) carry about 76% of the 353 miles. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Teófilo Otoni to Nova Serrana: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-116 | 2–84 | 82 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 84–146 | 62 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 146–149 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 149–158 | 9 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 158–273 | 115 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 273–280 | 7 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 280–283 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 283–291 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 291–352 | 61 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 352–353 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
What to see on the way from Teófilo Otoni to Nova Serrana
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (mile 153), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 278)
- Nature and outdoors: Baleia State Park (mile 272), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 278)
- Museums and history: St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral, Governador Valadares (mile 84), Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (mile 153), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 278), Casa de Cacos (mile 287), Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho Cultural Center (mile 287)
- With kids: Belo Horizonte Aquarium (mile 276), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 278)
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.
Baleia State Park
Near Belo Horizonte, the Minas Gerais state capital, Baleia State Park protects a rugged area of cerrado landscape.
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.
Belo Horizonte Aquarium
Opened in 2010 in Belo Horizonte's Pampulha area, the Belo Horizonte Aquarium shows more than fifty species collected along the 2,800-km São Francisco River.
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.
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.
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.
Vale Verde
Vale Verde Parque Ecológico sits in the municipality of Betim, Minas Gerais, on a farm with a still where Cachaça Vale Verde is produced.
More drives to Nova Serrana
- Itabira to Nova Serrana
- Barbacena to Nova Serrana
- Poços de Caldas to Nova Serrana
- Governador Valadares to Nova Serrana
- Resende to Nova Serrana
- Pindamonhangaba to Nova Serrana
From Teófilo Otoni to other places in Brazil
- Teófilo Otoni to Conselheiro Lafaiete
- Teófilo Otoni to Guarapari
- Teófilo Otoni to Barbacena
- Teófilo Otoni to Lavras
- Teófilo Otoni to Barra do Piraí
- Teófilo Otoni to Varginha
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Teófilo Otoni to Nova Serrana?
About 8 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 353 miles.
What is the driving distance from Teófilo Otoni to Nova Serrana?
About 353 miles (568 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 Teófilo Otoni to Nova Serrana drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Teófilo Otoni to Nova Serrana?
In order: BR-116, BR-381 and BR-262. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Teófilo Otoni to Nova Serrana?
Closest to the road: Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (cathedral, mile 153, 0.4 mi from the route); Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (museum, mile 278, 0.6 mi from the route); Vale Verde (distillery, mile 301, 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.