The Wayro route from Teresópolis to Itaúnas is 439 miles (706 km), about 12 h 7 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Distance | 439 mi (706 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 12 h 7 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → CMG-393 → RJ-186 → ES-297 → BR-101 → ES-422 → ES-010 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Teresópolis–Itaúnas drive in a few lines
BR-101 (234 mi) and RJ-186 (63 mi) carry about 68% of the 439 miles. It runs through 3 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Teresópolis to Itaúnas: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 4–52 | 48 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 52–55 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| CMG-393 | 55–82 | 27 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 82–83 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| RJ-186 | 83–146 | 63 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 146–147 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| ES-297 | 147–175 | 28 | Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 175–409 | 234 | Espírito Santo |
| connecting roads | 409–414 | 5 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-422 | 414–426 | 12 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-010 | 426–438 | 12 | Espírito Santo |
| local roads | 438–439 | 1 | Espírito Santo |
- Mile 54 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
- Mile 88 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 171 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Espírito Santo (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Teresópolis and Itaúnas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Casa da Cultura de Fundão (mile 309), St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus (mile 410)
- Nature and outdoors: Araponga Municipal Nature Park (mile 15), Pedra das Flores Natural Monument (mile 22), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 188), Frade e a Freira Natural Monument (mile 210), Morro do Penedo Natural Monument (mile 277)
- Museums and history: Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 188), Casa da Cultura de Fundão (mile 309), St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus (mile 410)
Araponga Municipal Nature Park
Araponga Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a protected green area along the way.
Pedra das Flores Natural Monument
Pedra das Flores Natural Monument is a municipal natural monument, a protected area in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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.
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.
Morro do Penedo Natural Monument
Morro do Penedo Natural Monument protects a small sugarloaf-shaped hill on the shore of the bay south of Vitória, the capital of Espírito Santo state.
Casa da Cultura de Fundão
Once the Agostini family residence, this two-story house in Fundão is protected as cultural heritage by Espírito Santo state and now works as a museum.
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.
St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus
St. Matthew Cathedral in the municipality of São Mateus is a Catholic church regarded as a reference for modern religious art in Brazil.
Arriving in Itaúnas
Itaúnas State Park
In northern Espírito Santo, Itaúnas State Park protects the lower Itaúnas River along with a strip of marshes, dunes and Atlantic beaches.
More drives to Itaúnas
- Serra to Itaúnas
- Cariacica to Itaúnas
- Vitória to Itaúnas
- Vila Velha to Itaúnas
- Guarapari to Itaúnas
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Itaúnas
From Teresópolis to other places in Brazil
- Teresópolis to Itaguaí
- Teresópolis to Guaratinguetá
- Teresópolis to Bragança Paulista
- Teresópolis to Paranapiacaba
- Teresópolis to Cubatão
- Teresópolis to Itu
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Teresópolis to Itaúnas?
About 12 h 7 min of driving without stops, over 439 miles.
What is the driving distance from Teresópolis to Itaúnas?
About 439 miles (706 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 Teresópolis to Itaúnas 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 Teresópolis to Itaúnas use?
In order: BR-116, CMG-393, RJ-186, ES-297, BR-101, ES-422 and ES-010. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Teresópolis and Itaúnas?
Closest to the road: Frade e a Freira Natural Monument (protected area, mile 210, 1 mi from the route); Casa da Cultura de Fundão (museum, mile 309, 0.1 mi from the route); St. Matthew Cathedral, São Mateus (cathedral, mile 410, 0.5 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.