Plan on about 14 h 7 min of driving for the 529-mile (852 km) trip from Varginha to Aracruz, 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Total distance | 529 mi (852 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 14 h 7 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-381 → BR-040 → BR-262 → ES-484 → ES-165 → ES-264 → ES-355 → ES-261 → BR-101 → ES-257 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from Varginha to Aracruz is like
BR-381 (219 mi) and BR-262 (169 mi) carry about 73% of the 529 miles. It runs through 2 states: Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Varginha to Aracruz, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–23 | 23 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 23–175 | 152 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 175–176 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 176–184 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 184–187 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 187–254 | 67 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 254–423 | 169 | Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo |
| ES-484 | 423–428 | 5 | Espírito Santo |
| local roads | 428–437 | 9 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-165 | 437–442 | 5 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-264 | 442–477 | 35 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-355 | 477–482 | 5 | Espírito Santo |
| connecting roads | 482–483 | 1 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-261 | 483–511 | 28 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 511–521 | 10 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-257 | 521–529 | 8 | Espírito Santo |
- Mile 377 of this route: Minas Gerais → Espírito Santo (state line)
Places worth a stop between Varginha and Aracruz
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu do Telefone (mile 185), Museu da Imigração Pomerana (mile 477), Museu de Biologia Professor Mello Leitão (mile 494)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Rola-Moça State Park (mile 174), Caparaó National Park (mile 382), Goiapaba-Açu Municipal Nature Park (mile 507)
- Museums and history: Nair Mendes Moreira House of Culture (mile 170), Pampulha Art Museum (mile 184), Museu do Telefone (mile 185), Museu da Imigração Pomerana (mile 477), Museu de Biologia Professor Mello Leitão (mile 494)
Nair Mendes Moreira House of Culture
Known locally as Casa do Registro, the Casa da Cultura Nair Mendes Moreira is an 18th-century house in Contagem. Local tradition links it to a Portuguese Crown post that counted goods and checked tax payments.
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.
Pampulha Art Museum
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer as the Cassino da Pampulha, the Pampulha Art Museum in Belo Horizonte is part of the Pampulha Modern Ensemble, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016.
Museu do Telefone
The Museu do Telefone is a museum in the Mangabeiras neighborhood of Belo Horizonte.
Caparaó National Park
Created in 1961, Caparaó National Park protects the Caparaó Mountains on the Minas Gerais–Espírito Santo border, including Pico da Bandeira, one of Brazil's highest peaks.
Museu da Imigração Pomerana
Museu da Imigração Pomerana in Santa Maria de Jetibá holds a collection on German immigration to Brazil, especially the Pomeranian settlers of Espírito Santo.
Museu de Biologia Professor Mello Leitão
Founded in 1949 by naturalist Augusto Ruschi, this federal museum in Santa Teresa is run by the Brazilian Institute of Museums and focuses on the country's natural heritage.
Goiapaba-Açu Municipal Nature Park
Set in the Irundi district of Fundão, on the line with Santa Teresa in Espírito Santo, this municipal park is home to Goiapaba-Açu Peak.
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.
More drives to Aracruz
- Cariacica to Aracruz
- Vitória to Aracruz
- Guarapari to Aracruz
- Itaperuna to Aracruz
- Rio das Ostras to Aracruz
- Itabira to Aracruz
From Varginha to other places in Brazil
- Varginha to Ubá
- Varginha to Paranapiacaba
- Varginha to Cubatão
- Varginha to Trindade
- Varginha to Jaú
- Varginha to Itanhaém
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Varginha to Aracruz?
About 14 h 7 min of driving without stops, over 529 miles.
What is the driving distance from Varginha to Aracruz?
About 529 miles (852 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 Varginha to Aracruz?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Varginha to Aracruz?
In order: BR-381, BR-040, BR-262, ES-484, ES-165, ES-264, ES-355, ES-261, BR-101 and ES-257. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Varginha and Aracruz?
Closest to the road: Museu do Telefone (museum, mile 185, 0.9 mi from the route); Museu da Imigração Pomerana (museum, mile 477, 0.2 mi from the route); Museu de Biologia Professor Mello Leitão (museum, mile 494, 0.1 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.