The Wayro route from Cabo Frio to Nova Serrana is 420 miles (676 km), about 10 h 13 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.”
| Distance | 420 mi (676 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 13 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-140 → RJ-124 → BR-101 → BR-493 → BR-116 → BR-040 → BR-381 → BR-262 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the Cabo Frio to Nova Serrana drive plays out
BR-040 (243 mi) and BR-262 (60 mi) carry about 72% of the 420 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. None of the 8 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Roads you'll take from Cabo Frio to Nova Serrana
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-140 | 2–9 | 7 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 9–12 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-124 | 12–47 | 35 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 47–67 | 20 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 67–69 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 69–73 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 73–78 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 78–81 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 81–85 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 85–98 | 13 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 98–99 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 99–217 | 118 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 217–221 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 221–346 | 125 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 346–350 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 350–359 | 9 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 359–419 | 60 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 419–420 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 164 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
What to see on the way from Cabo Frio to Nova Serrana
- Nature and outdoors: Costa do Sol State Park (mile 12), Araruama Lagoon (mile 18), Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 56), Serra dos Órgãos National Park (mile 127)
- Museums and history: Imperial Museum of Brazil (mile 119), Museu da Loucura (mile 245), Pampulha Art Museum (mile 348)
Costa do Sol State Park
Scattered along the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, Costa do Sol State Park protects fragments of Atlantic Forest coastal habitat under pressure from urban growth.
Araruama Lagoon
In Rio de Janeiro state's Região dos Lagos, Araruama Lagoon is a permanent hypersaline lagoon covering 220 km², about 40 km long and 13 km wide.
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park is a protected area in Rio de Janeiro state, set aside by the municipality to safeguard a stretch of Atlantic Forest.
Imperial Museum of Brazil
Housed in the Petrópolis Imperial Palace, the former summer residence of Emperor Pedro II, the Imperial Museum sits in the historic center of Petrópolis; work on the palace began in 1845.
Serra dos Órgãos National Park
Serra dos Órgãos National Park protects the Serra dos Órgãos range between Petrópolis and Teresópolis, where a roughly 28 km traverse climbs past the Castelos do Açu to Pedra do Sino at 2,263 meters.
Museu da Loucura
Housed in the restored 1922 Torreão of the former Hospital Colônia de Barbacena, the Museu da Loucura opened in 1996 and uses objects, equipment, photos and documents to tell the history of psychiatric care in Minas Gerais.
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, this hilltop sanctuary in Congonhas is famous for Aleijadinho's 12 soapstone prophets on the front terraces and six chapels holding 64 life-size cedar figures of the Passion.
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.
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 Cabo Frio to other places in Brazil
- Cabo Frio to Nova Friburgo
- Cabo Frio to Teresópolis
- Cabo Frio to Itaguaí
- Cabo Frio to Barra Mansa
- Cabo Frio to Angra dos Reis
- Cabo Frio to Resende
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cabo Frio to Nova Serrana?
About 10 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 420 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cabo Frio to Nova Serrana?
About 420 miles (676 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 Cabo Frio to Nova Serrana?
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 Cabo Frio to Nova Serrana use?
In order: RJ-140, RJ-124, BR-101, BR-493, BR-116, BR-040, BR-381 and BR-262. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Cabo Frio and Nova Serrana?
Closest to the road: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (protected area, mile 56, 1 mi from the route); Museu da Loucura (museum, mile 245, 2 mi from the route); Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos (calvary, mile 301, 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.