Olinda to Barra Grande is about 543 road miles (874 km): roughly 13 h 36 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- 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 | 543 mi (874 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 13 h 36 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-015 → BR-101 → PB-071 → RN-120 → BR-226 → BR-304 → CE-040 → BR-020 → BR-222 → CE-423 → CE-085 → CE-163 |
| States on the route | Pernambuco, Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte, Ceará |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Olinda to Barra Grande
BR-304 (181 mi) and BR-101 (94 mi) carry about 51% of the 543 miles. It runs through 4 states: Pernambuco, Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte, Ceará. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Olinda to Barra Grande, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Pernambuco |
| PE-015 | 1–7 | 6 | Pernambuco |
| BR-101 | 7–101 | 94 | Pernambuco, Paraíba |
| connecting roads | 101–102 | 1 | Paraíba |
| PB-071 | 102–131 | 29 | Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte |
| connecting roads | 131–133 | 2 | Rio Grande do Norte |
| RN-120 | 133–167 | 34 | Rio Grande do Norte |
| BR-226 | 167–171 | 4 | Rio Grande do Norte |
| RN-120 | 171–188 | 17 | Rio Grande do Norte |
| BR-304 | 188–314 | 126 | Rio Grande do Norte |
| local roads | 314–320 | 6 | Rio Grande do Norte |
| BR-304 | 320–375 | 55 | Rio Grande do Norte, Ceará |
| CE-040 | 375–452 | 77 | Ceará |
| connecting roads | 452–454 | 2 | Ceará |
| BR-020 | 454–470 | 16 | Ceará |
| BR-222 | 470–493 | 23 | Ceará |
| CE-423 | 493–496 | 3 | Ceará |
| connecting roads | 496–498 | 2 | Ceará |
| CE-085 | 498–530 | 32 | Ceará |
| CE-163 | 530–537 | 7 | Ceará |
| local roads | 537–543 | 6 | Ceará |
- Mile 39 of this route: Pernambuco → Paraíba (state line)
- Mile 130 of this route: Paraíba → Rio Grande do Norte (state line)
- Mile 340 of this route: Rio Grande do Norte → Ceará (state line)
Places worth a stop between Olinda and Barra Grande
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Igreja da Ordem Terceira do Carmo (mile 35), Açu National Forest (mile 275), Memorial da Resistência Mossoroense (mile 316), Catedral de Santa Luzia de Mossoró (mile 317)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Estadual do Aratu (mile 63), Açu National Forest (mile 275), Furna Feia National Park (mile 333), Canoa Quebrada (mile 369), Parque Botânico de Caucaia (mile 470)
- Museums and history: Igreja da Ordem Terceira do Carmo (mile 35), Hotel Globo (mile 66), Memorial da Resistência Mossoroense (mile 316), Catedral de Santa Luzia de Mossoró (mile 317)
Igreja da Ordem Terceira do Carmo
Standing in central Goiana, this church of the Third Order of Carmel has been the setting for many episodes in the history of the town and of Pernambuco, and IPHAN has protected it as national heritage since 1938.
Parque Estadual do Aratu
Parque Estadual do Aratu is a fully protected state conservation unit in the Brazilian state of Paraíba.
Hotel Globo
Built in 1929 by hotelier Henriques Siqueira on São Frei Pedro Gonçalves square in João Pessoa's historic center, the Hotel Globo now works as a museum showing Art Deco furniture and pieces.
Açu National Forest
The Açu National Forest is a national forest, a protected area in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte.
Memorial da Resistência Mossoroense
Exhibits at this Mossoró memorial cover the cangaço and the town's 1927 resistance to Lampião's band, which tried to invade it, spread over three floors with four thematic modules.
Catedral de Santa Luzia de Mossoró
Facing Praça Vigário Antônio Joaquim in central Mossoró, the Catedral de Santa Luzia is the diocesan cathedral, dedicated to Saint Lucy, patron of the city.
Furna Feia National Park
Furna Feia National Park in Rio Grande do Norte protects an extensive cave system.
Canoa Quebrada
About 164 km from Fortaleza in the municipality of Aracati, Canoa Quebrada is a fishing village and beach resort set among dunes and cliffs on Ceará's east coast.
Parque Botânico de Caucaia
Covering 190 hectares in Caucaia, 15 km from Fortaleza, the Ceará State Botanical Park sits along highway CE-090, the road to Icaraí, Cumbuco and other beaches.
More drives to Barra Grande
- Pipa Beach to Barra Grande
- Caruaru to Barra Grande
- Parnaíba to Barra Grande
- Bacabal to Barra Grande
- Codó to Barra Grande
- Caxias to Barra Grande
From Olinda to other places in Brazil
- Olinda to Vitória de Santo Antão
- Olinda to Arapiraca
- Olinda to Itabaiana
- Olinda to Lagarto
- Olinda to Alagoinhas
- Olinda to Praia do Forte
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Olinda to Barra Grande?
About 13 h 36 min of driving without stops, over 543 miles.
How far is Barra Grande from Olinda by car?
About 543 miles (874 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 Olinda to Barra Grande?
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 Olinda to Barra Grande use?
In order: PE-015, BR-101, PB-071, RN-120, BR-226, BR-304, CE-040, BR-020, BR-222, CE-423, CE-085 and CE-163. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Olinda and Barra Grande?
Closest to the road: Igreja da Ordem Terceira do Carmo (church, mile 35, 0.7 mi from the route); Memorial da Resistência Mossoroense (museum, mile 316, 0.4 mi from the route); Catedral de Santa Luzia de Mossoró (cathedral, mile 317, 0.2 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.