Plan on about 7 h 2 min of driving for the 349-mile (562 km) trip from Petrópolis to Limeira, 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Total distance | 349 mi (562 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 2 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-040 → BR-493 → BR-116 → SP-065 → SP-330 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Petrópolis to Limeira
BR-116 (184 mi) and SP-065 (87 mi) carry about 78% of the 349 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Petrópolis and Limeira
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 4–19 | 15 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 19–21 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 21–50 | 29 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 50–234 | 184 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| SP-065 | 234–321 | 87 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 321–322 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-330 | 322–342 | 20 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 342–345 | 3 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 345–349 | 4 | São Paulo |
- Mile 130 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Petrópolis and Limeira
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Itatiaia National Park (mile 120), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 173), Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas (mile 209)
- Nature and outdoors: Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 15), Itatiaia National Park (mile 120), Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande (mile 273)
- Museums and history: Valongo Wharf (mile 21), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 173), Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas (mile 209), Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande (mile 273), Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Campinas-José Pancetti (mile 311), Mata de Santa Genebra (mile 319)
Taquara Municipal Nature Park
Taquara Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in Rio de Janeiro state that protects an area of Atlantic Forest.
Valongo Wharf
Built in 1811 in Rio's old port, the Valongo Wharf was where up to 900,000 enslaved Africans landed. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, its excavated stone paving is left open to view.
Itatiaia National Park
Straddling the line between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states, Itatiaia National Park dates to 1937, when it became the first national park Brazil ever created.
Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida
Construction of the current basilica at Aparecida started in 1955, and Pope John Paul II consecrated it in 1980. As Brazil's National Shrine, it keeps the image of Our Lady Aparecida found by fishermen in 1717.
Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas
Founded in 1963 and moved to Caçapava a year later, the Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas reopened after renovation in 2023, showing vintage vehicles and engines including a rare Tucker Torpedo and a 1973 Ford Maverick.
Municipal Market of São José dos Campos
Completed in 1923 on the site of an 1896 market, the heritage-listed Municipal Market of São José dos Campos sells cheeses, spices, medicinal herbs, preserves, fish and meat, and is known for pastel with sugarcane juice.
Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande
Topping the Serra do Itapetinga at about 1,400 meters, Pedra Grande is Atibaia's highest point, a protected state natural monument where hang gliders and paragliders launch and a trail leads to views over nearby towns.
Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Campinas-José Pancetti
Campinas's Museum of Contemporary Art (MACC), founded in 1965, sits on Avenida Benjamin Constant downtown, beside the city hall and municipal library. Its collection focuses on postwar Brazilian art, with paintings, sculpture, works on paper and installations.
Mata de Santa Genebra
Mata de Santa Genebra is a forest in Campinas protected as an Area of Relevant Ecological Interest. The José Pedro de Oliveira Foundation has hosted guided trail walks there with wildlife researchers from Unicamp.
More drives to Limeira
- Ribeirão Preto to Limeira
- Bauru to Limeira
- São Vicente to Limeira
- Santos to Limeira
- Mogi das Cruzes to Limeira
- Taubaté to Limeira
From Petrópolis to other places in Brazil
- Petrópolis to Guaratinguetá
- Petrópolis to Pindamonhangaba
- Petrópolis to Jacareí
- Petrópolis to Caraguatatuba
- Petrópolis to Bragança Paulista
- Petrópolis to Paranapiacaba
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Petrópolis to Limeira?
About 7 h 2 min of driving without stops, over 349 miles.
What is the driving distance from Petrópolis to Limeira?
About 349 miles (562 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 Petrópolis to Limeira 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 Petrópolis to Limeira use?
In order: BR-040, BR-493, BR-116, SP-065 and SP-330. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Petrópolis to Limeira?
Closest to the road: Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 120, 0.4 mi from the route); Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (basilica, mile 173, 0.4 mi from the route); Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas (museum, mile 209, 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.