Petrópolis to Nova Serrana is about 302 road miles (486 km): roughly 7 h 17 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Distance | 302 mi (486 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 17 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-040 → BR-381 → BR-262 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Petrópolis to Nova Serrana drive plays out
BR-040 (215 mi) and BR-262 (61 mi) carry about 91% of the 302 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Petrópolis to Nova Serrana
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–10 | 10 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 10–99 | 89 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 99–102 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 102–228 | 126 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 228–232 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 232–240 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 240–301 | 61 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 301–302 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 46 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
Places worth a stop between Petrópolis and Nova Serrana
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Piemonte Tower (mile 225)
- Nature and outdoors: Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (mile 15)
- Museums and history: Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (mile 15), Museu da Loucura (mile 128), Museu da Imagem e Memória (mile 183), Pampulha Art Museum (mile 230), Casa de Cacos (mile 236)
Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument
The Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument is a municipal natural monument, a protected area in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
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.
Museu da Imagem e Memória
Housed in the two-story Casarão dos Fonseca, the Museu da Imagem e Memória in Congonhas shows photographs, documents and old objects that tell the history of the town and its people.
Piemonte Tower
Rising 101 meters on a mountain ridge between the Serra do Curral and Serra do Rola-Moça, Piemonte Tower (Torre Piemonte) is a tourist structure at the Alta Vila shopping center on the Nova Lima–Belo Horizonte line.
Pampulha Modern Ensemble
Laid out around the artificial Lake Pampulha in Belo Horizonte, the Pampulha Modern Ensemble is an urban project that includes a casino, a ballroom, the Golf Yacht Club and the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi.
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.
Casa de Cacos
Casa de Cacos in Contagem is a museum and an example of fantastic architecture, built and decorated entirely by geologist Carlos Luís de Almeida and considered the only one of its kind in Brazil.
Vale Verde
Vale Verde Parque Ecológico sits in the municipality of Betim, Minas Gerais, on a farm with a still where Cachaça Vale Verde is produced.
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 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 does it take to drive from Petrópolis to Nova Serrana?
About 7 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 302 miles.
How far is Nova Serrana from Petrópolis by car?
About 302 miles (486 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 Petrópolis 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 Petrópolis to Nova Serrana use?
In order: 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 Petrópolis and Nova Serrana?
Closest to the road: Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos (calvary, mile 183, 1 mi from the route); Museu da Imagem e Memória (museum, mile 183, 1 mi from the route); Piemonte Tower (observation tower, mile 225, 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.