Praia Grande to Petrópolis is about 326 road miles (524 km): roughly 6 h 41 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 | 326 mi (524 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-160 → SP-021 → SP-070 → SP-060 → BR-116 → BR-493 → BR-040 |
| States on the route | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Praia Grande to Petrópolis drive plays out
SP-060 (103 mi) and SP-070 (56 mi) carry about 49% of the 326 miles. It runs through 2 states: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Praia Grande and Petrópolis
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-160 | 2–29 | 27 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 29–30 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-021 | 30–62 | 32 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 62–63 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-070 | 63–119 | 56 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 119–122 | 3 | São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 122–225 | 103 | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 225–274 | 49 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 274–275 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 275–304 | 29 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 304–321 | 17 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 321–326 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 194 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Stops between Praia Grande and Petrópolis
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (mile 38), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 150), Itatiaia National Park (mile 204)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Mar State Park (mile 18), Parque Natural Estoril (mile 35), Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (mile 38), Itatiaia National Park (mile 204), Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 312)
- Museums and history: Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley (mile 89), Museu Monteiro Lobato (mile 126), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 150), Valongo Wharf (mile 304)
Serra do Mar State Park
Covering 778,381 acres of the Serra do Mar mountain range in São Paulo state, this state park protects a vast expanse of continuous Atlantic Forest.
Parque Natural Estoril
In São Bernardo do Campo, Parque Natural Estoril is a conservation area protecting Atlantic Forest, part of the Billings Reservoir and local wildlife across roughly 373,000 square meters.
Pedroso Municipal Nature Park
Santo André's Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (Parque do Pedroso) is a strictly protected conservation unit that holds important water sources and a fragment of Atlantic Forest.
Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley
Ceramic vessels and stone tools are among the archaeological finds at the Museu de Antropologia do Vale do Paraíba in Jacareí, which also displays sacred art, folk art and paintings.
Museu Monteiro Lobato
Founded in 1958 on the grounds known as the Sítio do Picapau Amarelo, Taubaté's Museu Monteiro Lobato honors the children's author with exhibitions, a historic main house, green areas and plays featuring characters from his stories.
Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida
In 1717, fishermen on the Paraíba do Sul River pulled up an image of Our Lady Aparecida. Today it rests in Brazil's National Shrine in Aparecida, a basilica consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1980.
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.
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.
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.
In Petrópolis itself
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.
Santos Dumont House Museum
Known as A Encantada, the Santos Dumont House Museum in Petrópolis is the house built in 1918 for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont on a steep hillside near the city center.
Petrópolis Municipal Nature Park
Petrópolis Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
More drives to Petrópolis
- São José dos Campos to Petrópolis
- Mogi das Cruzes to Petrópolis
- São Paulo to Petrópolis
- Jundiaí to Petrópolis
- Santos to Petrópolis
- São Vicente to Petrópolis
From Praia Grande to other places in Brazil
- Praia Grande to Paranapiacaba
- Praia Grande to Bragança Paulista
- Praia Grande to Itu
- Praia Grande to Limeira
- Praia Grande to Mogi Guaçu
- Praia Grande to Botucatu
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Praia Grande to Petrópolis?
About 6 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 326 miles.
What is the driving distance from Praia Grande to Petrópolis?
About 326 miles (524 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 Praia Grande to Petrópolis 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 Praia Grande to Petrópolis use?
In order: SP-160, SP-021, SP-070, SP-060, BR-116, BR-493 and BR-040. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Praia Grande to Petrópolis?
Closest to the road: Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (municipal nature park, mile 38, 0.7 mi from the route); Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (basilica, mile 150, 0.4 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 204, 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.