Santana do Livramento to Piriápolis, Uruguay is about 357 road miles (574 km): roughly 7 h 27 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 1.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance by road | 357 mi (574 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 27 min |
| Border crossing | about mile 1, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida, Canelones, Maldonado |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The border on the way to Piriápolis
The route crosses at about mile 1, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rivera. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Uruguay (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Uruguay | You can drive on your U.S. license. |
| Entering Brazil (U.S. citizens) | Visa required: apply and get approved before you travel; travelers without visas can't enter. Passport: must be valid for one month at entry, with a blank page for each stamp. |
| Driving in Brazil | If you'll stay more than 180 days and drive, carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with your U.S. license. |
| Rental car | Cross only if the rental company authorizes it in writing and gives you the papers for the border; ask before you book. |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Uruguay (updated August 13, 2026); U.S. State Department, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
On the road from Santana do Livramento to Piriápolis
The first 1 miles are in Brazil; the last 356 are in Uruguay. It runs through 7 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida, Canelones, Maldonado. Of the 8 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Santana do Livramento to Piriápolis: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–357 | 357 | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida, Canelones, Maldonado |
- Mile 1 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 50 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 160 of this route: Tacuarembó → Durazno (region line)
- Mile 208 of this route: Durazno → Florida (region line)
- Mile 273 of this route: Florida → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 342 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Santana do Livramento and Piriápolis
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 68), Museo del Deporte (mile 70), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 199), Cathedral of Florida (mile 254), Piedra Alta (mile 254), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 284)
- Nature and outdoors: Chorro de Agua Fría (mile 96)
- Museums and history: Museo del Deporte (mile 70), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 199), Cathedral of Florida (mile 254), Piedra Alta (mile 254), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 284), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 319)
- With kids: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 68)
Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba
Reachable from Route 5 at kilometer 390, the Mauricio López Lomba reserve is a wildlife reserve in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
Museo del Deporte
Located in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay, the Museo del Deporte preserves and shares the sports history of the Tacuarembó department.
Chorro de Agua Fría
In Uruguay's Tacuarembó Department, Chorro de Agua Fría is a waterfall that drops roughly 14 meters, the highest uninterrupted fall in the country.
Casa de Rivera, Durazno
Facing Plaza Independencia in Durazno, the Casa de Fructuoso Rivera (Casa de Rivera) is one of the town's main heritage sites and now houses the department's historical museum.
Cathedral of Florida
Florida's cathedral basilica is also Uruguay's national shrine of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, the country's patroness, and keeps the original image; look for its bronze door by sculptor José Belloni and his son Stelio, stained glass and domes.
Piedra Alta
On the banks of the Santa Lucía Chico River outside the city of Florida, Piedra Alta is a rock formation of historic importance that appears on the department's coat of arms and flag.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Construction of Canelones' Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe began in 1816; the church became a cathedral in 1961 and Uruguay's national shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2020.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Engineer Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker in Estación Atlántida, inaugurated in 1960, joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2021. Look for its wavy brick walls and roof, an openwork brick bell tower and an underground baptistery.
Once you reach Piriápolis
Museo ferroviario de Piriápolis
Near the Rambla de los Argentinos in Piriápolis, the Museo Ferroviario de Piriápolis is a railway museum on Armenia Street, across from the Argentino Hotel.
Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station
Near Piriápolis in Maldonado, this breeding station for native wildlife on Cerro Pan de Azúcar is surrounded by native vegetation and offers guided visits, including a native wildlife trail and a path up the hill.
More drives to Piriápolis
- Paysandú to Piriápolis
- Tacuarembó to Piriápolis
- Salto to Piriápolis
- Rivera to Piriápolis
- Artigas to Piriápolis
- Bella Unión to Piriápolis
More drives from Santana do Livramento
- Santana do Livramento to Chuí
- Santana do Livramento to Paysandú, Uruguay
- Santana do Livramento to Durazno, Uruguay
- Santana do Livramento to Minas, Uruguay
- Santana do Livramento to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
- Santana do Livramento to Rocha, Uruguay
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santana do Livramento to Piriápolis, Uruguay?
About 7 h 27 min of driving without stops, over 357 miles.
How far is Piriápolis, Uruguay from Santana do Livramento by car?
About 357 miles (574 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.
Where does the Santana do Livramento to Piriápolis drive cross the border?
At about mile 1, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Santana do Livramento into Uruguay?
No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. You can drive on your U.S. license. (U.S. State Department, updated August 13, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Santana do Livramento to Piriápolis drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Santana do Livramento and Piriápolis?
Closest to the road: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (zoo, mile 68, 0.2 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 199, 0.4 mi from the route); Piedra Alta (historic site, mile 254, 0.4 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.