Plan on about 6 h 44 min of driving for the 322-mile (518 km) trip from Santos to Petrópolis, 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Distance by road | 322 mi (518 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 44 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-150 → 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 12.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Santos–Petrópolis drive in a few lines
SP-060 (103 mi) and SP-070 (56 mi) carry about 49% of the 322 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.
The route from Santos to Petrópolis, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | São Paulo |
| SP-150 | 4–27 | 23 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 27–30 | 3 | São Paulo |
| SP-021 | 30–59 | 29 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 59–60 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-070 | 60–116 | 56 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 116–119 | 3 | São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 119–222 | 103 | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 222–270 | 48 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 270–272 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 272–301 | 29 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 301–318 | 17 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 318–322 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 191 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Santos and Petrópolis
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Natural Estoril (mile 26), Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (mile 147), Itatiaia National Park (mile 201)
- Nature and outdoors: Ecological Park of Perequê (mile 12), Parque Natural Estoril (mile 26), Itatiaia National Park (mile 201), Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 309)
- Museums and history: Calçada do Lorena (mile 12), Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley (mile 86), Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani" (mile 119), Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (mile 147), Valongo Wharf (mile 301)
Calçada do Lorena
Calçada do Lorena, in the Serra do Mar of São Paulo state, was the first paved road linking São Paulo to Santos, built on the orders of governor Bernardo José Maria de Lorena.
Ecological Park of Perequê
Named for the Perequê River that runs through it, the Ecological Park of Perequê (Parque Ecológico do Perequê) is a natural area in the municipality of Cubatão.
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.
Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley
An 1857 mansion in Jacareí is home to the Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley, where collections range from paintings and religious and popular art to archaeological pottery and stone tools.
Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani"
Between 1897 and 1903, a family from Cremona built the brick Casa Indiani in Quiririm. Today the house in this Taubaté district holds the Italian Immigration Museum.
Our Lady of Aparecida Museum
Within the Aparecida basilica complex, the Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (Museu Nossa Senhora Aparecida) gathers objects from the region, including archaeological pieces and sacred items. It opened in 1956.
Itatiaia National Park
Brazil's national park system started here: Itatiaia National Park (Parque Nacional do Itatiaia) was created in 1937 as the country's first. The protected area lies on the border between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states.
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
Casa Stefan Zweig
Founded in 2006, Casa Stefan Zweig is a writer's house museum in Petrópolis, set in the home where Stefan Zweig lived with his wife.
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.
Cathedral of Petrópolis
Dedicated to the city's patron, Saint Peter of Alcantara, the Cathedral of Petrópolis is the final resting place of Dom Pedro II, Brazil's last emperor, and his family.
More drives to Petrópolis
- São José dos Campos to Petrópolis
- Mogi das Cruzes to Petrópolis
- São Paulo to Petrópolis
- Jundiaí to Petrópolis
- São Vicente to Petrópolis
- Praia Grande to Petrópolis
From Santos to other places in Brazil
- Santos to Itanhaém
- Santos to Bragança Paulista
- Santos to Itu
- Santos to Limeira
- Santos to Mogi Guaçu
- Santos to Botucatu
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Santos to Petrópolis?
About 6 h 44 min of driving without stops, over 322 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santos to Petrópolis?
About 322 miles (518 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 Santos to Petrópolis?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Santos to Petrópolis?
In order: SP-150, 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 Santos to Petrópolis?
Closest to the road: Parque Natural Estoril (park, mile 26, 0.9 mi from the route); Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (museum, mile 147, 0.4 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 201, 0.3 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.