Santos to Teresópolis is about 340 road miles (547 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Distance by road | 340 mi (547 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 7 h 17 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-150 → SP-021 → SP-070 → SP-060 → BR-116 → BR-493 |
| States on the route | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Santos–Teresópolis drive in a few lines
SP-060 (103 mi) and BR-116 (83 mi) carry about 55% of the 340 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.
Road-by-road breakdown: Santos to Teresópolis
| 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-116 | 301–336 | 35 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 336–340 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 191 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
What to see on the way from Santos to Teresópolis
- 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 305), Serra dos Órgãos National Park (mile 331)
- Museums and history: Calçada do Lorena (mile 12), Museu Mazzaropi (mile 124), Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (mile 147), Valongo Wharf (mile 302)
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.
Museu Mazzaropi
On the grounds of Amácio Mazzaropi's former studio in Taubaté, a museum honors the comedian and filmmaker with photos, furniture, props and equipment his PAM Filmes used from 1950 to 1980.
Our Lady of Aparecida Museum
Archaeological pieces and sacred objects from the region fill the Our Lady of Aparecida Museum, within the Aparecida basilica complex. The museum opened in 1956.
Itatiaia National Park
Created in 1937, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia holds the distinction of being Brazil's first national park. It sits on the border of two states, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais.
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.
Serra dos Órgãos National Park
Serra dos Órgãos National Park protects the Serra dos Órgãos range between Petrópolis and Teresópolis, where a roughly 28 km traverse climbs past the Castelos do Açu to Pedra do Sino at 2,263 meters.
When you get to Teresópolis
Castelo Montebello
Castelo Montebello (Castelo Montebello Medieval) stands in the city of Teresópolis, in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.
Casa da Memória Arthur Dalmasso
Teresópolis keeps its local history at the Casa da Memória Arthur Dalmasso, a museum in a 1920s mansion built by mayor José Lino de Oliveira Leite and once named Villa Cecília after his wife.
Mirante da Granja Guarani
Built by Arnaldo Guinle in 1929, this Teresópolis lookout faces the Verruga do Frade peak and is decorated with tiles by Portuguese ceramist Jorge Colaço, painted in Lisbon.
More drives to Teresópolis
- Rio de Janeiro to Teresópolis
- Taubaté to Teresópolis
- São José dos Campos to Teresópolis
- Jacareí to Teresópolis
- Mogi das Cruzes to Teresópolis
- São Paulo to Teresópolis
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 is the drive from Santos to Teresópolis?
About 7 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 340 miles.
How far is Teresópolis from Santos by car?
About 340 miles (547 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 Teresópolis?
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 Teresópolis?
In order: SP-150, SP-021, SP-070, SP-060, BR-116 and BR-493. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Santos and Teresópolis?
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.