Plan on about 11 h 51 min of driving for the 454-mile (731 km) trip from São Mateus to Nova Serrana, 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Distance | 454 mi (731 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 51 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-381 → BR-342 → ES-220 → ES-320 → BR-259 → BR-262 |
| States on the route | Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The São Mateus–Nova Serrana drive in a few lines
BR-381 (311 mi) and BR-262 (69 mi) carry about 84% of the 454 miles. It runs through 2 states: Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
São Mateus to Nova Serrana: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-381 | 1–41 | 40 | Espírito Santo |
| connecting roads | 41–42 | 1 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-342 | 42–60 | 18 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-220 | 60–78 | 18 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-320 | 78–86 | 8 | Espírito Santo |
| connecting roads | 86–90 | 4 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-381 | 90–176 | 86 | Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais |
| BR-259 | 176–184 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 184–247 | 63 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 247–250 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 250–260 | 10 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 260–374 | 114 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 374–382 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 382–385 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 385–393 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 393–454 | 61 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 93 of this route: Espírito Santo → Minas Gerais (state line)
What to see on the way from São Mateus to Nova Serrana
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (mile 255)
- Nature and outdoors: Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (mile 374), Serra do Rola-Moça State Park (mile 385)
- Museums and history: St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral, Governador Valadares (mile 183), Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (mile 255), Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (mile 374), Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha (mile 377), Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho Cultural Center (mile 389), Casa de Cacos (mile 389)
- With kids: Belo Horizonte Aquarium (mile 378)
St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral, Governador Valadares
St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral is the cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Governador Valadares, in the city of the same name in Minas Gerais.
Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano
Inaugurated in 1993, Saint Sebastian Cathedral in Coronel Fabriciano, Minas Gerais, shares the role of seat of the Diocese of Itabira-Fabriciano with Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral in Itabira.
Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
The Federal University of Minas Gerais runs this natural history museum and botanical garden in Belo Horizonte, with an auditorium, a plant nursery, a lagoon, an ecological amphitheater and a sensory garden.
Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer in an organic modern style, the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi is a chapel in the Pampulha area of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.
Belo Horizonte Aquarium
Opened in 2010 in Belo Horizonte's Pampulha area, the Belo Horizonte Aquarium shows more than fifty species collected along the 2,800-km São Francisco River.
Serra do Rola-Moça State Park
On the edge of metropolitan Belo Horizonte, Serra do Rola-Moça State Park protects rugged ridges of the Espinhaço range where cerrado savanna meets Atlantic Forest.
Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho Cultural Center
The Centro Cultural Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho is a public museum set in three historic buildings in Contagem, remnants of the town's original Portuguese Crown tax post.
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 São Mateus to other places in Brazil
- São Mateus to Barra do Piraí
- São Mateus to Itaguaí
- São Mateus to Penedo
- São Mateus to Fumaça
- São Mateus to Lavras
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from São Mateus to Nova Serrana?
About 11 h 51 min of driving without stops, over 454 miles.
How far is Nova Serrana from São Mateus by car?
About 454 miles (731 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 São Mateus to Nova Serrana 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 São Mateus to Nova Serrana use?
In order: BR-381, BR-342, ES-220, ES-320, BR-259 and BR-262. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from São Mateus to Nova Serrana?
Closest to the road: Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (cathedral, mile 255, 0.4 mi from the route); Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha (catholic parish church, mile 377, 2 mi from the route); Vale Verde (distillery, mile 403, 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.