By road, São Vicente and Petrópolis are about 322 miles (519 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 35 min of driving.
- 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Distance by road | 322 mi (519 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 35 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 12.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the São Vicente to Petrópolis drive plays out
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, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from São Vicente to Petrópolis
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-160 | 1–25 | 24 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 25–27 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-021 | 27–59 | 32 | 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 | 222–271 | 49 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 271–272 | 1 | 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)
Stops between São Vicente and Petrópolis
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (mile 151), Itatiaia National Park (mile 201)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Mar State Park (mile 15), Parque Natural Estoril (mile 32), Itatiaia National Park (mile 201), Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 309)
- Museums and history: Calçada do Lorena (mile 7), Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley (mile 86), Museu Mazzaropi (mile 124), Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (mile 151), 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.
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.
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 Mazzaropi
On the grounds of comedian and filmmaker Amácio Mazzaropi's former studio in Taubaté, this museum displays more than 20,000 items, including photos, furniture, props and equipment his PAM Filmes used from 1950 to 1980.
Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves
In 1956, São Paulo state created a set of museums for presidents born in the state, among them this one in Guaratinguetá dedicated to Rodrigues Alves, Brazil's president from 1902 to 1906.
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.
Once you reach Petrópolis
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.
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.
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
- Santos to Petrópolis
- Praia Grande to Petrópolis
From São Vicente to other places in Brazil
- São Vicente to Paranapiacaba
- São Vicente to Bragança Paulista
- São Vicente to Itu
- São Vicente to Limeira
- São Vicente to Mogi Guaçu
- São Vicente to Botucatu
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from São Vicente to Petrópolis?
About 6 h 35 min of driving without stops, over 322 miles.
What is the driving distance from São Vicente to Petrópolis?
About 322 miles (519 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 São Vicente 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 São Vicente to Petrópolis?
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.
What are good stops between São Vicente and Petrópolis?
Closest to the road: Parque Natural Estoril (park, mile 32, 1 mi from the route); Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (museum, mile 151, 0.4 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 201, 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.