The Wayro route from Serra to Penedo is 438 miles (705 km), about 10 h 35 min of driving without 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Distance by road | 438 mi (705 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 35 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → CA-M-197 → RJ-238 → RJ-180 → BR-040 → BR-116 |
| States on the route | Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
Driving Serra to Penedo: the shape of the trip
BR-101 (165 mi) and RJ-180 (152 mi) carry about 72% of the 438 miles. It runs through 2 states: Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Serra to Penedo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 4–159 | 155 | Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 159–160 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 160–165 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| CA-M-197 | 165–168 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-238 | 168–172 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-180 | 172–324 | 152 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 324–334 | 10 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 334–342 | 8 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 342–344 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 344–434 | 90 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 434–438 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 122 of this route: Espírito Santo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
What to see on the way from Serra to Penedo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 352)
- Nature and outdoors: Frade e a Freira Natural Monument (mile 85), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 107)
- Museums and history: Museu Histórico da Ilha das Caieiras (mile 13), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 107), Palácio do Ingá (mile 326), Museu da Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (mile 333), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 352)
Museu Histórico da Ilha das Caieiras
On Ilha das Caieiras in Vitória, Espírito Santo, this history museum is named for Manoel Passos Lyrio; an expansion begun in 2022 adds a section devoted to local fishermen.
Frade e a Freira Natural Monument
Created by state decree in 2007, the Frade e a Freira Natural Monument is a state-run protected area in Espírito Santo spanning parts of Itapemirim, Cachoeiro de Itapemirim and Vargem Alta.
Serra das Torres Natural Monument
Covering about 10,459 hectares of Atlantic Forest in Atílio Vivácqua, Mimoso do Sul and Muqui, the Serra das Torres Natural Monument was created in 2010 to protect the peaks of a mountain range in southern Espírito Santo.
Palácio do Ingá
In Niterói's Ingá neighborhood, the Palácio do Ingá (Palácio Nilo Peçanha) houses the Museu de História e Arte do Rio de Janeiro.
Theatro Municipal
Built in the early 20th century, the Theatro Municipal is an opera house in Rio de Janeiro's Centro district, regarded as one of Brazil's notable theaters.
Museu da Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
Museu da Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro is a themed museum that preserves and presents the history of Rio de Janeiro's state military police.
Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga
Also known as Nova Iguaçu Cathedral, the Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga stands on Avenida Marechal Floriano Peixoto and is the mother church of the Diocese of Nova Iguaçu.
Arriving in Penedo
Rio Pombo Nature Park
Formerly the Serrinha do Alambari Municipal Park, Rio Pombo Nature Park is a municipal nature park in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Itatiaia National Park
Straddling the line between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states, Itatiaia National Park dates to 1937, when it became the first national park Brazil ever created.
More drives to Penedo
- Pindamonhangaba to Penedo
- Taubaté to Penedo
- São José dos Campos to Penedo
- Jacareí to Penedo
- Mogi das Cruzes to Penedo
- Caraguatatuba to Penedo
From Serra to other places in Brazil
- Serra to Guarapari
- Serra to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim
- Serra to Campos dos Goytacazes
- Serra to Governador Valadares
- Serra to Rio das Ostras
- Serra to Ipatinga
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Serra to Penedo?
About 10 h 35 min of driving without stops, over 438 miles.
What is the driving distance from Serra to Penedo?
About 438 miles (705 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 Serra to Penedo drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Serra to Penedo?
In order: BR-101, CA-M-197, RJ-238, RJ-180, BR-040 and BR-116. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Serra and Penedo?
Closest to the road: Frade e a Freira Natural Monument (protected area, mile 85, 1 mi from the route); Palácio do Ingá (museum, mile 326, 2 mi from the route); Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (cathedral, mile 352, 1 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.