The Wayro route from Vila Velha to Penedo is 424 miles (683 km), about 10 h 10 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Total distance | 424 mi (683 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 10 min |
| Main roads, in order | ES-060 → 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 17.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the Vila Velha to Penedo drive plays out
RJ-180 (153 mi) and BR-101 (124 mi) carry about 65% of the 424 miles. It runs through 2 states: Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Vila Velha and Penedo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-060 | 4–29 | 25 | Espírito Santo |
| connecting roads | 29–30 | 1 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 30–145 | 115 | Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 145–146 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 146–152 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| CA-M-197 | 152–155 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-238 | 155–158 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-180 | 158–311 | 153 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 311–320 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 320–329 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 329–331 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 331–421 | 90 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 421–424 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 109 of this route: Espírito Santo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Places worth a stop between Vila Velha and Penedo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Paulo César Vinha State Park (mile 20), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 339)
- Nature and outdoors: Paulo César Vinha State Park (mile 20), Itabira Natural Monument (mile 76), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 94), Tijuca National Park (mile 321)
- Museums and history: Itabira Natural Monument (mile 76), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 94), Old Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro (mile 316), Museu da Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (mile 320), Museum Dom João VI (mile 324), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 339)
Paulo César Vinha State Park
Along the Atlantic shore in Guarapari, Paulo César Vinha State Park protects dunes, lagoons and marshes. Its trails lead to the beach and to Lagoa de Caraís.
Itabira Natural Monument
Itabira Natural Monument is a protected area in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, listed in the natural monument category.
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.
Old Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro
Dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Rio's Old Cathedral is a Carmelite church that served as cathedral from around 1808 to 1976 and as Royal and then Imperial Chapel.
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.
Tijuca National Park
Covering mountains inside the city of Rio de Janeiro, Tijuca National Park is an urban national park within the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve, managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.
Museum Dom João VI
Museu Dom João VI is an art and history museum linked to the School of Fine Arts at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, on Ilha do Fundão.
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.
In Penedo itself
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
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.
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 Vila Velha to other places in Brazil
- Vila Velha to Governador Valadares
- Vila Velha to Ipatinga
- Vila Velha to Itabira
- Vila Velha to Conselheiro Lafaiete
- Vila Velha to Itaguaí
- Vila Velha to Divinópolis
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Vila Velha to Penedo?
About 10 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 424 miles.
What is the driving distance from Vila Velha to Penedo?
About 424 miles (683 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 Vila Velha 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 Vila Velha to Penedo?
In order: ES-060, 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.
Where can you stop on the way from Vila Velha to Penedo?
Closest to the road: Paulo César Vinha State Park (state park, mile 20, 0.6 mi from the route); Museum Dom João VI (museum, mile 324, 1 mi from the route); Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (cathedral, mile 339, 0.9 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.