Aparecida, which many people still call Aparecida do Norte, is in the Paraíba Valley, in the interior of São Paulo state, between the state capital and Rio de Janeiro. It is 1,313 kilometres from Porto Alegre. Brazil's most popular pilgrimage is also one of the excursions most requested on our WhatsApp, and this page answers what people ask: how long it takes, what you see and when it departs.
How long is the road trip to Aparecida from Porto Alegre?
The route leaves Porto Alegre on the BR-290, follows the Santa Catarina coast on the BR-101, climbs to Curitiba on the BR-376 and from there takes the BR-116, which is the Régis Bittencourt as far as São Paulo and becomes the Via Dutra to Aparecida. It is one full night on the road, with stops for meals. The group sleeps on the coach on the way out and on the way back, which is why the seat makes a difference: see leito (sleeper), semi-leito (semi-sleeper) or executivo (executive) coaches.
What is there to see in Aparecida do Norte?
- Santuário Nacional (National Shrine). The largest church dedicated to Mary in the world, with room for tens of thousands of people, consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1980 and declared a National Shrine by the CNBB in 1983. It is where the image of Nossa Senhora Aparecida is kept. Mass with the group is the centre of the trip.
- Basílica Velha (Old Basilica). The mother church, dating from 1745, in Baroque style, where the image was kept before the new shrine.
- Passarela da Fé. It links the shrine to the Basílica Velha, is 390 metres long and has been there since 1971. Many pilgrims cross it on their knees.
- Morro do Cruzeiro. Visitors go up by cable car, in operation since 2014, to see the city and the shrine from above.
- Porto Itaguaçu. On the banks of the Paraíba river, where the three fishermen found the image in 1717. It has the Igreja de São Geraldo, from 1926, and the Parque Três Pescadores.
Where is Guaratinguetá, Frei Galvão's home town?
Guaratinguetá is 9 kilometres from Aparecida. It is where Frei Galvão was born, canonised by Pope Benedict XVI on 11 May 2007 and the first saint born in Brazil. The Santuário Frei Galvão is at Avenida José Pereira da Cruz, 53, in Jardim do Vale. The Casa de Frei Galvão, where he was born, is at Rua Frei Lucas, 23, in the Centro, and houses the relics room. Both visits fit into a morning and are part of our excursion, which is why it is called Aparecida e Frei Galvão.
How many days does the excursion to Aparecida from Porto Alegre last?
The Mundo a Passeio excursion to Aparecida lasts five days: the 2026 departures left Porto Alegre on 16 January and 13 June, returning on 20 January and 17 June. That means one night on the road on the way out, two full days between Aparecida and Guaratinguetá, with a hotel in the city, and the night on the road on the way back. What the two groups said is in how the two 2026 caravans went, and the reason so many people come back is in why visit Aparecida and Frei Galvão's home town.
When is the next one
The next departure is scheduled for June 2027 and the exact date will be added to Aparecida e Frei Galvão departing from Porto Alegre once it is set. All trips with dates are listed in all trips, and bookings are made with Ana Carla on WhatsApp, via contact us.
