What are the most spectacular roads in Spain?

Tucked away on the Iberian Peninsula, in the southwestern part of Europe, the roads of Spain offer the best way to discover the country’s diverse topography. It features mountain roads, even the highest paved road in Europe, as well as stunning coastal drives on the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands.

The country is home to Pico del Veleta, the highest paved road in the European continent. Ending at 3,369m (11,053ft) above sea level, it's one of the highest roads in Europe. At an altitude of around 3,000m, road conditions become significantly worse. For those seeking mountain roads, Alto de l’Angliru is the ultimate cycling ascent in Asturias. Climbing up to 1.558m (5,111ft) above sea level, it’s one of the hardest and most epic climbs you can ride on two wheels.

If you’re up for a drive on scenic roads, Mallorca hosts two stunning drives: the sensational road to Formentor Lighthouse and Sa Calobra, the Snake Road. Located on the island of Mallorca, Sa Calobra Road is one of the most scenic drives in the world. Imagine dropping a long piece of wet spaghetti on the floor. The pattern it makes looks something like what the road looks. If you really want a challenge, try tackling it by bike. On the Canary Islands, GC-200 is an exhilarating road with 365 curves and spectacular views. The road has it all, from hairpin bends to sheer cliff-edge drops. It's one of the best roads on the Canary Islands.

So, rev up your engines and let Spain's spectacular routes guide you through a journey of soulful discoveries and unforgettable vistas. You will discover many treasures created by skilled workers employed by construction firms with tradition in Spain. 

Puerto de Ventana is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.587m (5,206ft) above the sea level, located in the Cordillera Cantábrica, a mountain range in northern Spain.

La Trapa is an ancient monastery located on the south-west coast of Mallorca in the Balearic Islands of Spain. If you're afraid of heights, it's probably best to keep your eyes forward.

Alto de la Cruz de la Demanda is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.855m (6,085ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Castile and León and La Rioja regions, in northwestern Spain.

Pista de Chía is the name of a very challenging high mountain road located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. The journey offers stunning views.

Puerto El Madroño is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.063m (3,487ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Málaga, part of the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain.

Reaching an elevation of 1,911m (6,269ft) above sea level, Cerro Gatón is one of the most prominent peaks in the Sierra de la Demanda, located in the autonomous community of La Rioja, Spain. The road to the summit is a demanding mountain track that offers a wild, high-altitude experience, far removed from the paved regional networks.

Pico de Cabañas is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2,028m (6,653ft) above sea level, located in the province of Jaén, Andalusia. Situated within the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park, the summit is one of the highest driveable points in the region. Logistically, the access is via a long, unpaved forest track that serves the fire lookout tower at the peak, requiring specific vehicle clearance and traction management.

Puerto de la Morcuera is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.796m (5,892ft) above the sea level, located in the northern area of the autonomous Community of Madrid, in central Spain.

Pedró dels Quatre Batlles is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.387m (7,831ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Lleida and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain. It's one of the highest roads of the country.

Laguna Seca is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 2.283m (7,490ft) above the sea level located in Almería province, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in Southern Spain. 

Puerto de Los Cotos is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.830m (6,003ft) above the sea level, located in the mountain range of Guadarrama, on the border of Castile Leon and Madrid, Spain.

Puerto de Cotefablo is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.423m (4,668ft) above the sea level, located in northeastern Spain in the province of Huesca, near the Pyrenees and the border with France

Coll del Cintó is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,889m (6,197ft) above sea level, located in the Lleida province of Catalonia, Spain. Situated within the central Pyrenees range, the road through the pass is a 20.2 km unpaved corridor that links the villages of Bescaran and Arcavell. Logistically, this route serves as a high-altitude connection near the border with Andorra, requiring specialized 4WD vehicles to navigate the 27 hairpin turns and the loose rocky surface characteristic of the Pyrenean axis.

Located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, in northern Spain, Congosto de Obarra is a narrow canyon formed by the Isabena River. It’s one of the most scenic canyon roads of Spain.

Collado de las Sabinas is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.136m (7,007ft) above the sea level, located in Sierra Nevada mountain range, in the province of Granada, Spain.

Sil Canyon Road is a loop drive located in the Province of Ourense, in the heart of the region of Galicia in northern Spain. The road runs along the Sil River and Santo Estevo dam.

Ruta Jubierre is a very scenic offroad experience in the Monegros comarca province of Huesca, Aragon, in northeastern Spain.

Alto de la Cruz is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.475m (4,839ft) above sea level, located in the province of León, in Spain.

Collada de Conflent (also known as Coll de Conglens) is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,177m (7,142ft) above sea level, located in the central Pyrenees, in Catalonia, Spain. This pass is a key point on the legendary Ruta dels Contrabandistes (Smugglers' Route), a track that historically allowed locals to travel between Os de Civís and the rest of the Alt Urgell region without entering Andorran territory.

Puerto del Connio is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.315m (4,314ft) above the sea level, located in Fuentes del Narcea, in the Principality of Asturias, in northern Spain.

The Observatorio Astronómico del Teide is not just a world-class scientific site; it is one of the most spectacular driving destinations in Spain. Perched at an elevation of 2,397m (7,864ft) above sea level on the island of Tenerife, it is one of the highest roads in the country, offering drivers the sensation of traveling through a lunar landscape far above the Atlantic clouds.

Rasos de Peguera is a ski resort at an elevation of 1.897m (6,223ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Barcelona, in Spain. The road is not easy, though. Up, down, right, left all the time.

Located in the county of Ribagorza, in the province of Huesca, Aragon, in northern Spain, Congosto de Ventamillo is a limestone canyon. It’s one of the most scenic canyon roads of Spain.

Located in the province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain, Road DP-2205 (nicknamed ‘The Cliff Road’) is a very scenic drive. Not recommended if you have passengers that don't like heights.

Estany de la Coma d'Amitges is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 2.382m (7,814ft) above the sea level, located in the Pyrenees, in Catalonia, Spain. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Pico Gallinero is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2,613m (8,572ft) above sea level, located in the province of Huesca, Spain. It features one of the highest roads in the country.

Located in the eastern section of the Sierra Nevada National Park, in the province of Almería, the ascent to La Polarda is one of the highest and most isolated unpaved transits in Southern Spain. Reaching an elevation of 2,143m (7,030ft) above sea level, the track follows the high ridges of the mountain range, offering a raw driving experience where the desert-like heat of Almería meets the thin, freezing air of the summits. It is a route for those looking to test their vehicle's endurance on a long, sustained climb far from any paved civilization.

Cerro El Buitre is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.466m (8,090ft) above the sea level located in Almería province, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in Southern Spain. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Alto de la Marta is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.105m (3,625ft) above the sea level, located in northwestern Asturias, Spain. The steep road includes 15% and 18% sections.

Puerto de Malagosto is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.931m (6,335ft) above the sea level, located in the Sierra de Guadarrama (mountain range of the Central System), on the edge of the Spanish provinces of Madrid and Segovia, in the central part of the country.

Puerto de Montenegro, also known as Puerto de las Viniegras, is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.582m (5,190ft) above the sea level, located in the midst of the Iberian System mountains, on the border between the provinces of La Rioja and Soria, in Spain.

Puerto de Piqueras is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.710m (5,610ft) above the sea level, located in the La Rioja region of northern Spain.

Alto de La Camperona is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.597m (5,239ft) above the sea level located in the province of León, Castile and León, in north-western Spain.

Estanys de la Pera is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 2.363m (7,752ft) above sea level located in Catalonia, in northern Spain. It’s one of the highest roads in the country.

Alto del Morredero is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.762m (5,780ft) above sea level, located in the province of León, in Spain.

Reaching a staggering elevation of 2,350m (7,709ft) above sea level, Cerro Almirez is a prominent high mountain peak located in the province of Almería, Andalusia. Situated within the protected boundaries of the Sierra Nevada National Park, it represents one of the highest roads in the country, offering a raw, high-altitude experience in the easternmost part of the range.

Ardibide is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1,457m (4,780ft) above sea level, located in the autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain. The ascent to the summit is characterized by a brutal incline that ranks among the steepest paved tracks in the Pyrenees, providing access to critical telecommunications infrastructure.

Coll de Josa is high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.633m (5,357ft) above the sea level, located in the northwest of the comarca of Berguedà in Catalonia, Spain.

Sobrón Canyon road is a very scenic drive running through an incredible landscape, on the boundary between the Basque Country and the province of Burgos, an autonomous community of Castile and León, in northwestern Spain. It’s one of the most scenic canyon roads of Spain.

Peña del Altar is a high-altitude mountain refuge located at 1,791m (5,875ft) above sea level in the Jaén province of Andalusia, Spain. Situated within the Sierra de la Pandera mountain range, the route to the refuge offers some of the most dramatic views in the south-central part of the country.

Alto de Capileira is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.436m (4,711ft) above the sea level, located in the southern side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range known as the Alpujarras, in the province of Granada, in Spain.

Cabeza de Manzaneda is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.751m (5,744ft) above the sea level, located in eastern province of Ourense in the Galicia region of north-west Spain.

Collado Venta Luisa is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.970m (6,463ft) above the sea level, located in Almería province, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain.

Cap de Baqueira is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.467m (8,093ft) above the sea level, located in the Val d'Aran, a valley in the Pyrenees mountains in the northwestern part of the province of Lleida, in Catalonia, northern Spain. It's one of the highest roads of the country. 

Carretera Chera-Sot de Chera (CV-395) is a mountainous road located in the comarca of Requena-Utiel in the Valencian Community, Spain.

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