Roads of Spain

Spain, with its rich tapestry of history, culture, and landscapes, is not just a country to be visited; it's a country to be experienced on the open road. From the buzzing plazas of Madrid to the serene villages of Andalusia, every corner of Spain hides a story waiting to be discovered.

Imagine steering through Sa Calobra Road in Mallorca, often likened to a wet strand of spaghetti dropped on the floor. With its twists, turns, and unparalleled views, it’s a marvel of engineering set amidst nature's grandeur. Then there's the ascent to Pico del Veleta, a journey that doesn’t just climb mountains but touches the sky, making it Europe’s highest paved road.

Drive further and let the road to Formentor Lighthouse in Mallorca mesmerize you with its coastal charms. Each turn is a portrait of the sea meeting the land in a passionate embrace. Meanwhile, the adrenaline junkies might find their calling in Alto de l’Angliru, nestled in Asturias. This challenging ascent has been the playground for many cycling legends, testing their mettle against its grueling gradient.

For a more rhythmic experience, embark on GC-200 Road, a symphony of 365 curves, each echoing a day of the year. As you navigate this sinuous stretch, it offers panoramas that seem painted by the gods themselves.

As you cruise these Spanish roads, each kilometer unravels a tale, a flavor, or a melody of this vibrant land. So, rev up your engines and let Spain's spectacular routes guide you through a journey of soulful discoveries and unforgettable vistas.

Located on the central part of the island of Gran Canaria in the province of Las Palmas on Canary Islands, Spain, the challenging GC-210 road is a steep and hair-raising journey. It’s said to be the loneliest road on the island. It's one of the best roads on the Canary Islands.

Puerto de Escúllar is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.036m (6,679ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain.

Antonio Parietti Coll was a Spanish road engineer of the 20th century. His most famous configurations are located on the Spanish Mediterranean island of Mallorca through the eastern Serra de Tramuntana: the serpentine road to Cala de Sa Calobra (1932) and the road to Cap Formentor.

Turó de l'Home is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.697m (5,567ft) located in the province of Barcelona, in the center of the autonomous community of Catalonia, in Spain. It was the site of a Transair Douglas Dakota accident in 1959, with 32 fatalities. The climb is really wild, with sections up to 15%.

Cuitu Negru is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.848m (6,062ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary of Asturias and Castile and Leon, in Spain. The wild, remote and steep road to the summit was paved in 2012 to be a final stage of Vuelta a España race.

TF-436 a short zig-zag road located in the island of Tenerife, on Canary Islands, Spain. It’s one of the most spectacular drives of Europe. It's one of the best roads on the Canary Islands.

Carretera MA-1131 is one of the most exciting drives in the world. Located on the island of Mallorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands, this tortuous route runs from the Tramuntana Sierra to the Mediterranean Sea. It’s a very narrow high shelf road intimidating to beginners, or those not fond of heights. Some buses have to try twice to make some of the turns. It’s one of the best roads in Mallorca.

Alto de San Miguel de Aralar is a mountain peak at an elevation of 1.233m (4,045ft) above the sea level, located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, in Spain.

Bola del Mundo (the ball of the world) is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.265m (7,431ft) above the sea level, located on the edge of the Spanish provinces of Madrid and Segovia. It's one of the highest roads of Spain.

Puerto de Pajares is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.381m (4,530ft) above sea level, located on the boundary of León province (Castile and León) and the Principality of Asturias, in Spain. For many years it was the main route in and out of Asturias.

Port d’Aulà is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.265m (7,431ft) above the sea level, located on the border of France and Spain.

Col du Pourtalet is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.798m (5,898ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Spain and France. The pass offers the most beautiful views of Ossau Valley.

ALP-822 is a very scenic yet defiant road located in the eastern part of the province of Almería, in Andalusia, Spain. This is not your road if you have passengers that don't like heights. It's spectacular or terrifying, depending on how you handle heights.

Tucked away on northern Spain, the scenic N634 Road is said to be one of the world's best coastal drives, running along the Cantabrian Sea. It was rewarded as one of the world's best roads of 2015. 

Port de la Bonaigua is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.080m (6,824ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Lleida, in the western part of the autonomous community of Catalonia, in Spain.

Puerto del Pontón is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.298m (4,258ft) located in the Province of León, in the northwestern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León, in Spain.

Puerto de San Glorio is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.604m (5,262ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary of Cantabria and Castile and Leon, in Spain.

Nestled in the Province of Lleida, in Catalonia's north-western corner, Spain, the Vielha tunnel stands at an impressive elevation of 1,635m (5,364ft) above the sea level.

Puerto de las Señales is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.629m (5,344ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Leon, in the northwestern part of the autonomous community of Castile and Leon of Spain.

Puerto de Somport-Col du Somport is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.637m (5,370ft) above the sea level, on the border of France and Spain.

Puerto de la Ragua is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.046m (6,712ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary of Granada and Almería provinces, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in Spain.

Alto de Xorret de Catí is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.097m (3,599ft) above the sea level, located in the comarca of L'Alcoià, in the province of Alicante, in the Valencia region of Spain.

Mallorca isn't necessrily a dangerous driving experience compared to many other places, but it still poses its challenges. Additionally, whilst it’s a relatively small island, it has a near infinite amount of ways to navigate. There’s a lot to see and with limited time, you want to choose your transport wisely.

Laguna Negra de Urbión (Black Lagoon of Urbión) is a glacial lake situated at an elevation of 1,731m (5,679ft) above the sea level. It's located in the northern part of the province of Soria, within the autonomous community of Castile and León, in Spain. Many believe that the lagoon is haunted.

Desfiladero de La Hermida is a gorge spanning the Cantabria and Asturias autonomous regions on Spain’s north coast. It’s one of the most scenic canyon roads of Spain.

Located in the Province of Las Palmas, on the south of Gran Canaria island, in Spain, the picturesque GC-500 is a cliffside road with stunning coastal scenery.

Nestled in the southwestern corner of Europe, Spain's diverse terrain is etched with more than 1,800 rivers. Though many lie dormant for significant parts of the year, they've played their part in sculpting some of the country's most awe-inspiring canyons and gorges. These natural wonders are complemented by the roads that snake through them, offering travelers a ride like no other.

FV-30 is one of the most spectacular drives in the world. Located on the island of Fuerteventura, in Spain’s Canary Islands, the road will either delight or terrify

Picón Blanco is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.512m (4,960ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León of Spain.

Roque de los Muchachos is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.423m (7,949ft) above the sea level, located on the island of La Palma on the Canary Islands in Spain. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Collado de Errozate-Col d'Errozate is an international mountain pass at an elevation of 1.076m (3,530ft) above the sea level, located on the Spanish-French border.

Pico Agujas is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2,101m (6,893ft) above sea level, located in the province of León, in the northwestern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León, in Spain. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Located in Tenerife, on the Canary Islands of Spain, Calle Monroy is one of the steepest streets in the world with an average gradient of 28.1%.

Collada de Toses is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.800m (5,905 ft) above sea level, located in the province of Girona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia, in Spain.

Desfiladero de los Beyos is an amazing gorge located between the provinces of León in Castile and León and Asturias, in Spain. It’s one of the most scenic canyon roads in Spain.

Collado de Llesba is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,682m (5,518ft) above sea level, located in the west of the province of Cantabria, near Castile and León, in Spain.

Puerto de Izaña is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,263m (7,424ft) above sea level, located in Tenerife on the Canary Islands of Spain. It's one of the highest roads of the country.

Peña Escrita is a mountain peak at an elevation of 1,175m (3,854ft) above sea level, located in the province of Granada in the eastern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. The climb is simply terrible, featuring gradients going up to 27%.

Los Machucos is a mountain pass at an elevation of 880m (2,887ft) above the sea level, located in the Autonomous Community of Cantabria, in Spain. It’s one of the steepest roads that a Spanish bike race has ever tackled, where you ride directly uphill over a huge rock. The climb is brutal, with gradients reaching up to 31%.

Túnel de la Engaña is a never-completed railway tunnel with a length of 6.9km (4.28 miles), located in the northern part of Spain. The tunnel was intended to connect the provinces of Burgos and Santander. After the collapse of some parts of the structure in 1999 and 2005, access to the tunnel is extremely dangerous

Boi-Taüll is a ski resort at an elevation of 2.055m (6,742ft) above the sea level, located in the heart of the Pyrenees, in the province of Lleida and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain.

Tunel Bielsa-Aragnouet is an international high mountain tunnel at an elevation of 1,820m (5,971ft) above sea level, located on the border of Spain and France.

Base del Teide is a high mountain cable car base station at an elevation of 2.356m (7,729ft) above the sea level, located in Tenerife in the Canary Islands. It's one of the highest roads of the country.

Located in the Mediterranean coast in the province of Granada, in Andalusia, southern Spain, the A-4050 is one of the most scenic drives in the southern part of the country. Drive with care as this is a mountain road with hairpin curves. This is the old road from the coast to Granada city, locally named Carretera de la Cabra or The Goat's Path.

Peña Cabarga is a mountain pass at an elevation of 560m (1,837ft) above the sea level located in the Cantabria region on Spain’s north coast. It’s said to be one of the Spain's toughest cycling climbs.