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.
The Ultimate Road Trip to Collado Venta Luisa in Almeria
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.
Alto de La Camperona
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.
Puerto de Malagosto
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.
Alto de la Marta
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.
Is the road to Casetón de Ándara Refuge in Picos de Europa difficult?
Refugio Casetón de Ándara is a mountain shelter at an elevation of 1,720 meters (5,643 ft) above sea level in the Macizo Oriental of Picos de Europa, located within Cantabria, Spain. Branching off the CA-1 road, the unpaved track follows an old mining road built to extract zinc and lead from the surrounding limestone peaks.
Puerto de Piqueras
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.
Road AS-260
Located in the Principality of Asturias, an autonomous community in north-west Spain, the AS-260 road is said to be one of the most beautiful drives in the country. Through the drive is a viewpoint called the Mirador del Fito, which offers an incredible view of the ocean, valleys and the Picos de Europa in the distance.
Ibon de Asnos
Ibon de Asnos is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 2.135m (7,004ft) above the sea level, located in the heart of the Pyrenees, in northeastern Spain in the province of Huesca.
A beautiful road through Congosto de Olvena
Congosto de Olvena is the name of a very scenic drive running through an incredible landscape located in Huesca province, in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It’s one of the most scenic canyon roads of Spain.
Driving to Puerto de Valdelinares: The Highest Town in Spain
Puerto de Valdelinares is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,837m (6,026ft) above sea level, located in the province of Teruel, in Spain.
How to drive the brutal 30% concrete climb to Ardibide in Navarre?
Ardibide is a mountain peak at an elevation of 1,457m (4,780ft) above sea level, located near Isaba in the Roncal Valley of Navarre, in Spain. The climb features concrete ramps reaching a maximum gradient of 30%, making it one of the steepest service tracks in the Western Pyrenees.
Road Chera-Sot de Chera
Carretera Chera-Sot de Chera (CV-395) is a mountainous road located in the comarca of Requena-Utiel in the Valencian Community, Spain.
How to drive the 4x4 road to Coll de Laquell in the Pyrenees?
Coll de Laquell is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,162m (7,093ft) above sea level, located in the province of Lleida, Catalonia. Situated in northern Spain, very close to the border with Andorra, this pass is a hidden gem for off-roaders in the Pyrenees.
The real road to Coll de Rates is not for timid drivers
Coll de Rates is a mountain peak at an elevation of 928m (3,044ft) above the sea level, located in the comarca of Marina Alta, a region in the province of Alicante, in the Valencian Community of Spain.
Road to Pico de Turbón: Driving the 12.90% Track in Ribagorza
Located in the Ribagorza county, within the province of Huesca, Pico de Turbón is a mountain peak at an elevation of 2,052m (6,732ft) above sea level. Situated in the Aragonese Pre-Pyrenees, the road is an unpaved mountain track that provides access to the Refugio del Turbón and the upper limestone massifs of the range.
How to drive the unpaved road to Collado de la Cruz de Guardia in Huesca
Collado de la Cruz de Guardia is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.202m (7,224ft) above sea level, located in the province of Huesca, in Spain.
How to drive the unpaved road to Malniu Refuge?
Refugi Malniu is a high mountain hut at an elevation of 2.131m (6,991ft) above sea level, located in the province of Girona, in Spain.
Coll de Josa
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.
Cap de Baqueira
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.
Cabeza de Manzaneda
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.
How to drive the unpaved road to Hoyo Cerrado in the Sierra de Guadarrama
Hoyo Cerrado is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,144m (7,034ft) above sea level, located in the heart of Spain.
The Ultimate Guide to Traveling to Portarró d'Espot in Lleida
Portarró d'Espot is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.430m (7,972ft) above sea level, located in the province of Lleida, in Spain. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.
A scenic road to Faro de Cabo Vilán lighthouse
Cabo Vilán lighthouse is located on the west coast of Galicia, in the Costa da Morte of northwestern Spain. The wind is intense.
Alto de Capileira
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.
Driving the gravel road to Port de Fontalba in the Pyrenees
Port de Fontalba is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,071 meters (6,794 ft) above sea level, located in the Ripollès region of Catalonia, Spain. Situated in the eastern Pyrenees at the foot of Puigmal, the route leading to the summit is the Carretera de Fontalba. It is a long, unpaved single-lane mountain track packed with loose stone switchbacks, open dirt ramps, and severe vertical exposure with zero side protections.
Vilafranca detour road is a famous widow maker
Variant de Vilafranca is a short stretch of the N-340 highway, located near Vilafranca del Penedès, the capital of the comarca of the Alt Penedès in Catalonia, Spain. The road is a famous widow maker: 45 people were killed in road accidents between 2000 and 2015.
How to drive the unpaved road to Coll de la Creu d'Eixol in Lleida
Coll de la Creu d'Eixol is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.233m (7,326ft) above sea level located in the province of Lleida, in Spain.
Take the Scenic Route and Discover Alto de la Tornería
Alto de la Tornería is a mountain pass at an elevation of 469m (1,538ft) above sea level, located in the province and autonomous community of Asturias, in Spain. With dangerous curves, this route offers some amazing scenery in un-spoilt countryside and is well worth doing.
Chanajiga
Chanajiga is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.186m (3,891ft) above the sea level, located on the northern part of the island of Tenerife, which forms part of the Canary Islands, Spain. The climb is simply terrible with sections up to 30%.
Driving the A-4301 to Alto de la Sagra: A bumpy climb in Granada
Located in the northern tip of the province of Granada, the ascent to Alto de la Sagra (popularly known as Puerto de la Losa) is a journey through one of the most rugged and isolated landscapes in Andalusia. Reaching an elevation of 1,764m (5,787ft) above sea level, the road—designated as the A-4301—is a technical nightmare for vehicles with poor suspension. It is a route where the limestone mass of La Sagra dominates a horizon of broken asphalt and high-altitude silence.
Driving the service road to Collado de las Yeguas: 2,859m in Sierra Nevada
Collado de las Yeguas is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,859 meters (9,379 ft) above sea level, located in the Granada province of Andalusia, Spain. Set high in the upper reaches of the Sierra Nevada range, the unpaved route is a service road for the ski resort machinery and chairlift maintenance. It is of the highest mountain roads in Spain.
Driving the ZA-103 Road to Laguna de los Peces in Sanabria
Located in the northeastern corner of the province of Zamora, in northern Spain, Laguna de los Peces (Lake of Fishes) is a stunning glacier lake sitting at an elevation of 1,725m (5,659ft) above sea level. This high-altitude destination in the Montes de León mountain range is a terminal point for drivers seeking some of the most dramatic landscapes within the Sanabria Lake Natural Park.
Puerto de Villarroya
Puerto de Villarroya is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.700m (5,577ft) above the sea level, located in the Maestrazgo comarca, province of Teruel, Aragon, Spain.
What are the 10 most haunted roads of Spain?
The Spanish road network is full of 'cursed' sections of road that drivers prefer not to go through... under pain of suffering a terrifying encounter.
How to drive the paved CV-794 Road to Puerto de Bocairent?
Puerto de Bocairent is a mountain pass at an elevation of 903m (2962ft) above sea level, located in the province of Alicante, in Spain.
How To Drive The Defiant Pista de la Estiva in Bielsa
Pista de la Estiva is the name of a stunning drive through the mountains, in Aragon, an autonomous community of Spain. It’s a great drive with exceptional views.
Los Portillinos is a classic road trip in Castile and Leon
Los Portillinos is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.957m (6,420ft) above sea level, located in the province of León, in Spain.
How To Travel The Dunas de Corralejo Road
Located on the northeast coast of Fuerteventura, one of the Canary Islands of Spain, FV-1A is the name of a stunning road through Dunas de Corralejo, a massive expanse of golden sand dunes near sprawling beaches.
Driving the road to Alto del Naranco: The 634m balcony over Oviedo
Alto del Naranco is a mountain pass at an elevation of 634 meters (2,080 ft) above sea level, located just north of Oviedo, in the Asturias region of northern Spain. Traversed by the fully paved AS-232 road, the route scales the southern slope of the mountain massif to reach the summit monument area.
How to drive the unpaved road to Port de Filià in Lleida
Port de Filià is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.404m (7,887ft) above sea level, located in the province of Lleida, in Spain. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.
Puig de Fontlletera
Puig de Fontlletera is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.401m (7,877ft) above the sea level, located in Girona, Catalonia, in northern Spain. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.
Is the road to Muntanya dels Estanyets in the Pyrenees difficult?
Muntanya dels Estanyets is a high-altitude peak at an elevation of 2,334m (7,657ft) above sea level, located in the Pallars Sobirà region of Catalonia, in Spain. Located on the edge of the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, the track to the summit is one of the highest and steepest drives in the Pyrenees. Originally built as a service road for the Espot Esquí resort chairlifts, it is a brutal unpaved climb that demands total focus and a vehicle prepared for extreme gradients on loose ground.
Faro do Monte Faro
Monte Faro lighthouse is located on the Cíes Islands, an archipelago off the coast of Pontevedra in Galicia (Spain). The track is for 4x4 vehicles only. Closed to private vehicles. The road to the summit includes 10 steep hairpin turns.
How to drive the unpaved track to Sant Alís in the Serra del Montsec?
Sant Alís is the highest peak in the Serra del Montsec d'Ares, sitting at 1,676m (5,499ft) above sea level. This dirt track in Lleida is the only way to reach the summit, a place where everyone goes to fly. It’s not a long route, but the terrain and the local traffic mean you can’t let your guard down for a second.
Tuca Blanca
Tuca Blanca is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.236m (7,335ft) above the sea level, located in the heart of the Pyrenees, in northeastern Spain in the province of Huesca.