What are the most spectacular canyon roads and gorges in Spain?
Spain’s geography is defined by more than 1,800 rivers that have sculpted some of the deepest chasms in Europe. For the driver, this translates into a network of 44 world-class canyon roads—often narrow, carved directly into limestone walls, and featuring extreme vertical drops. From the legendary Picos de Europa to the hidden gorges of Andalusia, these routes are a technical challenge where precision is the only way to navigate the scale of the landscape.
If this intense level of scenic road-tripping excites you, you'll also appreciate the legendary Balcony Roads of France, featuring equally narrow routes clinging to precarious cliff edges high above river valleys.
| Canyon Name | Location | River | Road | Length | Surface | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Boca del Infierno | Huesca, Aragon | Aragon | Carretera Selva de Oza | 15 km | Paved |
 | Bujaruelo Valley Road | Aragon | Ara | Unnamed | 11.1 km | Concrete-Unpaved |
 | Cañon del Añisclo | Huesca, Aragon | Añisclo | HU-631 | 34.3 km | Paved |
 | Cares Canyon | Asturias | Cares | AS-264 | 6.1 km | Paved |
 | Congost de l'Escala del Pas Nou | Catalonia | Boix | L-913 | 7.4 km | Paved |
 | Congosto De Las Devotas | Aragon | Cinca | A-138 | 35 km | Paved |
 | Congosto de Baldellou | Aragon | Pedriza | A-2218 | 6 km | Paved |
 | Congosto de Olvena | Aragon | Esera | N-123 | 7.6 km | Paved |
 | Congosto de Ventamillo | Aragon | Ésera | N-260 (A-139) | 6.7 km | Paved |
 | Desfiladero de Aliaga | Aragon | Guadalope | A2403 | 12 km | Paved |
 | Desfiladero de La Hermida | Cantabria | Sella | N-621 | 20 km | Paved |
 | Desfiladero de la Inclusa | Huesca | Cinqueta | A-2609 | 12.1 km | Paved (with potholes) |
 | Desfiladero de la Estrechura | Asturias | Páramo | AS-228 | 5.8 km | Paved |
 | Desfiladero de los Beyos | Border of Castile and León and Asturias | Sella | N625 | 16.6 km | Paved |
 | Estrecho de Priego | Castile-La Mancha | Escabas | CM-2023 | 7.6 km | Paved |
 | Estrecho del Hocino | Castile-La Mancha | Salobre | AB-5031 | 3.1 km | Paved |
 | Foces del Rio Somiedo | Asturias | Somiedo | AS-227 | 12.7 km | Paved |
 | Foces Rio Aller | Asturias | Aller | AE-6 | 3.0 km | Paved |
 | Foz de Biniés | Huesca, Aragon | Veral | A-1602 | 21.1 km | Paved |
 | Foz de Viboli | Asturias | Viboli | Unnamed | 3.9 km | Paved (with potholes) |
 | Foz de Zafrané | Aragon | Arroyo de Carcaño | Unnamed | 11 km | Unpaved |
 | Garganta del Cares | León, Castile and León | Cares | (N/A) | 6.2 km | Paved |
 | Garganta del Rio Tajo | Castile-La Mancha | Tajo | Pista Forestal Laguna de Taravilla | 15.3 km | Unpaved |
 | Guatizalema Canyon | Aragon | Guatizalema | HU-330 | 16 km | Paved |
 | Hoces de Bejo | Cantabria | Nansa | CA-281 | 7.9 km | Paved |
 | Hoces de Vegacervera | León, Castile and León | Torío | LE-311 | 7.3 km | Paved |
 | Hoces del río Mesa | Zaragoza, Aragón | Mesa | A-1501 | 7.0 km | Paved |
 | Hoces de Valdeteja | León province, Castile and León | Curueño | LE-321 | 9.8 km | Paved |
 | Hoz de Beteta | Castile-La Mancha | Guadiela | CM-210 | 10 km | Paved |
 | Hoz de Llanaves | Castile-Leon | Arroyo del Naranco | N-621 | 4.8 km | Paved |
 | Hoz de Valeria | Castile-La Mancha | Gritos | CM-2100 | 6.8 km | Paved |
 | Hoz del Júcar | Castile–La Mancha | Júcar | B5 | 31.2 km | Paved |
 | Júcar Cliff Canyon | Valencia | Jucar | Unnamed | 11 km | Partly paved |
 | Margalef Dam Canyon | Catalonia | Montsant | Unnamed | 2.9 km | Paved |
 | Obarra Canyon | Huesca, Aragon | Isábena | A-1605 | 12.5 km | Paved |
 | Old N-320 Road | Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha | Tajo | CM-9222 | 2.8 km | Paved |
 | Pitarque Canyon | Aragon | Pitarque | TE-V-8042 | 3.6 km | Paved |
 | Puente de Montañana-Alsamora | Border of Aragón and Catalonia | Noguera Ribagorçana | (N/A) | 11.2 km | Paved |
 | Puerta del Infierno | Cuenca, Castile-La Mancha | Escabas | CUV-9031 | 6 km | Paved |
 | Sobrón Canyon | Burgos, Castile and León | Ebro | A-2122 and BU-530 | 17.7 km | Paved |
 | Taibilla Canyon | Castilla–La Mancha | Taibilla | L-3 | 12.3 km | Paved |
 | Tartalés Canyon | Burgos, Castile and León | Tartalés creek | Unnamed | 1.7 km | Paved |
 | Terradets Canyon Old Road | Catalonia | Terradets Reservoir | Unnamed | 2.5 km | Paved (with potholes) |
 | Zumeta Canyon | Andalusia and Castilla–La Mancha | Zumeta | A-63 | 8.5 km | Paved |