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. 

Located on the island of Mallorca, in Spain, 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.

Pico del Veleta is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3,369m (11,053ft) above sea level, located in the region of Andalusia, Spain. It's one of the highest roads in Europe. At an altitude of around 3,000m, road conditions become significantly worse.

Situado en la zona suroeste de Europa, España es un país muy montañoso. A pesar de ser más famoso, mundialmente, por sus playas, España es el segundo país más montañoso de Europa, con muchos picos de más de 3.000 metros de altura. Subir a alguno de estos puertos de montaña te ofrecerá algunas de las vistas más espectaculares que puedas imaginar.

Far de Formentor is a spectacular lighthouse built in 1863, at an elevation of 119m (390ft) above sea level, located at the eastern end of Mallorca's Formentor peninsula, in Spain. It’s one of the best roads in Mallorca.

GC-200 is said to be the most challenging road in Spain. It’s an exhilarating drive with stunning coastal and mountain scenery located in the western region of Gran Canaria Island. It's also one of Europe's top drives with cliff-edge moments. The road has it all, from hairpin bends to sheer cliff-edge drops. It's one of the best roads on the Canary Islands.

Alto de l’Angliru is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.558m (5,111ft) above sea level, located in the province and autonomous community of Asturias, in Spain. It’s one of the hardest and most epic climbs you can ride on two wheels.

MA-10 is a very scenic drive located on the northern part of the island of Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands of Spain. It’s known as ‘the wildest road on the island,’ running across the heart of the Serra de Tramuntana. It’s one of the best roads in Mallorca.

Puig Major is a mountain peak at an elevation of 1,417m (4,648ft) above sea level, located on the Spanish island of Mallorca. The top of this mountain is off-limits as a military zone, and corresponding permission by the Air Force will be required. It’s one of the best roads in Mallorca.

Located on the island of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands of Spain, the curvy TF-21 is one of the most spectacular roads in Europe. It's one of the best roads on the Canary Islands.

Alto de Velefique is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,793m (5,882ft) above sea level, located in Almeria Province, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain.

Located in southwestern Europe, Spain is a very mountainous country. It is perhaps most well-known for its sandy beaches, but Spain is the most mountainous country in Europe after Switzerland, and climbing to the top of some of the country’s highest peaks will reward you with the most spectacular sights ever.

Faro de Punta de Teno is a beautiful lighthouse built between 1891 and 1893 located in Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands of Spain. It's one of the best roads on the Canary Islands.

GI-682 is a sinuous coastal road located in Girona, Spain. This utterly scenic ride is exhilarating but hugely dangerous, driving along the cliffs with a perfect surface and incredible views. It's one of the best coastal drives in the world.

Cañon del Añisclo is a very scenic canyon located in the province of Huesca, in Aragon, Spain. During some periods of the year, the road is just one direction. It’s one of the most scenic canyon roads in Spain.

Puerto de Ibañeta is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1,063m (3,487ft) above sea level located in Navarra autonomous community, in Spain.

Pico de las Nieves is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1,942m (6,371ft) above sea level, located on the island of Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain. It’s the second-highest peak on the island and boasts one of the best roads in the Canary Islands.

Hoya de la Mora is a natural spot at an elevation of 2.550m (8,366ft) above sea level, located in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in Spain. It's one of the highest roads in Spain.

Ruta Urdón-Tresviso is the name of a mule track located in the Liebana zone, straddling the Autonomous Communities of Asturias and Cantabria, in Spain. The track is permanently closed to vehicles.

Playa de Cofete is a stunning beach located in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain. The history of the road is the subject of several conspiracy theories, often involving Nazis. It's one of the best roads on the Canary Islands.

Rat Penat is a mountain peak at an elevation of 593m (1,945ft) above sea level, located in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, in Spain. The road to the summit is very steep, hitting a 23% maximum gradient through some of the ramps.

Collado de Sahún is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.998m (6,555ft) above sea level, located in the province of Huesca, in Spain.

Alto de Carrascoy is a mountain peak at an elevation of 1,062m (3,484ft) above sea level, located in the Region of Murcia, an autonomous community of Spain. The climb is brutal with sections up to 18%.

Puerto de las Palomas is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1,190m (3,904ft) above sea level, located in the province of Cádiz, in Spain.

Picón del Fraile is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1,590m (5,216ft) above sea level, located on the boundary between Cantabria and Castile and León, in Spain.

Located on the 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 and one of the best roads in the Canary Islands.

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.

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.

Cuitu Negru is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.848m (6,062ft) above sea level, located 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.

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

Turó de l'Home is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.697m (5,567ft) above sea level, located in the province of Barcelona, Spain. It was the site of a Transair Douglas Dakota accident in 1959, resulting in 32 fatalities. The climb is quite challenging, with sections reaching up to 15%.

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 sea level, located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, in Spain.

Bola del Mundo (Ball of the World) is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.265m (7,431ft) above 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 in the northern part of Spain. For many years it was the main route in and out of Asturias.

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.

Running along the Cantabrian Sea, in Spain, the scenic N634 Road is said to be one of the world's best coastal drives. It was recognized as one of the world's best roads of 2015.  

Col du Pourtalet is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.798m (5,898ft) above 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.

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

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.

Tunel de Vielha is a high mountain tunnel at an elevation of 1,635m (5,364ft) above sea level, located in Catalonia's north-western corner, in Spain,

Puerto del Pontón is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.298m (4,258ft) above sea level, located in the Province of León, in Spain.

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

Puerto de San Glorio is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,604m (5,262ft) above sea level, located on the boundary between Cantabria and Castile and León autonomous communities in Spain.

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

Drive Us to Your Road!

With over 13,000 roads cataloged, we're always on the lookout for unique routes. Know of a road that deserves to be featured? Click here to share your suggestion, and we may add it to dangerousroads.org.