Surviving the Spanish Death Road: A Comprehensive Guide to Navigating the M618 from Colmenar Viejo to Torrelodones

Located in the northwest of the Autonomous Community of Madrid, Spain, the tiny M618 road is nicknamed the Spanish Death Road. Better avoid it if you’re prone to car sickness.

M618

How long is the M618 road?

Located within the Cuenca Alta del Manzanares Regional Park, the road is 21.2 km (13.17 miles) long running from Colmenar Viejo to Torrelodones.

Is the M618 road paved?

Constructed in 1886 it was paved in 1925. Today it’s poorly paved, with concrete parts. It is a two-way road made up of a central band, the original road, with lateral concrete extensions, the result of an old reform to provide the road with two lanes. The resulting joint between these different bands is somewhat slippery and, on occasions, comes to make a small lateral step.

Is M618 road dangerous?

Very curvy, with 6 hairpin turns and narrow parts, unprotected by guardrails, it’s a dangerous road on rainy days. It is also a road with a high density of traffic, not only vehicles but also buses, as it is the only exit from a few cities to the A-6 highway. The road offers sweeping views and countless ads and commercials have been filmed on the road.
Pic: De Deensel - DJI_0761, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63937052