Driving around with a car, motorhome, or motorcycle, Spain will continue to surprise you again and again with its beautiful routes. With 165,000 kilometres of motorways, the possibilities are endless and the horizon will broaden.
The tourist platform Escapadarural gives five suggestions for a special car or motorcycle trip through Spain along beautiful routes.
Ruta de la Plata (Silver Route)
Built by the Romans to connect the cities of Mérida and Astorga, this special road is now the A-66. Only later, in the Middle Ages, was it named the Ruta de Plata. The road has now been expanded considerably and the route of more than 800 kilometres crosses the country from the southern Spanish city of Seville to the northern Spanish city of Gijón.
If taken from north to south, in the town of Llanera you can fill your stomach with the Asturian regional dish fabada before the trip and take a walk in the fairytale beech forest Feado de Ciñera. This forest contains one of the hundred trees that have been classified as the most special in Spain. Then the journey takes you past the culturally and gastronomically rich León; the old city centre of the Zamora is also well worth a visit. Then, see the ancient university of Salamanca, taste authentic iberico ham in Guijuelo, and admire the forests of Béjar and Zafra. Don’t miss the beautiful historic town of Carmona and finally settle down in cosmopolitan Seville.
The MA-10 through surprising Mallorca
The MA-10 in Mallorca is one of the most beautiful coastal routes in Europe. The road leads along the west coast of the island over the peaks of the Sierra de Tramuntana mountain range. Hidden between the towns of Sóller and Pollença are 112 kilometeres of natural beauty – a World Heritage Site.
First inaugurated in 1961, the route takes you past pictuersque Mallorcan villages such as bohemian Deià and Fornalutx – one of the prettiest mountain villages in all of Spain. The village of Valldemossa and the more modern Sóller are also nice to visit. On the way take on some refreshment at the special beach of Torrent de Pareis in Sa Calobra. To get here you have to follow a side road of the MA-10, the famous MA-2141 with its countless bends. The MA-10 ends at the northernmost point of the island, the magical Cape of Formentor.
Round trip long white villages of Andalucia
The route along the white villages of southern Spain is a great attraction for tourists from home and abroad. No fewer than 19 villages are along the route that leads from Cádiz to Málaga. The picturesque villages still have the atmosphere of the Moorish Al-Andalus with the narrow streets, the white facades, brown tiles and blooming flowers under a clear blue sky.
Visit the perched town of El Gastor, which offers a beautiful view of the white villages and gives an impression of what is to come. Each village along the route has its own charm, such as Olvera where the imposing church and castle rise above a sea of white houses or Grazalema where the white houses sparkle among the surrounding greenery of nature. The village of Setenil de las Bodegas is wedged into a rock and after a number of bends the road leads via Tolox to Málaga.
In the footsteps of dinosaurs in Asturias
Between Villaviciosa and Lastres, a 65-kilometre road leads along the coast where dinosaurs once walked. A historic route past beautiful beaches and Cantabrian landscapes. A visit to the Museo del Jurásico (MUJA) is definitely worth it (located between Colunga and Lastres). Near the beach of La Griega (Colunga) you can still see the actual footprints of dinosaurs on a side path.
The nearby beach at Rodiles is a favourite with surfers from around the world. Discover more dinosaur footprints on the cliffs of Tereñes. Finally, the fishing village of Tazones, surrounded by nature, is on one of the most beautiful coastal areas in Spain.
Don Quixote’s La Mancha
Travelling through the land of Don Quixote, beautiful horizons, characteristic mills, white villages and old vineyards from Miguel de Cervantes’s Spanish classic rise. A good starting point to discover this country is Alcalá de Henares, the birthplace of this famous writer. Visit the historic university here and, to get into the atmosphere of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, also the Museo Casa de Cervantes.
Along the way, see the pretty monastery and windmill in Mota de Cuervo. Whatever you do, don’t forget to sample wine in the famous Valdepeñas wine region. Windmills are also in Consuegra, for example, and nature lovers can finally indulge in the beautiful Tablas de Daimiel nature park.
Also read: The best motorhome and camper routes in northern Spain
