Best road trips in Spain: 7 scenic routes worth the miles

If you’re daydreaming about a proper Spain road trip, this is the sort of country that rewards you for taking the long way round. The distances are manageable, the roads are generally in good nick, and each region feels genuinely different in culture, food and even language. 

Here are the best road trips in Spain right now, laid out clearly so you can see what suits your style.

Northern Spain road trip: Basque Country to Galicia

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A classic northern Spain road trip is easily one of the most varied drives in the country. You start in the Basque Country, where pintxos (small, beautifully presented bar snacks) are a serious art form. You then roll west along the green Atlantic coast through Cantabria and Asturias before finishing in Galicia.

Expect dramatic cliffs, mountain passes in the Picos de Europa, fishing villages and damp, emerald landscapes that feel closer to Ireland than Andalucía.

Top stops:

• San Sebastián and Bilbao
• The Costa Verde
• Picos de Europa National Park, voted the most beautiful place by Time Out this year.
• Oviedo and Asturian sidrerías (cider houses)
• Santiago de Compostela

Best for: 10–14 days at a steady pace.
Driving style: Winding coastal and mountain roads, less traffic than the Mediterranean.

Highlight: Crossing into Galicia and arriving in Santiago de Compostela’s cathedral square after days of Atlantic scenery.

Mediterranean coast road trip: Barcelona to Valencia

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This is one of the best coastal road trips in Spain if you want sea views mixed with Roman ruins and decent food stops.

Starting in Barcelona, you can hug the Costa Brava or take the AP-7 south, stopping in Tarragona to see its Roman amphitheatre facing the sea. 

Further down, the Ebro Delta feels almost wild, with rice fields and birdlife, before you reach Valencia and its mix of futuristic architecture and old-town lanes. Catalonia has its own language, Catalan, which you’ll see on road signs and menus.

Top stops:

• Barcelona’s coastline
• Tarragona’s Roman remains
• Ebro Delta Natural Park
• Valencia’s old town and beach

Best for: 5–8 days.
Driving style: Fast motorways interspersed with relaxed coastal stretches.

Highlight: Standing in Tarragona’s amphitheatre with the Mediterranean just beyond the stone arches.

Andalucía road trip: Sevilla, Ronda and Granada

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If someone talks about the best road trips in southern Spain, this is usually what they mean. Andalucía delivers whitewashed villages, Moorish architecture and wide-open sierras.

You can begin in Sevilla, drift south towards Cádiz’s Atlantic coast, then head inland through the Sierra de Grazalema to Ronda, perched above its famous gorge

Granada rounds things off with the Alhambra and a lively tapas scene, where a drink still comes with a small plate in many bars.

Top stops:

• Sevilla’s historic centre
• White villages in the Serranía de Ronda
• Ronda’s Puente Nuevo
• Granada’s Albaicín quarter

Best for: 7–10 days.
Driving style: Good main roads with scenic mountain stretches; summer heat can be intense.

Highlight: Pulling into Ronda at sunset, the gorge is glowing gold beneath the bridge.

Rioja and Ribera del Duero wine road trip

Vineyards in La Rioja Shutterstock

A quieter road trip through Spain that centres on food and wine rather than big cities. La Rioja and Ribera del Duero are compact regions, so distances are short and easy to manage.

Base yourself in Logroño or Haro and explore vineyards, modern bodegas and tiny medieval villages such as Laguardia. This is the sort of route where long lunches are part of the rhythm, and you’ll hear plenty of local pride when it comes to wine production.

Top stops:

• Logroño’s Calle Laurel for tapas
• Haro’s winery district
• Hilltop Laguardia
• Vine-covered valleys along the Ebro

Best for: 3–5 days.
Driving style: Quiet secondary roads and gentle countryside.

Highlight: Watching the sun drop behind the vineyards with a glass of Rioja in hand.

Madrid to Bilbao inland cultural route

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This is a solid option if you want a Spain road trip that skips beaches and focuses on history and landscape.

Leave Madrid and head north through Castilla y León, stopping in Burgos for its vast Gothic cathedral, then continue towards the Basque Country. The scenery shifts from high plains to greener hills as you approach Bilbao.

It’s less crowded than coastal routes and gives a clearer sense of Spain’s interior character, which often gets overlooked in favour of the coasts.

Top stops:

• Madrid’s museums
• Burgos Cathedral
• Rioja countryside
• Bilbao’s riverside regeneration

Best for: 5–7 days.
Driving style: Long, straight stretches across open plains.

Highlight: The moment the landscape turns greener as you descend towards Bilbao.

Spain and Portugal road trip: Galicia to Porto

Carril, Vilagarcia de Arousa, Rias Baixas Flickr

If you fancy extending your Spain road trip into Iberian territory, linking Galicia with northern Portugal works beautifully.

Start in Santiago de Compostela and head south towards the Portuguese border, then continue to Porto. The cultural shift is subtle but noticeable, in language, architecture and café culture. 

You’ll hear Galician spoken in northwest Spain, a language closely related to Portuguese, which makes the transition feel surprisingly seamless.

Top stops:

• Santiago de Compostela
• Rías Baixas coastline
• Northern Portuguese countryside
• Porto’s riverside Ribeira district

Best for: 7–10 days.
Driving style: Easy highways with scenic coastal alternatives.

Highlight: Arriving in Porto and seeing the Douro lined with colourful townhouses.

Pyrenees road trip: Aragón and Catalonia

Ordesa y Monte Perdido Unsplash

This is one of the less talked-about best road trips in Spain, especially in English-language guides.

Driving through the Pyrenees in Aragón and Catalonia means hairpin bends, stone villages and access to Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park. It suits confident drivers who don’t mind narrow mountain roads and dramatic weather shifts outside summer.

It’s a strong contrast to beach-focused itineraries and gives you a feel for rural Spain at altitude.

Tops stops:

• Huesca province
• Ordesa valley
• Small Pyrenean villages
• Mountain viewpoints and hiking trails

Best for: 5–8 days.
Driving style: Mountain passes and tight curves.

Highlight: Cresting a mountain pass and seeing snow-capped peaks even in late spring.

Practical tips for driving around Spain

Dunes at the Fangar Lighthouse / Agustí Descarrega, CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia commons

If you’re planning to spend serious time driving around Spain, a few things are worth keeping in mind:

• Road types:
  • Autovías are free dual carriageways.
  • Autopistas may have tolls.
• Speed limits: 120 km/h on motorways, 90 km/h on many secondary roads.
• Low-emission zones: Larger cities such as Madrid and Barcelona operate environmental zones, which can affect older vehicles.
• Fuel: Generally cheaper than in France; rural petrol stations may close overnight.