Is the Old N-320 Road paved?
Spain, europe
2.8 km
N/A
hard
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're cruising along the Antigua Carretera N-320 in Spain, a total hidden gem bypassed by a newer highway but still kicking. This isn't your average Sunday drive, though. Mother Nature calls the shots here; landslides can happen anytime, potentially blocking the road.
Yep, this baby is paved (mostly!), but it's seriously narrow, hugging the mountainside like it's trying to win a hugging contest. Built way back when, it’s got character for days.
Heads up, though! You might see a "road closed" sign at the beginning, but locals and brave adventurers (including, get this, even a Top Gear car!) still use it. The real kicker? The risk of rockfalls is definitely real.
This roughly 2.8-kilometer (1.73-mile) stretch in central Spain's Castilla-La Mancha region runs east to west, climbing from the Embalse de Pálmaces to the town of Pálmaces de Jadraque.
The toughest section? Definitely "El Sombrerete" (Peaked Cap), known for its crazy-narrow squeezes along the Embalse de Pálmaces. The views are killer, but focus up! You'll likely be performing some serious reversing gymnastics around blind corners to let other cars pass. Worth it? Totally!
Road Details
- Country
- Spain
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 2.8 km
- Difficulty
- hard
Related Roads in europe
moderateTake An Unforgettable Drive to Fjarðarheiði in Iceland
🇮🇸 Iceland
Okay, adventure-seekers, let's talk about Fjarðarheiði! This mountain pass in Eastern Iceland clocks in at a cool 623 meters (that's 2,043 feet for my imperial system friends). The entire route is paved, following Route 93 as it snakes its way up. Be warned: there are some seriously steep sections! Word to the wise: Iceland's weather can be WILD, so ALWAYS check the forecast before you head out. Snow can make this pass a real challenge for a good chunk of the year. Speaking of views, when the fog isn't playing peek-a-boo, this drive is absolutely breathtaking! The pass itself stretches for 24.5 km (or 15.22 miles) connecting Egilsstaðir (right on the Lagarfljót river) to the charming town of Seyðisfjörður, nestled deep in its namesake fjord. Expect the drive to take around 30-45 minutes if you're cruising straight through. Buckle up and get ready for some stunning Icelandic scenery!
hardBaita del Pastore
🇮🇹 Italy
Baita del Pastore is a high mountain refuge sitting pretty at 2,173m (7,129ft) in the Province of Sondrio, nestled in Lombardy's Alpine region of northern Italy. It's tucked within the stunning Stelvio National Park. Fair warning: this is *not* a casual Sunday drive. The road to the hut is gravel and rocky, with plenty of bumpy, tippy sections that'll test your skills. Winter? Forget about it—the road becomes completely impassable. This is serious terrain for experienced off-roaders only. If unpaved mountain roads make you nervous, give this one a hard pass. You'll absolutely need a capable 4x4, and anyone who gets queasy at heights should definitely steer clear. Expect steep grades throughout, and if conditions are wet, that muddy road becomes a proper challenge. Here's the real highlight though: several gloriously terrifying wooden bridges span the Torrente Frigidolfo river along the way. These aren't your typical crossings—they're genuinely some of the most spectacular (and heart-stopping) bridges you'll encounter anywhere in the world. This is a grueling, bumpy adventure that separates the true mountain drivers from the rest. It's the kind of drive that'll have you gripping the wheel, adrenaline pumping, and stories to tell for years. If you're up for the challenge, you're in for an unforgettable Alpine experience.
extremeAbano Pass is a Georgian treacherous road closed in winters
🇬🇪 Georgia
# Abano Pass: Georgia's Ultimate Mountain Challenge Ready for an adventure that'll make your heart race? Abano Pass (also called Torgva Pass) sits at a jaw-dropping 2,864m (9,396ft) in the heart of the Great Caucasus Mountains, right where Kakheti and Tusheti regions meet near the Russian border. This isn't your typical Sunday drive—we're talking about the highest drivable mountain pass in the entire Caucasus. The 67.2km (41.75 miles) unpaved route winds from Pshaveli up through some seriously dramatic terrain to Omalo, a small mountain village at 1,850m. It's the kind of place that feels genuinely untouched—partly because it's cut off from the rest of Georgia for most of the year. Summer is your window, roughly May through October, but even then, weather and landslides can close things down unexpectedly. Seriously, you might get stuck for a couple days waiting for roads to dry out. Here's the real talk: this road demands respect. Only high-clearance 4x4 vehicles should attempt it, and you're looking at some brutal 17% gradients with zero guardrails hugging cliffsides above gorges. The unpredictable surface, hairpin turns, and countless memorials along the way tell you this isn't called a "death road" for nothing—roughly 10-12 fatalities happen here annually. But here's why people do it anyway? The scenery is absolutely stunning. Wildflowers dot the landscape, waterfalls cascade alongside you, and you'll spot everything from snow walls (sometimes 4 meters deep in July!) to incredible mountain vistas. The Soviet-built road, completed in 1978, even features a tiny chapel at the summit with a quirky coffee shop called "Above the Clouds" that sometimes opens up there. Pro tip: Book accommodation ahead (many homestays only operate July onward), hire a sober driver, and pick a clear weather day. And if your driver suggests taking shots of cha-cha on the way up? Politely decline. You've got this—just give it the respect it deserves.
hardTrans-Siberian Highway spans 6,800 miles from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok
🌍 Russia
# The Trans-Siberian Highway: Russia's Epic Road Adventure Ready for the ultimate road trip? The Trans-Siberian Highway stretches nearly 7,000 miles across Russia, connecting St. Petersburg on the Baltic Sea all the way to Vladivostok on the Pacific. Built by gulag inmates, this highway is one of the longest roads on the planet and crosses some of the most challenging terrain and climates you can imagine. The journey spans roughly 6,800 miles of pure adventure, and let's be honest—the road conditions are all over the map. Head west and you'll find decent motorway stretches, but venture east and things get rough fast. Most of the year the drive is actually pretty manageable (just, you know, freezing), but when summer rolls around with its rain and warmth, entire sections transform into muddy nightmares that are nearly impossible to pass through. Keeping a road this massive in good shape? Yeah, that's basically not happening. Heavy downpours and brutal winters just make everything worse. What can you expect along the way? Forests, tundra, endless stretches of hypnotic emptiness—the scenery is genuinely stunning when you're not worried about the road falling apart beneath you. Some sections are relatively smooth, but plenty are absolutely rough. And then there's Russian traffic: aggressive overtaking, speeding, unpredictable drivers—especially in cities. Throw in the fact that Russia has a high driver fatality rate due to road conditions and other factors, and you've got a serious challenge on your hands. The Siberian sections are particularly intense—many are unpaved, remote, and hours away from fuel or help. If you're considering this drive, go prepared for the worst and never, ever go alone.