Road trip guide: Conquering La Villuerca in Extremadura
Spain, europe
5.4 km
1,603 m
moderate
Year-round
# La Villuerca: Spain's Brutally Steep Mountain Challenge
La Villuerca rises to 1,603m (5,259ft) in Cáceres Province, nestled in the Las Villuercas comarca of Extremadura in west-central Spain. The peak—also called Risco de la Villuerca or Pico la Villuerca—is crowned with relics of a former military era: abandoned installations from the defunct Base Centro Táctico CT2 (Guadalupe-Villuercas), complete with towering antennas and a heliport. The army base ran from the 1980s through the 90s before being completely decommissioned.
The road up? Fully asphalted but absolutely punishing. Branching off from the CC-97, the 5.4 km (3.35 mile) ascent gains a whopping 580 meters of elevation, averaging a relentless 10.74% gradient. Those final 600 meters are particularly brutal, averaging 9.6% with sections climbing a hair-raising 15%. Fair warning: the asphalt is packed with massive bumps that could seriously wreck your undercarriage.
Perched high in the Sierra de Villuercas range (also known as Sierra de Guadalupe), expect this peak to be snow-covered come winter. This isn't a leisurely Sunday drive—it's a proper test of your vehicle and your nerves. But for those seeking an epic mountain driving experience in Spain, La Villuerca delivers.
Where is it?
Road trip guide: Conquering La Villuerca in Extremadura is located in Spain (europe). Coordinates: 38.5268, -2.2054
Road Details
- Country
- Spain
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 5.4 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,603 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 38.5268, -2.2054
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