Not the hardest. Not the fastest. Just the ones you’ll never forget.
Some roads change how you think about cycling.
Not because they’re steep, or famous, or brutally difficult, but because they feel right. The surface, the rhythm, the silence. The way a road invites you to keep pedalling, not to prove anything, but simply to be there a little longer.
This list isn’t about ticking boxes or chasing KOMs.
It’s about roads that stay with you long after the ride ends.
Here are the 10 best roads to cycle before you die for the beauty, the feeling, and the simple joy of moving through a place on two wheels.
1. Sa Calobra, Mallorca, Spain
The road that teaches patience
Few roads are as instantly recognisable as Sa Calobra and fewer still ride as beautifully.
This climb snakes its way down (and back up) through Mallorca’s Tramuntana mountains in a perfectly engineered series of hairpins. It’s steep enough to demand respect, but consistent enough to reward rhythm.
Ride it early, before the traffic arrives. Let the climb unfold naturally. The magic isn’t in how fast you ride it — it’s in how controlled it feels when you get it right.
Why it belongs: Perfect tarmac, iconic design, unforgettable flow.
2. Col du Galibier (via Valloire), France
Where cycling feels small in the best way
The Galibier isn’t just a climb. It’s an experience.
From Valloire, the road rises steadily into open alpine space, the landscape growing larger and quieter with every kilometre. There’s no trickery here — just altitude, scale, and time.
You don’t attack the Galibier. You settle into it.
And somewhere near the top, you realise you’re riding inside cycling history.
Why it belongs: Scale, silence, and perspective.
3. Passo Giau, Dolomites, Italy
The most beautiful suffering in cycling
If you could design a climb purely for visual drama, it would look like the Passo Giau.
The gradients are unforgiving, but the views are outrageous — jagged peaks, open skies, and hairpins that feel carved into the mountains themselves. It’s one of the few roads where stopping to stare feels as necessary as stopping to breathe.
Hard? Yes.
Worth it? Absolutely.
Why it belongs: Raw beauty, cinematic riding, unforgettable views.
4. Strade Bianche (Chianti), Italy
Proof that roads don’t need asphalt to be perfect
The white gravel roads of Tuscany shouldn’t work for road cycling — but they do.
Rolling hills, vineyards, ancient farmhouses, and long stretches where the only sound is tyres on dust. Ride them on wider tyres, at an easy pace, and let the road set the tone.
This isn’t about speed. It’s about atmosphere.
Why it belongs: Timelessness, texture, and pure romance.
5. Atlantic Road (Atlanterhavsveien), Norway
Cycling at the edge of the world
Short, exposed, and wildly dramatic, Norway’s Atlantic Road feels like cycling through a photograph.
Bridges rise and fall between small islands, the ocean crashing on both sides when the weather turns. On a calm day it’s serene. On a windy one, it’s unforgettable.
You don’t come here for distance. You come for the feeling of being completely surrounded by nature.
Why it belongs: Drama, isolation, elemental riding.
6. Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Austria
Where engineering meets elegance
This road feels designed for cycling.
Wide, smooth, predictable, and beautifully graded, the Grossglockner climb rewards steady pacing and patient riding. The scenery unfolds slowly — glaciers, valleys, open alpine views — without ever feeling overwhelming.
It’s challenging, but never chaotic.
Why it belongs: Perfect road design and long, satisfying climbs.
7. Pacific Coast Highway (Big Sur), California, USA
Where the road never lets you forget where you are
Cliffs. Ocean. Endless horizon.
Riding the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur is less about elevation and more about presence. The road rolls gently, but the views demand your attention at every turn.
Early mornings are best. The traffic is light, the air is cool, and the road feels like it belongs to you.
Why it belongs: Constant beauty, emotional impact, unforgettable setting.
8. Transfăgărășan Highway, Romania
The wild card
Often called one of the best roads in the world, the Transfăgărășan is dramatic, unpredictable, and completely unapologetic.
Hairpins stack on top of each other, the landscape shifts quickly, and the sense of adventure is real. This is cycling that feels slightly unpolished — and that’s exactly the appeal.
Why it belongs: Adventure, scale, and raw character.
9. Route des Crêtes, Vosges Mountains, France
A road for thinking
Not every great road needs to hurt.
The Route des Crêtes rolls gently along ridgelines, offering expansive views and long, quiet stretches of riding. It’s ideal for steady efforts, conversation, or solo reflection.
This is a road where time slows down.
Why it belongs: Calm, rhythm, and mental space.
10. The Old Road to Ronda, Andalusia, Spain
The road you wish would never end
Southern Spain is full of good roads, but the old approach to Ronda stands out.
Smooth tarmac, light traffic, warm air, and terrain that encourages flow rather than force. It’s a road that feels generous, especially in the late afternoon when the light softens and the ride stretches on.
You finish tired — but deeply content.
Why it belongs: Flow, warmth, and pure rideability.
What Makes a Road Truly Great?
It’s rarely just one thing.
The best roads combine:
- Predictable surfaces
- Logical gradients
- Low traffic
- A sense of place
- The feeling that cycling belongs there
They don’t rush you, they don’t punish you unnecessarily, and they invite you in.
Final Thoughts: Ride Them Slowly
You don’t need to conquer these roads, and you don’t need a perfect bike or perfect fitness.
You just need time, curiosity, and a willingness to let a road show you what cycling can feel like at its very best.
If you only remember one thing, let it be this:
The best rides aren’t the ones you finish fastest. They’re the ones you never stop thinking about.
