If You Love to Drive, You'll Love the N308-1 Road
Portugal, europe
19.5 km
822 m
hard
Year-round
# N308-1: Portugal's Thrilling Mountain Descent
Ready for an adventure? Head to northern Portugal's Braga district, right where the Spanish border beckons, and you'll find N308-1 – a seriously impressive 19.5km (12.11 miles) stretch of road that'll have you gripping the wheel in the best way possible.
This winding beauty starts high up at Portela do Homem, a mountain pass sitting pretty at 822m elevation, and winds its way down to the charming riverside town of Rio Caldo at just 161m. That's a dramatic drop, and boy, do you feel it on the drive.
What makes this route so special? The 18 hairpin turns combined with narrow sections create an exhilarating driving experience. The pavement is solid throughout, but you'll definitely need to stay sharp around those tight corners. Some steep sections keep things interesting too.
The real magic happens when you take in the scenery. Multiple natural viewpoints offer breathtaking vistas, and you'll pass by stunning waterfalls like Cascata de Leonte and Cascata da Portela do Homem – perfect spots to pull over and catch your breath (literally and figuratively).
This is one of those roads that combines technical driving with genuine natural beauty. It's the kind of route that sticks with you long after you've descended into Rio Caldo.
Where is it?
If You Love to Drive, You'll Love the N308-1 Road is located in Portugal (europe). Coordinates: 39.4097, -7.9247
Road Details
- Country
- Portugal
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 19.5 km
- Max Elevation
- 822 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 39.4097, -7.9247
Related Roads in europe
extremeWhere is Bergstation Schaufeljoch?
🇦🇹 Austria
Bergstation Schaufeljoch high mountain cable car station above sea level, located in the Austrian state of Tyrol highest roads in Europe Where is Bergstation Schaufeljoch? The cable car station is located in the western part of Austria . At the exit from the station (not always open) is the "Top of Tyrol" viewing platform , where you can enjoy breathtaking views of Stubai Alps and the Dolomites Is the road to Bergstation Schaufeljoch unpaved? Stubai Glacier ski area , the road to the summit is service road for maintaining the chairlift closed to private vehicles When is the road to Bergstation Schaufeljoch open? completely impassable in winter very demanding challenge extremely steep climb How long is the road to Bergstation Schaufeljoch? Starting from Mutterbergalm 7.6 km (4.72 miles) long . Over this distance, the elevation gain is 1,150m (3,773ft) average gradient of 15.13% . However, the route includes alternating flat sections extremely steep ramps exceeding 20% An iconic paved road to Furkajoch in the Austrian Alps Vizze Pass: An Awe-Inspiring Route in the Zillertal Alps Embark on a journey like never before! Navigate through our to discover the most spectacular roads of the world Drive Us to Your Road! With over 13,000 roads cataloged, we're always on the lookout for unique routes. Know of a road that deserves to be featured? Click to share your suggestion, and we may add it to dangerousroads.org.
hardDriving the unpaved military road to Colle d’Ancoccia in Piedmont
🇮🇹 Italy
# Colle d'Ancoccia Want to tackle one of Italy's most remote and adventurous mountain passes? Colle d'Ancoccia sits at a seriously impressive 2,533 meters (8,310 feet) in the Cottian Alps, deep in Piedmont's far southwestern corner near the French border. This isn't your typical Sunday drive. Built way back for military purposes, the 37.1-kilometer route starts from the SP113 road south of Marmora and winds through a landscape literally littered with abandoned Alpine Wall bunkers and barracks—it's like driving through a piece of history. The scenery up here is absolutely stunning, with views of Rocca la Meja and Lago della Meja surrounding you as you climb. Here's the catch: the entire road is unpaved and covered in loose gravel and stones. You're looking at some seriously steep sections with grades hitting 25%, plus plenty of precipitous drop-offs that'll definitely get your adrenaline pumping. You'll absolutely need a sturdy 4x4 with solid ground clearance to even attempt this one—no exceptions. Oh, and timing matters big time. Winter pretty much shuts this road down completely, so save this adventure for the warmer months when conditions are actually manageable. If you've got the right vehicle and nerves of steel, though, this is one unforgettable alpine experience.
hardIs the EM-508 Road paved?
🇵🇹 Portugal
Hey fellow adventurers! Ready for an epic Portuguese road trip? Then you HAVE to check out the EM-508 in the Coimbra district. This baby clocks in at around 40 km (25 miles), winding its way north to south from the N-230 (near Santa Ovaia) to the M543 (near Teixeira). Now, fair warning: this isn't a Sunday drive. Expect some seriously narrow and curvy sections clinging to the mountainside, and yeah, there are a few unprotected drop-offs to keep your eyes peeled. Plus, keep an eye on the weather, because landslides, ice, or snow can shut this beauty down. But trust me, the views are SO worth it! You'll be driving through some seriously stunning scenery, and you absolutely HAVE to check out Piódão, one of Portugal's most iconic slate villages, with its incredible traditional architecture. This whole area is a hiker's paradise, thanks to the famous Aldeias do Xisto (slate villages). Get ready for an unforgettable adventure!
moderateCrossing Vado del Río Eljas
🇵🇹 Portugal
Okay, picture this: straddling the border between Spain and Portugal, you'll find the Vado del Río Eljas. It's less a bridge and more of a concrete ribbon, just over 170 feet long, draped across the Erges/Eljas River. Now, this isn't your average smooth highway; it's seen some serious floods in its time. Adding to the thrill, there are *zero* guardrails separating you from the drop. Oh, and did I mention it's so narrow that only one car can cross at a time? It's all part of the adventure on this international crossing!