Detour #107: The Road of a Thousand Bends, Spain
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Sitting a beachfront hotel terrace this seems such a highly-developed coastline, full of well-organised family-friendly resorts, each linked inshore by slick modern roads.
Detour lovers can discover however, that Spain’s Costa Brava hides one short stretch of sensational old-school road. It’s a glorious sequence of hairy corners, dizzy drops and amazing but distracting views of the Mediterranean hundreds of feet below.
Sant Feliu and Tossa de Mar may be two internationally famous contemporary coastal resorts but are linked by an ancient winding clifftop route that would make today’s road-builders despair.
The GI-682 between two of the main resorts on the Costa is nicknamed ‘The Road of a Thousand Bends’ by locals. Others say it has 365 corners, one for each day. Some even claim the GI-682 has been declared a ‘Monument of Europe’ by the European Union.
Whatever, the route constantly winds around cliffs of orange and pink rock, between precipitous patches of pines and glimpses of tiny sparkling beaches.
Cautious drivers choose the alternative: a long, ‘normal’ dual carriageway, far inland. Those looking for a driving experience take this scenic detour.
On the map it is more direct but I found it’s not necessarily quicker. There are so many hairpins I rarely got out of low gear. Mind you, I was in an uninspiring hired SEAT and the sunshine put me in the mood to drive sedately. At sensible speeds it’s not dangerous at all. The road is mostly double width, the surface is generally good and most bends have sturdy guardrails.
The two main hazards are enthusiastic bikers who travel from all over Spain to test themselves on a route that has become notorious among the helmeted and leather-clad. Secondly it’s hard to look at the views while tackling the curves. I used regular lay-bys to pull over to look – and for taking a breath before continuing.
You don’t have to leave a trail of rubber to enjoy driving. I found this route oddly calming. Almost like visiting an old landmark castle or palace. The Road of a Thousand Bends provides a glimpse of what driving a coast road used to be like.