Puerto del León (Málaga)

Start Town	Altitude	Elevation Gain	Length	Gradient	Difficulty	Rating
Málaga	940m	905m	16.3 km	5.5%	562	****

Climb Description

Puerto del León is one of the most popular cycling climbs in Andalucía. Thanks to its proximity to the city of Málaga, its relatively steady and gentle gradients and pleasant scenery, it regularly features in local club rides and races.

The climb from Málaga is an enjoyable ascent. Situated between the Mediterranean Sea and the Montes de Málaga Natural Park, there are picturesque views in both directions, and the road is also afforded some shade at times by light forest.

The Puerto del León has featured several times in the Vuelta a España, including in the 2015 edition during a stage won by Peter Sagan.

Puerto del León is open throughout the year.

Roads & Traffic

The road surface is in very good condition throughout.

There is some traffic while leaving Malaga, but not too much, and it quickly thins out once you pass under the motorway. Please note that this is a different climb to Alto del León in Madrid province, which is very busy and should be avoided by cyclists.

Alternative Routes

Puerto del León can also be climbed from Olías and Benamargosa.

Nearby Climbs

Torcal de Antequera

Puerto de la Joya

Cerro Becerrero

Cerro del Moro

La Cabra Montes

Cycling Holidays

We can arrange customized cycling holidays to the mountains of Malaga and the Sierra Grazalema; including the climb to Puerto del León. If you would be interested in this, please contact us to discuss the options and to put together an itinerary.

You may also be interested in the links below to some of the other tours that we currently run in Spain.