What are the most spectacular roads in Italy?

In the heart of southern Europe, Italy stands tall as a country intricately woven with roads that are emblematic of its rich tapestry of history, unparalleled artistry, and nature's raw, untouched grandeur. To traverse Italy's roads is to embark upon an odyssey that tells tales from epochs gone by and teases with visions of scenic wonders.

Start the journey with the iconic Stelvio Pass, a masterpiece of engineering often hailed as Europe's ultimate driving challenge. As your wheels glide through its countless turns, you're granted front-row seats to the theatre of the Alps, where snow-capped peaks converse with azure skies. Next, set course for the Amalfi Coast Road, a mesmerizing stretch where the Tyrrhenian Sea's sapphire waves play hide and seek with quaint coastal hamlets, reminiscent of postcard-perfect landscapes.

The Strada della Forra, with its cinematic allure, paints a canvas of dramatic gorges and tunnels, forever etched in memories by James Bond's escapades. The towering Gavia Pass, on the other hand, is a silent ode to the majesty of the Italian Alps. As if that isn't enough, the San Boldo Pass astonishes with its intricate dance of 18 hairpin bends and five tunnels, each narrating tales of human ingenuity. Then, in the midst of these giants, the Splügen Pass offers another layer of Alpine wonder, beckoning travelers with its mix of verdant landscapes and historical charm.

Every road in Italy is not just a means of commute; it's a passage through time, a trail of legends, and a gallery of Earth's masterpieces. And as you journey through these pathways, you are not just covering distances; you're collecting tales, imbibing culture, and weaving memories of a lifetime.

Passo Palombino is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.035m (6,676ft) above the sea level, located in the Carnic Alps, in Italy.

Lago di Tovel is a mountain lake at an elevation of 1.178m (3,864ft) above the sea level, located in Trentino, Italy.

Colle di Perascritta is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.154m (7,066ft) above the sea level, located in the Italian region Piedmont.

Rifugio Marinelli (aka Forcella Morareto) is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.169m (7,116ft) above the sea level, located in the Carnic Alps, in the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy.

Lago del Chiotas is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 1.978m (6,490ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy.

Kiener Alm is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 1.750m (5,741ft) above the sea level, located in South Tyrol in northern Italy.

Maso Corto-Kurzras is a high mountain town at an elevation of 2.004m (6,574ft) above the sea level, located in the autonomous province of South Tyrol, Italy.

Forcella Zovo is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.604m (5,262ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Belluno, in the Italian region of Veneto.

Furggen is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.949m (9,675ft) above the sea level, located in the Valle d’Aosta region, right inbetween Italy and Switzerland. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.

Spanning the Campania and Basilicata regions of Italy, the iconic Strada Statale 18 from Sapri to Acquafredda is one of the most beautiful drives in the world. The road has been featured in movies, high-end auto commercials, and advertisements.

Rifugio Val Formica is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 1.658m (5,439ft) above the sea level located in Asiago, Province of Vicenza, Veneto, in northeast Italy.

Bormio 2000 is a ski station at an elevation of 1.938m (6,358ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy, near the Swiss border.

Pizzo Groppera is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.242m (7,355ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy.

Lago di Valscura is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 2.274m (7,460ft) above the sea level, part of the Maritime Alps, located in Piedmont, in the province of Cuneo, in Italy.

Cheneil is a small village at an elevation of 2.043m (6,702ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Aosta, in northwestern Italy.

Monte Tombea is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.976m (6,483ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy in northern Italy.

Conca Cialancia is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.855m (9,366ft) above the sea level, located in the Parco Naturale di Conca Cialancia, in Torino, Italy.

Monte Lozze is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.920m (6,299ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy.

Lago Nero is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 2.014m (6,607ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont.

Colle Bettaforca is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.728m (8,950ft) above the sea level, located in Valle d’Aosta region, in northwestern Italy. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.

Preda Rossa is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.955m (6,414ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy. In 1991 the road was severely destroyed by a major landslide and then a bad gravel road on the other side of the valley served as the only way to go up.

Passo Avanza da Pierabech is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.740m (5,708ft) above the sea level, located in the Carnic Alps, northern Italy.

Bellecombe is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.602m (8,536ft) above the sea level, located in the Alps on the French-Italian border. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Sa Crabarissa is a natural landmark, resembling a woman, located in the Provincia di Nuoro, in the Italian island of Sardinia.

Passo della Digola is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.674m (5,492ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Belluno, in the Italian region of Veneto.

Colla Domenica is a mountain pass at an elevation of 947m (3,106ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region Liguria.

Passo di Val Viola is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.432m (7,979ft) above the sea level, located in the Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy.

Cappella Madonna del Cotolivier is a high mountain chruch at an elevation of 2.086m (6,843ft) above the sea level,located  in the Italian province of Turin, in Piedmont.

Chalet Val Ferret is an Alpine hotel at an elevation of 1.771m (5,810ft) above the sea level, located in northern Italy, in the autonomous region of Aosta Valley.

Forcella Àuta/Alta is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.984m (6,509ft) above the sea level, located in the Dolomites of northeastern Italy. 

Prato Nevoso is a ski resort in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, at an elevation of 1.735m (5,692ft) above the sea level.

Lago di Rochemolles is a high mountain reservoir at an elevation of 1.982m (6,502ft) above the sea level, located in Piedmont, Italy, in the middle of Susa Valley.

Lago di Maulazzo is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 1.453m (4,767ft) above the sea level, located in the Italian region Sicily.

Albergo Saltner Edelweiss is a high mountain hotel at an elevation of 1.351m (4,429ft) above the sea level, located in the South Tyrol province of north Italy. The climb is simply brutal, with a maximum gradient of 30%.

Corno della Paura is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.525m (5,003ft) above the sea level, located in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige.

Rifugio Ghiacciaio dei Forni is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.178m (7,145ft) above the sea level, located in the Cedec valley, in the Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy.