What are the most spectacular roads in Italy?

Located in the southern part of Europe, Italy is a dream for drivers as it hosts the mountain passes (the Alps), coastal drives (Adriatic, Ionian, Tyrrhenian, and Ligurian), and some of the most famous scenic routes in the world.

Choosing only a few roads to drive in the country is nearly impossible, as there are about 600 spectacular routes. Stelvio Pass is Europe's most famous road. At an elevation of 2,757m (9,045ft) above sea level, the pass is located in the northern part of the country. It's one of the highest roads in Europe. Featuring 48 hairpin turns, the road through the summit is a marvel of engineering.

If you prefer coastal drives, you must experience the breathtaking Amalfi Coast Road. The road follows the shoreline from Sorrento south to Salerno. The road has been featured in films since cameras started rolling at 24 frames per second. If you want to feel like James Bond, don’t skip Strada della Forra. A small car with a functioning horn is recommended. For skilled drivers only. The drive is known by motorcyclists from all over Europe, as it is impressive and not without danger in a few narrow and steep spots. If you prefer roads with a story, don’t miss the Strada delle 52 Gallerie, a WWI military mule road. Built on the massif of Pasubio, it was constructed in this position to stay away from Austro-Hungarian artillery fire.

Passo Campo Carlo Magno is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.682m (5,518ft) above sea level, located in the Autonomous Province of Trento, in Italy.

The scenic Fornelli-Cala d'Oliva Road is the only paved road on the Italian island of Asinara, in the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the best coastal drives in the world.

Passo Cereda is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1,361 m (4,465 ft) above sea level, located in Italy.

Col Tze Core is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,607m (5,272ft) above sea level, located in the Aosta Valley region of Italy.

Passo Rodella is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,866m (6,122ft) above sea level, located in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, in Italy.

Passo Castrin (also known as Hofmahdjoch) is a high-mountain pass reaching an elevation of 1,781m (5,843ft) above sea level in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy. Located in the Ortler Alps, this pass is unique because its highest point is actually situated at the south entrance of a tunnel built in 1998.

Lago Ponton is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 2645m (8677ft) above sea level, located in the Province of Aosta in Italy. It’s one of the highest roads in the country.

Laghi di Cedèc bridge lies at an elevation of 2.743m (8,999ft) above the sea level, in the northern Italian province of Sondrio. It’s one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.

Colle di Costa Piana is a high mountain pass situated at an elevation of 2313m (7588ft) above sea level, found within the Metropolitan City of Turin, in Italy.

Cima Becco Rosso is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,261 m (7,417 ft) above sea level, located on the border of France and Italy.

Rifugio Barbara Lowrie is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 1,753m (5,751ft) above sea level, located in the Metropolitan City of Turin, in Italy.

Passo dei Salati is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,988m (9,803ft) above sea level, located in Italy. It’s one of the highest roads in Europe.

Lago Miserin is a remote alpine lake at an elevation of 2,580m (8,464ft) above sea level, located in the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley, in Italy. It's one of the highest roads in Italy.

Strada Cancelli-Fossato di Vico is a short mountain road straddling the Umbria and Marche regions, in the central part of Italy.

Portella Femmina Morta is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,535m (5,036ft) above sea level, located in the Italian region of Sicily.

Passo della Costazza is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,181 m (7,155 ft) above sea level, located in the Autonomous Province of Trento in Italy.

Located in the province of Belluno, in the Italian region of Veneto, the road from Sospirolo to Gosaldo offers a stunning drive with amazing views.

Lago di Malga Bissina is a high mountain reservoir at an elevation of 1,815m (5,954ft) above sea level, located in the Autonomous Province of Trento, in Italy.

Monte Telegrafo-Plose is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2,483m (8,146ft) above sea level, located in the Trentino-South Tyrol region of Italy. The summit offers a view of more than 100 mountain peaks.

Cima di Morissolo is a mountain peak at an elevation of 1,311m (4,301ft) above sea level, located in the Italian region of Piedmont. The summit hosts an old fortification built during the First World War.

At an elevation of 2,706m (8,877ft) above sea level, La Riposa Refuge (locally known as Rifugio Pizzini-Frattola) is a high mountain hut located in the Lombardy region of Italy. Positioned at the head of the Cedec Valley, it is reached via one of the highest roads in the country.

Rifugio Genova-Figari is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.015m (6,610ft) above sea level, located in the Province of Cuneo, in Italy.

Lago di Lei is an artificial high mountain lake at an elevation of 2,000m (6,500ft) above sea level, located on the border of Switzerland and Italy.

Colle Malaberghe is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.225m (7,299ft) above sea level, located in the Alpes-Maritimes department of France.

Monte Sobretta is a high mountain peak located in the Province of Sondrio, in Italy. East of the summit, a minor unpaved road climbs up to 2,901m (9,517ft) above sea level. It's one of the highest roads in Europe.

Mont Fallère is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2,377 m (7,798 ft) above sea level, located in the Valle d’Aosta region, in Italy.

Colle Cologna is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.394m (7,854ft) above sea level, located in the Province of Cuneo, in Italy.

Rifugio Panarotta is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 1,780m (5,839ft) above sea level, located in the autonomous province of Trentino, in Italy. The ascent is very popular with amateur cyclists.

Monte Toraro is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.890m (6,200ft) above sea level, located in the Province of Vicenza, in Italy.

Passo della Forcella is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.824m (5,984ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The average steepness is 15.08%.

Passo San Jorio (Passo di San Iório) is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.012m (6,601ft) above the sea level located on the border of Switzerland and Italy.

Passo di Pradarena is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.579m (5,180ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Emilia Romagna and Tuscany regions, in northern Italy.

Refuge Grand Tournalin is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.535m (8,316ft) above the sea level, located in the Alps in Aosta Valley, Italy. It's one of the highest mountain roads of Italy.

Located in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, Passo di Fraele is a high mountain pass reaching an elevation of 1,955m (6,414ft) above sea level. Situated near the international border between Switzerland and Italy, this pass is a historical gateway in the Alps, offering a stunning landscape dominated by turquoise lakes and ancient defensive structures.

Carosello 3000 is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.783m (9,130ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy, near the Swiss border. 

Passo Agueglio is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.143m (3,750ft) above the sea level, located in the Italian region of Lombardy.

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 here to share your suggestion, and we may add it to dangerousroads.org.