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.

Col Tze Core

A steep paved road to Col Tze Core in the Aosta Valley

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.

Strada Cancelli - Fossato di Vico

How to drive the unused road from Cancelli to Fossato di Vico?

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

Lago di Lei

How to get by car to Lago di Lei?

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.

Cima Becco Rosso

The Ultimate Guide to Traveling to Becco Rosso Pass

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.

Lago Miserin

How to get to Lago Miserin, the largest natural lake in Aosta?

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.

Portella Femmina Morta

A winding paved road to Portella Femmina Morta

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.

Lago di Malga Bissina

How to get by car to Lago di Malga Bissina in Trento?

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.

Rifugio Barbara Lowrie

How to get by car to Barbara Lowrie Refuge in Piedmont?

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.

Monte Telegrafo-Plose

A steep gravel road to Monte Telegrafo-Plose in the Dolomites

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.

Passo della Costazza (Baita Segantini)

A memorable road trip to Costazza Pass in the Alps

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.

Cresta Sobretta

How to drive the unpaved road to Monte Sobretta in Sondrio

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.

Passo di Fraele

Passo di Fraele: Driving the historic gravel road near the Swiss border

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.

Rifugio Genova-Figari

How to get to Genova-Figari Refuge in Cuneo

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.

Bruncu Spina

Driving the steep road to Bruncu Spina: the roof of Sardinia

Bruncu Spina is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,828m (5,997ft) above sea level, located in the Gennargentu Range of Sardinia, Italy. It is the second-highest peak on the island and offers one of the most rugged and isolated driving experiences in the Mediterranean, ending at a derelict weather station with panoramic views.

Cima di Morissolo

An old military road to Cima di Morissolo

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.

Passo San Jorio

Driving to the international San Jorio Pass

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 della Forcella

Forcella Pass, The Road That Has it All!

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%.

Mont Fallère

A wild road to Mont Fallere in the Pennine Alps

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.

Monte Toraro

Driving the forgotten military road to Monte Toraro: A Cold War relic

Located in the Venetian Prealps, in the Province of Vicenza, the road to the summit of Monte Toraro is a ghost track that whispers of Cold War tensions and military secrecy. Reaching an elevation of 1,890m (6,200ft) above sea level, this route was once a vital artery for the Italian Air Force and NATO. Today, it is a decaying strip of asphalt that is slowly being reclaimed by the mountain, offering a high-stakes journey through one of the most strategic sectors of the Triveneto Alps.

Alpe di Poti

How to drive the defiant road to Alpe di Poti

Alpe di Poti is a mountain pass at an elevation of 827m (2,713ft) above sea level, located in the Province of Arezzo, in Italy.

Rifugio Panarotta

How to drive the paved road to Panarotta Refuge in the Dolomites?

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.

Colle Cologna

An old military road to Colle Cologna

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.

Refuge Grand Tournalin

A wild road to Refuge Grand Tournalin

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.

Passo di Pradarena

A memorable road trip to Pradarena Pass

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.

Monte Ornito

Monte Ornito: Driving the WWII battlefield road in Latina

Monte Ornito is a mountain peak at an elevation of 764m (2,506ft) above sea level, located in the province of Latina, in the Lazio region of central Italy. Part of the Aurunci Mountains, the peak was the scenario of fierce combats during World War II. The road to the summit is a narrow and technical climb that scales the steep slopes above the Gulf of Gaeta, connecting historical sites with a memorial dedicated to the fallen soldiers of the 1944 battles.

Im Hinteren Eis

Im Hinteren Eis

Im Hinteren Eis is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.030m (9,940ft) above the sea level, located in South Tyrol in northern Italy. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.

Carosello 3000

Carosello 3000

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

A paved road to Agueglio Pass

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.

Refuge Prarayer

Travel Guide to Rifugio Prarayer

Prarayer Hut is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.005m (6,578ft) above the sea level, located in Aosta Valley, in northern Italy.

Rifugio La Baita-Val di Rezzalo

Can I drive the road to Rifugio La Baita in Val di Rezzalo?

Rifugio La Baita is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 1,860m (6,102ft) above sea level, located in the Italian province of Sondrio.

Rifugio Venini

Venini Refuge

Located in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, Rifugio Venini is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 1.576m (5,170ft) above the sea level.

Colle della Vecchia

A military road to Colle della Vecchia

Colle della Vecchia is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.605m (8,546ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont. It's one of the highest Italian roads.

Monte Festa

The road to Monte Festa is not for the faint of heart

Monte Festa is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.065m (3,494ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Udine in the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

Passo di Cadino

How to drive the paved road to Cadino Pass and Goletto Gaver in Brescia?

Passo di Cadino is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.937m (6,354ft) above sea level, located in the province of Brescia, in Italy.

Strada Carzano-Peschiera Maraglio

Driving the lake-level road of Monte Isola: Carzano to Peschiera Maraglio

Located on Monte Isola, the largest lake island in Italy, the road linking the villages of Carzano and Peschiera Maraglio is a high-precision drive on the shores of Lake Iseo. Reaching just a few centimeters above the water level, this 2.3 km (1.4 miles) asphalt track in the province of Brescia is a logistical anomaly. It is a journey where the lack of safety infrastructure and the immediate proximity to the deep waters of the lake leave zero margin for driver error.

Monte Faudo

The road to Monte Faudo in Imperia is not for the sissies

Monte Faudo is a mountain peak at an elevation of 1.149m (3,769ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region Liguria.