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.
Gardeccia Refuge
Rifugio Gardeccia is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 1.950m (6,397ft) above the sea level, located in the middle of the Dolomites, in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.
Goletto Gaver
Goletto Gaver is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.795m (5,889ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy.
Col dei S'Cios: Driving the scenic Strada della Dorsale in Pordenone
Located in the Province of Pordenone, within the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Col dei S'Cios is a high mountain pass reaching an elevation of 1,342m (4,402ft) above sea level. This pass is part of a rugged mountain range that overlooks the Venetian plains, offering a technical drive through a landscape of high-altitude pastures and limestone outcrops.
How to drive the unpaved road to Sillianer Hütte?
Sillianer Hütte is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.428m (7,965ft) above sea level, located on the border of Austria and Italy.
Driving the wild road to Col de Joux
Col de Joux, also known as Col du Mont-Joux, is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.930m (6,332ft) above the sea level, located in the Aosta Valley in northwestern Italy.
Alpe Plane Refuge
Rifugio Agrituristico Alpe Plane is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.085m (6,840ft) above the sea level, located in the Cottian Alps, in the Province of Turin, Italy.
Colle Barant
Colle Barant is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.381m (7,811ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont.
How to drive the paved road to Pozza di Cola Pass?
Passo Pozza di Cola is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.289m (4,229ft) above sea level, located in the Autonomous Province of Trento in Italy.
Ferraro Refuge
Rifugio Ferraro is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.066m (6,778ft) above the sea level, located in the Alps in Aosta Valley, Italy.
Furggen
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.
Monte Pizzoc
Monte Pizzoc is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,565m (5,135ft) above the sea level, located in Veneto, Italy.
Monte Penegal
Monte Penegal is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.737m (5,698ft) above the sea level, located in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.
Scarfiotti Refuge: A High-Alpine Journey in the Susa Valley
Rifugio Scarfiotti (also known as Scarfiotti-Crosetto) is a historic mountain refuge situated at an elevation of 2,163m (7,096ft) above sea level. Located in the Metropolitan City of Turin, in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, the refuge serves as a vital base for explorers venturing into the high peaks of the Cottian Alps near the French border.
Marinelli Refuge
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.
How to drive the scary road to Col Visentin in Treviso?
Col Visentin is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.764m (5,787ft) above sea level, located in the Province of Treviso, in Italy. The road to the summit is, probably, the scariest drive in the province.
How to drive the steep road to Colle San Zeno?
Colle San Zeno (also known as Colma di San Zeno) is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1,434m (4,704ft) above sea level, located in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, Italy. Logistically, the pass serves as a demanding asphalted link between Pisogne (on Lake Iseo) and Pezzaze in Val Trompia. The road, designated as Via Case Sparse Mondaro, is characterized by its technical narrowness and significant vertical gain.
Salvatore Citelli Refuge
Rifugio Salvatore Citelli is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 1.742m (5,715ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Catania in the Italian region Sicily.
How to drive the paved road to Lago di Neves in South Tyrol?
Lago di Neves is a high mountain turquoise-green reservoir at an elevation of 1.866m (6,122ft) above sea level, located in the province of South Tyrol, in Italy.
Monte Camoscio
Monte Camoscio is a mountain peak at an elevation of 890m (2,918ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, part of Piedmont, northern Italy.
Basera Pass: Driving the historic military border between Italy and France
Reaching an elevation of 2,040m (6,692ft) above sea level, Passo de Basèra (or Basera Pass) is an international high mountain pass situated directly on the frontier between France and Italy. This high-altitude crossing is part of the legendary network of former military tracks in the Maritime Alps, offering a journey through a landscape where history and rugged nature collide.
Lago di Tovel
Lago di Tovel is a mountain lake at an elevation of 1.178m (3,864ft) above the sea level, located in Trentino, Italy.
Monte Novegno
Monte Novegno is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.672m (5,485ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy.
How to get by car to Gobba di Rollin?
Gobba di Rollin is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.911m (12,831ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Switzerland and Italy. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.
Monte Tomba
Monte Tomba is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.799m (5,902ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Verona in the Italian region Veneto.
How to drive the narrow road to Monte Sighignola (Balcone d'Italia)?
The Monte Sighignola is an international mountain pass reaching an elevation of 1,314m (4,311ft) above sea level, situated on the border between Italy (Lombardy) and Switzerland (Ticino). The access road from Lanzo d'Intelvi is fully asphalted and leads directly to the Balcone d'Italia, a panoramic terrace located at the summit. Technically, this route is characterized by extreme narrowness and a high density of tight hairpins that require precise vehicle maneuvering, especially when encountering oncoming traffic in the upper sectors.
Col Vidal
Col Vidal is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.876m (6,154ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Belluno in the Italian region of Veneto.
Driving the service road to Lago Rotondo: A brutal climb in the Bergamo Alps
Located deep within the Bergamo Alps in Lombardy, the ascent to Lago Rotondo is a high-altitude mission through the Brembana Valley. Reaching an elevation of 2,007m (6,584ft) above sea level, the track serves as the primary access to the Fregabolgia dam and the Rifugio Fratelli Calvi. It is a journey defined by verticality, where the transition from the paved streets of Carona to the loose stone and concrete of the high peaks demands total mechanical focus and a vehicle capable of handling constant, steep gradients.
Colle Bettaforca
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.
How to drive the military road to Forte Foens in the Italian Alps?
Forte Foens is a high-altitude military fortress reaching an elevation of 2,186m (7,171ft) above sea level in the Province of Turin, within the Piedmont region of Italy. Built between 1897 and 1899, this battery was part of a strategic defensive line along the southern slopes of the Jafferau massif. Today, the road to the fort is a demanding unpaved track that connects with the legendary Monte Jafferau and the Colletto Pramand, offering one of the most technical and historical driving experiences in the Graian Alps.
Monte della Neve
Monte della Neve is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.779m (9,117ft) located in the Province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy, near the Swiss border.
Monte Zovetto
Monte Zovetto is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.197m (3,927ft) above the sea level, located in Cesuna di Roana, in Vicenza province, Italy.
Colle della Vaccera
Colle della Vaccera is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.461m (4,793ft) above the sea level, located in northwestern Italy.
Passo Pertica: Driving the 16 hairpins from Giazza to the High Lessinia
Passo Pertica is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,522 meters (4,993 ft) above sea level, located in the Province of Verona in northern Italy. The road to the summit, starting from Giazza, is a technical 9.7-kilometer climb that scales the steep limestone cliffs of the Lessinia Regional Nature Park. The physical reality of this route involves managing a sudden transition from asphalt to a raw gravel surface at the Rifugio Revolto, where the final 2.9 kilometers require a high-clearance vehicle to navigate 16 sharp hairpin turns with a punishing 8.43% average gradient.
Dal Piaz Refuge
Rifugio Dal Piaz is a high mountain shelter at an elevation of 1.993m (6,538ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Belluno in Veneto, northern Italy.
How to drive the steep chairlift track to Platta de Grevon?
Platta de Grevon (also referred to as Piatta de Grevon in some Italian topographic maps) is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2,715m (8,907ft) above sea level, located in the Valle d’Aosta region of northwestern Italy. Technically, it is one of the highest driveable points in the region, situated within the logistical perimeter of the Pila ski resort. The access route is a service road for chairlift maintenance that ranks among the highest roads in Italy.
Pizzo Groppera
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.