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.

How to drive the steep road to Forcella Zovo in Belluno

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

Monte Soro: The Ultimate Road Trip Guide

Monte Soro is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.848m (6,062ft) above the sea level located in the Italian region Sicily. It’s a great route for its twisty roads, beautiful colors and views.

Colle di Caccia

Colle di Caccia is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.840m (6,036ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont.

Fittanze della Sega Pass

Passo Fittanze della Sega is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.399m (4,589ft) above the sea level, located Parco Regionale della Lessinia, in Italy.

How to drive the paved road to Val Formica Refuge?

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

Strada Provinciale 64 (SP64) is the road that has it all in the Veneto

Strada Provinciale 64 (SP64) is a highly challenging mountain road located in the province of Vicenza, Italy. This road offers jaw-dropping views, unparalleled freedom, and lots of fresh air.

How to drive the steep Strada per Preda Rossa?

Preda Rossa is a high mountain plateau situated at an elevation of 1,955m (6,414ft) above sea level in the Province of Sondrio, Lombardy (Italy). Access to the plateau is via the Strada per Preda Rossa, a technical mountain route that has undergone significant logistical changes since 1991, when a major landslide destroyed the original infrastructure. Currently, the road is mostly asphalted (with a critical 300m gravel sector remaining) and serves as a demanding climb through the Val Masino, requiring high-torque output and precise braking management.

SC110 Road: Driving the 16.5% Gradient to Kiener Scharte in South Tyrol

Reaching an elevation of 1,750m (5,741ft) above sea level, Kiener Scharte is a high mountain pass located in South Tyrol, northern Italy. The pass is traversed by the SC110 road, a technical paved route that connects the villages of Maranza and Vallarga through the Puster Valley highlands.

How to drive the paved road to Caval di Novezzia?

Caval di Novezzia is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.553m (5,095ft) above sea level, located on the boundary between Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige regions, in Italy.

How to drive the paved road to Piano dell’Imperatore?

Piano dell’Imperatore is a wide plateau at the foot of Monte Volturino, at an elevation of 1.563m (5,127ft) above sea level, located in the Italian region of Basilicata.

Lago di Alpe Gera

Lago di Alpe Gera is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 2.024m (6,640ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy.

Lago Laudemio

Lago Laudemio is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 1.575m (5,167ft) above the sea level, located in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata.

Lago Nero

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.

Digola Pass

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.

Col Margherita: Driving the steep 20% ski-station road

Col Margherita is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2,524m (8,280ft) above sea level, situated on the border between Trentino-South Tyrol and Veneto in the Italian Dolomites. Logistically, the route is a rugged ski-station service road that traverses the Bocche chain. Technically, the track is defined by its extreme vertical gain and a surface composed of loose volcanic rock and porphyry.

Driving to Lago di Maulazzo: A scenic mountain road in the Nebrodi Park

Lago di Maulazzo is a beautiful mountain lake at an elevation of 1,453m (4,767ft) above sea level, located in the Messina province of Sicily, Italy. Situated within the Parco Naturale Regionale dei Nebrodi, the road to the lake offers a technical driving experience through one of the largest forested areas on the island.

Bassa dell'Ajet: Driving the historic 1744 military track in Piedmont

Located in the Province of Cuneo in northwest Italy, Bassa dell'Ajet is a high mountain pass reaching an elevation of 2,328m (7,637ft) above sea level. This pass is a key point along one of the most historic military ridges in the Alps, offering a driving experience that combines 18th-century engineering with the raw, high-altitude beauty of the Piedmont region.

Lago del Chiotas

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.

Colle di Gilba

Colle di Gilba is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.528m (5,013ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont.

How to drive the steep road to Sa Crabarissa?

Sa Crabarissa is a granite rock over 50 meters high that looks like a woman dressed in a traditional Sardinian costume, located in the Provincia di Nuoro, on the Italian island of Sardinia.

How to drive the old military road to Monte Tombea?

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

Driving the SP18 to Ranzo, the road carved into the rock

Located in the Autonomous Province of Trento, in Italy, Strada Provinciale 18 is a road dug into the rock and, at times, overhanging.

How difficult is the unpaved road to Colle di Perascritta in Italy?

Colle di Perascritta is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,154m (7,066ft) above sea level, located in the Piedmont region, in northern Italy. Traversed by the rugged and unpaved Strada Sistina, the pass climbs through the Graian Alps toward Lago del Monastero.

Cappella Madonna del Cotolivier

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.

Bormio 2000

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.

Cheneil

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.

Lago di Fontana Bianca

Lago di Fontana Bianca is a high mountain reservoir, at an elevation of 1.900m (6,233ft) above the sea level, located in South Tyrol, northern Italy.

Lago di Rochemolles

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.

Palombino Pass

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 Valscura

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.

A road with countless tunnels on Ponti di Vara to transport marble to the quarry

Originally built as a railway tunnel, the historic Vara Bridge was constructed in 1876 for marble transportation to the quarries of Carrara, Italy. Today, the bridge is used by trucks and vehicles. It’s one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.