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.

Lago di Neves is a high mountain reservoir at an elevation of 1.866m (6,122ft) above the sea level, located in South Tyrol in northern Italy.

Rifugio Angelo Dibona is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.045m (6,709ft) above the sea level, located in the heart of the southern Alps in the Veneto region of Northern Italy.

Monte Pizzoc is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,565m (5,135ft) above the sea level, located in Veneto, Italy.

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.

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.

Passo Pozza di Cola is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.289m (4,229ft) above the sea level, located in Trentino in north Italy.

Rifugio Scarfiotti is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.163m (7,096ft) above the sea level, located in Piedmont, Italy, in the middle of Susa Valley.

Passo di Campogrosso (Malga Campogrosso) is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.464m (4,803ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto, in Italy. It’s a very steep climb with a maximum slope of 16%.

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.

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.

Col Visentin is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.764m (5,787ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Treviso, in the region of Veneto, in the northeast of the Italian peninsula. The road to the summit is definitely not for anyone suffering from vertigo. There is little room for error on this road.

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.

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.

Colle San Zeno is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.434m (4,704ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy.

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.

Colle della Vaccera is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.461m (4,793ft) above the sea level, located in northwestern Italy.

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.

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.

Forcella de Mèdo/di Mezzo is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.908m (6,259ft) above the sea level, located in the Dolomites of northeastern Italy. 

Forcella Dignàs (Tilliacher Joch) is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.094m (6,870ft) above the sea level, located in Val Visdende, a valley in the Alps on the border between Italy and Austria.

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.

Forte Foens is a high mountain fortress at an elevation of 2.186m (7,171ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Turin, in the Piedmont region, in Italy.

Lago Rotondo is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 2.007m (6,584ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy.

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.

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. It's one of the highest roads of Europe.

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

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.

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.

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.

Sillianer Hütte is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.428m (7,965ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Austria and Italy.

Solda, also known as Sulden, is a high mountain town at an elevation of 1.907m (6,256ft) above the sea level, located in South Tyrol, northern Italy.

Caval di Novezzia is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.553m (5,095ft) above the sea level, located in the Italian Alps.

Monte Sighignola is an international mountain pass at an elevation of 1.314m (4,311ft) above the sea level, located on the border between the Italian region of Lombardy and the Swiss canton of Ticino.

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.

Passo Pertica is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.522m (4,993ft) above the sea level, located in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.

Platta de Grevon is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.715m (8,907ft) above the sea level, located in the Valle d’Aosta region, in northwestern Italy. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.

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.