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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Col de Gimont is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.332m (7,650ft) above sea level, located on the border of France and Italy.

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.

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.

Alpe Colina is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.076m (6,811ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy.

Rifugio Monte Curcio is a high-altitude mountain refuge situated at 1,769m (5,803ft) above sea level in the Calabria region of Southern Italy. Located within the scenic Sila National Park, the track leading to the summit is a rugged ski-station service road known for its demanding gradient and unpaved surface.

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.

Sa Crabarissa is a natural landmark, resembling a woman, located in the Provincia di Nuoro, in the Italian island of Sardinia.

Simplonpass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.005m (6,578ft) above the sea level, located in the canton of Valais, in Switzerland. 

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.

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.

Colle di Perascritta is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.154m (7,066ft) above the sea level, located in the Italian region Piedmont.

At an elevation of 2,004m (6,574ft) above sea level, Maso Corto (also known as Kurzras) is a high-altitude settlement at the end of the Schnalstal Valley (Val Senales) in South Tyrol, Italy. The road serves as the primary access for the glacier ski resort and sits near the Austrian border, surrounded by peaks exceeding 3,000 meters.

Col Margherita is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.524m (8,280ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Trentino-South Tyrol and Veneto regions, in Italy. It is one of the most popular viewpoints in the Dolomites.

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

Forcella Àuta/Alta is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.984m (6,509ft) above the sea level, located in the Dolomites of northeastern Italy. 

Col de la Roue-Colle della Rho is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.534m (8,313ft) above sea level located on the Italian-French border.

Conca Cialancia is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.855m (9,366ft) above the sea level, located in the Parco Naturale di Conca Cialancia, in Torino, Italy.

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.

Rifugio Valanza is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 1.748m (5,734ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont.

Preda Rossa is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.955m (6,414ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy. In 1991 the road was severely destroyed by a major landslide and then a bad gravel road on the other side of the valley served as the only way to go up.

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.

Rifugio Ghiacciaio dei Forni is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.178m (7,145ft) above the sea level, located in the Cedec valley, in the Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy.

Passo Avanza da Pierabech is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.740m (5,708ft) above the sea level, located in the Carnic Alps, northern Italy.

Monte Lozze is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.920m (6,299ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy.

Albergo Saltner Edelweiss is a high mountain hotel at an elevation of 1.351m (4,429ft) above the sea level, located in the South Tyrol province of north Italy. The climb is simply brutal, with a maximum gradient of 30%.

Strada Provinciale 35 is a very challenging road in the Calabria region of southern Italy. The road is very steep with several hairpin turns, offering stunning views of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Passo Silvella, also known as Kniebergsattel, is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.329m (7,641ft) above the sea level, located in the heart of the southern Alps in the Veneto region of Northern Italy.

Rifugio Pier Fortunato Calvi is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.164m (7,099ft) above the sea level, located  in the heart of the southern Alps in the Veneto region of Northern Italy.

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.

Chalet Val Ferret is an Alpine hotel at an elevation of 1.771m (5,810ft) above the sea level, located in northern Italy, in the autonomous region of Aosta Valley.

Sass del Mul is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.625m (8,612ft) above the sea level, located in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of the country.

Lago Torrei is a mountain reservoir at an elevation of 874m (2,867ft) above the sea level, located in the Italian island of Sardinia.

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