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 Dietro la Torre

Lago Dietro la Torre

Lago Dietro la Torre is a high mountain artificial lake at an elevation of 2.372m (7,782ft) above the sea level, located in the Italian region Piedmont.

Punta del Cavallo

Punta del Cavallo Pass

Punta del Cavallo is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.290m (7,513ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont.

SR251

SR251 is the Italian road of the tsunami

Strada Regionale 251 (SR-251) is a scenic road located on the boundary between Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the northern part of Italy.

Monte Zoufplan

Monte Zoufplan: Driving the narrow 1,343m climb in Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Monte Zoufplan is a mountain peak at an elevation of 1,968 meters (6,456 ft) above sea level, located in the Carnic Alps within the Province of Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. The road climbs the ridge from the Degano Valley to access weather and seismic monitoring infrastructure near the summit.

Passo Padon

Padon Pass

Passo Padon is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.427m (7,962ft) above the sea level, located in Veneto region, in Northern Italy. The average gradient is 17.05%, with some sections up to 25%.

Diga della Maina

How To Travel The Challenging Diga della Maina

Diga della Maina is the name of a narrow high dam located in the province of Udine, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, in Italy. It’s one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.

Punta Chaligne

How to drive the unpaved road to Punta Chaligne?

Punta Chaligne is a high mountain peak located in the Valle d’Aosta region, in Italy. A gravel road west of the peak, ends at an elevation of 2.311m (7,582ft) above sea level.

Rifugio Lavaredo

Lavaredo Refuge

Rifugio Lavaredo is a high mountain hut at an elevation of 2.353m (7,719ft) above the sea level, located in the Sexten Dolomites of northeastern Italy, rising on the border between the northernmost section of the province of Belluno and Alta Pustera, in South Tyrol.

Monte Cuccio

Monte Cuccio

Monte Cuccio is a mountain peak at an elevation of 1.041m (3,415ft) above the sea level, located in the Italian island of Sicily. The climb is brutal: narrow and steep.

Bassa di Colombart

Bassa di Colombart

Bassa di Colombart is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.466m (8,090ft)above the sea level, located in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont.

Rifugio Nino Corsi

Driving the steep road to Rifugio Nino Corsi in South Tyrol

Rifugio Nino Corsi (also known as Zufallhütte) is a high-altitude mountain refuge at an elevation of 2,245m (7,365ft) above sea level, located in the Val Martello of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, Italy. Situated within the heart of the Stelvio National Park, the access road is a technical alpine climb characterized by tight hairpins and significant vertical gain.

Strada Provinciale 22

SP22 Road, a sensational drive in Calabria

Strada Provinciale 22 is a very scenic high mountan road located in the heart of the province of Catanzaro of the Calabria region of Italy.

Colle di Sant'Anna di Vinadio

Colle di Sant'Anna di Vinadio

Colle di Sant'Anna di Vinadio is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.301m (7,549ft) above the sea level, located in the Maritime Alps, on the French-Italian border.

Rifugio Genova-Schlüterhütte

How to drive the steep road to Genova-Schlüterhütte Refuge?

Rifugio Genova-Schlüterhütte is a high mountain hut at an elevation of 2.304m (7,559ft) above sea level, located in South Tyrol, in Italy. 

Alpe Buri

How to drive the paved road to Alpe Buri in Piedmont?

Alpe Buri is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.525m (5,000ft) above sea level, located in the Metropolitan City of Turin.

Strada delle Farfalle

Strada delle Farfalle, a wild road in Sardinia

Strada delle Farfalle is a mountain road located in the Province of Sassari in the Italian region Sardinia. Located in the Limbara mountain range, the road is pretty rough in parts.

Passo Grosté

Grosté Pass

Passo Grosté is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.446m (8,024ft) above the sea level, located in Trentino in the northern Italian Alps.

Strada Ascea-Marina di Campagna

Strada Ascea-Marina di Campagna

Strada Ascea-Marina di Campagna is an amazing and exciting journey in the Campania region, in southwestern Italy. The road offers stunning views of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Ceresole Tunnel

Ceresole Tunnel is the steepest tunnel in the Italian Alps

Located in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, Ceresole Tunnel is said to be the steepest tunnel in the Alps, with gradients of around 14-16%.

Picco Palù-Großer Moosstock

Is the road to Picco Palù in South Tyrol difficult to drive?

Picco Palù is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2,490m (8,169ft) above sea level, located in the Italian province of South Tyrol.

Traforo del Menouve

How to drive the unpaved road to Traforo del Menouve?

The Traforo del Menouve (Menouve Tunnel) is an unfinished tunnel between Italy and Switzerland, located in the Menouve Valley (Aosta Valley) at an elevation of 2.429m (7,969ft) above sea level.

Coletto di Laus

Driving the rugged track to Coletto di Laus: A rocky climb in Cuneo

Coletto di Laus is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1,948 meters (6,391 ft) above sea level, located in the Maritime Alps within the Province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy. Starting near San Bernolfo in the Bagni di Vinadio valley, the unpaved track climbs toward Lago di San Bernolfo and Rifugio De Alexandris-Tomasione (Rifugio Laus).

Passo dei Contrabbandieri

Contrabbandieri Pass

Passo dei Contrabbandieri (Smugglers pass) is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.581m (8,467ft) above the sea level, located in Trentino-South Tyrol in northern Italy. The road goes through the ruins of several WWI fortifications. It's one of the highest roads of the country.

Rifugio Lazaunhutte

Lazaunhutte Refuge

 Rifugio Lazaunhutte is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.425m (7,956ft) above the sea level, located in the Ortler Range, in South Tyrol, in northern Italy.

Lago Agnel

Lago Agnel

Lago Agnel is a high mountain reservoir at an elevation of 2.332m (7,650ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont.

Alpe Trela

How to drive the unpaved road to Alpe Trela?

Alpe Trela is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.181m (7,155ft) above sea level, located in the Province of Sondrio, in Italy.

Testa Crevacol

How to drive the old military road to Testa Crevacol?

Testa Crevacol, also known as Tête de Crévacol, is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2,502m (8,208ft) above sea level in the Aosta Valley, Italy. Located in the Pennine Alps near the Swiss border, the summit is reached via a historical military track known for its loose stone surface and alpine drops.

Monte La Mula

Monte La Mula

Monte La Mula is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.934m (6,345ft) above the sea level, located in the Calabria region of southern Italy.

Colle Ciarbonet

Driving the historic military road to Colle Ciarbonet in the Piedmont Alps

Colle Ciarbonet is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,290m (7,513ft) above sea level, located in the Province of Cuneo, in the Italian region of Piedmont. This ancient military track offers a technical and scenic driving experience through the rugged Unerzio Valley.

Mutegg

Mutegg

Mutegg is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.624m (8,608ft) above the sea level, located in Italy’s South Tyrol region. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Corna Pass

Corna Pass: A high-clearance 4x4 challenge on the roads of the Mediterranean Alps

Corna Pass (also known as Passo della Corna or Pas de la Corne) is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,046m (3,431ft) above sea level, situated on the border between Italy and France. This route is strictly for experienced 4x4 drivers looking for a technical challenge in the Ligurian Alps.

Malga di Pinalto

Malga di Pinalto

Malga di Pinalto (Penaud Alm) is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.328m (7,637ft) above the sea level, located in South Tyrol, northern Italy.

Vallone di Chavannes

Vallone di Chavannes

Vallone di Chavannes is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.184m (7,165ft) above the sea level, located in the Valle d’Aosta region, in northwestern Italy.

Croce di Poverzone

Croce di Poverzone

Croce di Poverzone is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.908m (6,256ft) above the sea level, located in the heart of the Valtellina, in Italy.

Rifugio Fronza alle Coronelle - Kölner Hütte

Fronza alle Coronelle Refuge

Rifugio Fronza alle Coronelle - Kölner Hütte is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.341m (7,680ft) above the sea level, located in the province of South Tyrol in northeastern Italy.

Passo Barbacana

How to drive the military track to Barbacana Pass?

Passo di Barbacana is an international mountain pass at an elevation of 2,180 meters (7,152 ft) above sea level, located on the border between Italy (Piedmont) and France. The track is a dead-end for motor vehicles: the Italian side from San Bernolfo is an unpaved military road, while the French slope is a walking path.