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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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%.

Driving the narrow and steep road to Rifugio Rinfreddo

Rifugio Rinfreddo is a high-altitude mountain shelter sitting at 1,892 meters above sea level in the heart of the Comelico region, within the Belluno Dolomites. The road leading to the refuge is a classic Alpine forest track: a narrow, punishing ribbon of asphalt and concrete that winds through dense pine forests. This is not a road for hesitant drivers; it is a technical climb where the margins are measured in centimeters and where the steepness of the terrain often forces the use of first gear to keep the vehicle moving without stalling on the tighter bends.

Malga Trela

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

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.

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.

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

Located in the heart of the Maritime Alps, in the Province of Cuneo, the ascent to Coletto di Laus is a journey through some of Piedmont’s most aggressive high-altitude terrain. Reaching an elevation of 1,948m (6,391ft) above sea level, this unpaved track links the isolated village of San Bernolfo with the stunning Lago di San Bernolfo and the Rifugio Laus. It is a route where the definition of a "road" is pushed to the limit, demanding a high-clearance vehicle and a driver who knows how to navigate a path made of loose stone and glacial debris.

Driving the impossible turns on the Val Mara Road

Val Mara Road is the name of a challenging drive running across the border of Switzerland and Italy, to the south of Lago di Lugano.

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.

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. Located in the Pennine Alps near the Swiss border, the summit is reached via a historical military track. Logistically, this route is a technical extension for those already navigating the high-altitude spurs of the region.

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 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.

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.

Genova-Schlüterhütte Refuge

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Champillon

Champillon is a high mountain plateau at an elevation of 2.092m (6,863ft) above the sea level, located in the Aosta Valley region of north-western Italy.

Passo Vezzena

Passo Vezzena is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.402m (4,599ft) above the sea level, located in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.

Averau Refuge

Rifugio Averau is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.418m (7,933ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Belluno in Italy.

Chalet de l'Épée Refuge

Rifugio Chalet de l'Épée is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.383m (7,818ft) above the sea level, located in the Aosta Valley region of north-western Italy.

Strada degli Alpini

Strada degli Alpini is the name of the sharply winding and precipitous ascent in a steep and narrow zig-zag road located in the Province of Treviso, in the Italian region Veneto.

How to drive the military track to Barbacana Pass?

The Barbacana Pass (Passo di Barbacana) is an international high mountain crossing at an elevation of 2,180m (7,152ft) above sea level, located in the Alpes-Maritimes on the border between Italy (Piedmont) and France. The Italian side is accessed via an old unpaved military road starting from San Bernolfo. Logistically, the pass is a dead-end for motor vehicles; while the Italian side is a technical 4x4 track, the French side consists strictly of a walking path, making a cross-border transit impossible.

Col Rodella

Col Rodella is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.462m (8,077ft) above the sea level, located in Val di Fassa, in South Tyrol in northern Italy.

Pomedes Refuge

Rifugio Pomedes is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.303m (7,555ft) above the sea level, located in the heart of the southern Alps in the Veneto region of Northern Italy.

Doss dei Gembri

Doss dei Gembri is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.520m (8,267ft) above the sea level, located in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.

Rifugio Pulpito: A brutal climb in the heart of the Ortler Range

Rifugio Pulpito (also known as Kanzel-Hütte in German) is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2,354m (7,723ft) above sea level, located in the South Tyrol province of northern Italy. Situated within the breathtaking Stelvio National Park, the climb to the refuge offers some of the most dramatic views of the Ortler massif.