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.

Little St Bernard Pass is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.188m (7,178ft) above the sea level, located at the Italian-French border. Keep reading to find out more about when and how you can take the drive, as well as some of the notable sights you’ll see. 

Passo Castrin, also known as Hofmahdjoch, is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.781m (5,843ft) above the sea level, located in the Ortler Alps in South Tyrol, Italy.

Mount Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe. Located on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, a sandy road climbs up to 3.120m (10,236ft) above the sea level. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.

Passo Rodella is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.866m (6,122ft) above the sea level, located in the heart of the Dolomites in South Tyrol, Italy.

Colletto Pramand is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.087m (6,847ft) above the sea level, located in the Hautes Alpes, in the southwestern part of the Italian Alps. The road to the pass is called Via dei Saraceni.

Passo di Oclini is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.995m (6,545ft) above the sea level, located in the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, in Italy.

Passo Cereda is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.361m (4,465ft) above the sea level, located in the southern slopes of the Pale di San Martino mountain group, in Italy.

Rifugio Barbara Lowrie is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 1.753m (5,751ft) above the sea level, located in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont. 

Forca d'Acero is a high mountain valley at an elevation of 1.538m (5,045ft) above the sea level, located on the border between Lazio and Abruzzo regions, in Italy.

Col Tze Core is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.607m (5,272ft) above the sea level, located in the Aosta Valley, a mountainous semi-autonomous region in northwestern Italy.

Colle del Ghisallo is a mountain pass at an elevation of 754m (2,473ft) above the sea level, located in Magreglio, close to Lake Como in Italy. Near the summit there’s a sanctuary, called Santuario Del Ghisallo. This tiny church is home to the Patron Saint of Cyclists and includes a small cycling museum.

Becco Rosso pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.261m (7,417ft) above the sea level, located in the Alps, on the border of France and Italy.

Passo Campo Carlo Magno is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.682m (5,518ft) above the sea level, located in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.

Mount Belvedere is a mountain pass at an elevation of 750m (2,460ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily.

Colle di Costa Piana is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.313m (7,588ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Turin, Italy.

Lago Miserin is a remote alpine lake at an elevation of 2.580m (8,464ft) above the sea level, located in the Alps in Aosta Valley, Italy. It's one of the highest roads of Italy.

Lago Ponton is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 2.645m (8,677ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Aosta in the Aosta Valley region of Italy. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Strada Militare del Colle della Vecchia is an old military road built in the 1880's and closed to motor vehicles, winding its way up to 2.000m above the sea level. The road is located in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont.

Cima di Morissolo is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.311m (4,301ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont.

The scenic Fornelli-Cala d'Oliva Road is the only paved road on the Italian island of Asinara, at the north-western tip of Sardinia, in the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the best coastal drives in the world.

Rifugio Panarotta is a mountain refuge at an elevation of 1.780m (5,839ft) above the sea level, located in the Sugana Valley, in the autonomous province of Trentino in Northern Italy. The ascent is a popular one with amateur cyclists.

Colle Cologna is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.394m (7,854ft) above the sea level, located in the Cottian Alps, Piedmont, northern Italy.

Colle Malaberghe is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.225m (7,299ft) above the sea level, located in the Cottian Alps, between France and Italy.

Lago di Malga Bissina is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 1.815m (5,954ft) above the sea level, located in the Val di Daone, in the Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy.

Monte Telegrafo is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.483m (8,146ft) above the sea level, located in the Trentino-South Tyrol region of Italy.

Passo della Costazza (Baita Segantini) is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.181m (7,155ft) above the sea level, located in Trentino in Italy. The road to the pass starts from the Passo Rolle. 

Strada Cancelli-Fossato di Vico is a short mountain road located on the boundary between Perugia and Ancona provinces, in central Italy.

Portella Femmina Morta is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.535m (5,036ft) above the sea level, located in the Italian region of Sicily.

Monte Toraro is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.890m (6,200ft) above the sea level, located in the Venetian Prealps, a mountain range in the south-eastern part of the Alps in Triveneto, in the north-eastern part of Italy.

Located in the province of Belluno in the Italian region of Veneto, the Sospirolo-Gosaldo Road is a very scenic journey.

Passo dei Salati is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.988m (9,803ft) above the sea level, located on the border between Piedmont and Val de Aosta, in Italy. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.

Rifugio Duca degli Abruzzi is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.809m (9,215ft) above the sea level, located in the Valle d’Aosta region, in northwestern Italy. It's one of the highest roads of Europe.

Rifugio Genova-Figari is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.015m (6,610ft) above the sea level, located in the Province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy.

Laghi di Cedèc bridge lies at an elevation of 2.743m (8,999ft) above the sea level, in the northern Italian province of Sondrio. It’s one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.

Mont Fallère is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.377m (7,798ft) above the sea level, located in the Valle d’Aosta region, in northwestern Italy.

Orrido della Val Taleggio is a stunning gorge located in the province of Bergamo, Lombardy, in northern Italy. The road is a delight to drive, with every kind of twist and turn.

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