🇮🇹Roads in Italy
2 roads found in Italy, Europe
Amalfi Coast Road
🇮🇹 Italy
The SS163 Amalfitana is a 50-kilometer stretch of coastal road carved into the cliffs of the Sorrentine Peninsula in southern Italy, connecting Vietri sul Mare to Positano. Built in the mid-19th century by the Bourbon dynasty, it hugs sheer limestone cliffs hundreds of meters above the Tyrrhenian Sea, passing through a series of tunnels, tight switchbacks, and picturesque villages that cling to the mountainside. The road connects some of Italy's most celebrated coastal towns including Amalfi, Ravello, Praiano, and Positano, each with its own distinct character. The drive is famously narrow in places, with barely enough room for two vehicles to pass, and local bus drivers navigate the hairpins with remarkable skill. Despite the challenges, the scenery is extraordinary: terraced lemon groves, pastel-colored houses cascading down to the sea, and sweeping Mediterranean views at every turn. The UNESCO-listed Amalfi Coast is one of Europe's most iconic driving destinations.
Stelvio Pass
🇮🇹 Italy
The Stelvio Pass (Passo dello Stelvio) is the highest paved mountain pass in the Eastern Alps at 2,757 meters above sea level. Located in northern Italy near the Swiss border, it connects Bormio in the province of Sondrio with the Adige Valley and Merano. The road features a staggering 48 numbered hairpin bends on the northern side from Prad and 34 on the eastern side from Bormio, making it one of the most technically demanding drives in Europe. Originally constructed between 1820 and 1825 by the Austrian Empire under engineer Carlo Donegani, the Stelvio Pass was built as a vital trade and military route connecting the Austrian province of Lombardy with the rest of the empire. The road climbs through alpine meadows, past glaciers, and along precipitous cliff edges. It has been a regular feature of the Giro d'Italia cycling race since 1953, where it is considered one of the most punishing climbs in professional cycling. The pass is typically open from June to September, depending on snow conditions. The northern approach from Prad is considered the most spectacular, with its seemingly endless series of switchbacks visible from above like a concrete ribbon draped across the mountainside. At the summit, a small settlement offers restaurants, hotels, and the Stelvio Pass Museum, which documents the road's history and its role in World War I, when fierce fighting took place in these mountains.